New face joins Windermere Lake Cruises, as company stalwart retires after 30 years

Alan Fisher started his career with Windermere Lake Cruises in the ticket office at Lakeside on 26 November 1984, before quickly moving into a business development role and working extensively with overseas markets. He has been a stalwart for international business development ever since and was a founder member of the Lake District Japan Forum.

Managing Director of Windermere Lake Cruises, Nigel Wilkinson, says, “Alan’s contribution to the company over the past 30 years has been immense. He has been pivotal in developing our Japanese and Chinese markets, taking a high profile at key national events such as World Travel Market and liaising closely with organisations like VisitBritain and tour operators from across the globe. We wish him well, as he looks forward to a well-earned break with his family and we are sure his growing grandchildren will keep him busy!

“At the same time, we’re welcoming another experienced hand, Jennifer Cormack. With a strong track record in the tourism sector, we’ve no doubt she will be a great asset when it comes to building on the work Alan has done locally, nationally and internationally as we push forward into 2015 and beyond. Jennifer is already finding that Alan is a hard act to follow.”

Newcomer Jennifer Cormack joins the company as Sales Manager for Winander Leisure, which owns both Windermere Lake Cruises and the Lakeland Motor Museum. Jennifer has worked for Pure Leisure Group for the past 15 years and most recently, she had a high-profile sales and marketing role dealing with UK holiday parks and a prestigious golf resort in Barbados.

Jennifer, who lives in Milnthorpe, already has long-standing connections with Windermere; her late father-in-law was a skipper with Windermere Lake Cruises based at Ambleside and her husband runs a sailing school on the lake.

She says, “This is an exciting new challenge for me, not only working alongside a variety of hotels locally but also building relationships nationally and internationally to help position the Lake District as the favoured destination to new and emerging markets. Windermere is particularly close to my heart, and I’m looking forward to helping drive the business forward.”

Windermere Lake Cruises is already one of the England’s top ten ‘paid for’ visitor attractions, according to national tourism body VisitEngland. It is also the only Cumbrian attraction – and one of just a handful outside London - to appear in the top ten.