Destination Uk May /June 2011

Issue 40 May/June 2011 £2.75

By Christina Eccles

‘MIDDLE Britons’ are looking to theinternet to beat the economic down-turn – increasingly searching for bar-gain breaks and recommendationsonline.

According to an Experian survey ofover 2,000 people, more than aquarter of respondents intend toforgo a holiday this year due tofinancial pressures.

And those choosing to head off ona break are citing value for moneyas the biggest decider in where togo.

The figures showed 66 per centwill be demanding better customerservice and value for money and for82 per cent, value for money will bethe most important considerationwhen making holiday decisions.

Managing director, ExperianMarketing Information Services, UKand Ireland, Nigel Wilson said: “Ourlatest analysis sends a clear mes-sage to the travel industry, andbrands as a whole, that MiddleBritain’s modern consumers will bemore demanding than ever beforeand want more for their hard-earnedcash. The brands which will be thewinners in this new consumer orderare those which respond best tothis need – understanding exactly

who their customers and how toengage with them both in store andonline.”

The research also showed con-sumers are using the power ofsocial media to find the best dealsand customer experiences.

74 per cent are positively influ-enced by recommendations fromfriends on social media networksand 83 per cent say their generalperception of a product or brand isinfluenced, for better or for worse,by comments they see online. Overhalf are influenced by voucher sitesand almost the same proportion reg-ularly respond to email offers.

Nigel added: “Tripadvisor is justthe tip of the iceberg when it comesto consumers sharing holiday tipsand advice. It is important thatbrands embrace the full power ofsocial media to build their customerrelationships, manage their profileand ultimately boost sales.”

According to Experian’s definition‘Middle Britain’ represent over 13mpeople. The definition is based on aseries of measures includingincome, age, car ownership, occupa-tion and type of house. This group isnot seen as the youngest or oldestin the country, neither are they themost affluent or most deprived.

ALMOST half of Brits wouldobject to replacing the MayDay bank holiday with aday off in April or October,according to a TripAdvisorpoll.

Following theGovernment’s recentannouncement that MayDay could be replaced by aSt. George’s Day bank holi-day in April or a TrafalgarDay in October, most peo-ple surveyed would like thedate to remain in May.

In a poll of over 4,000Britons, 43 per cent wouldlike the May Day bank holi-day left as it is. A thirdsupport replacing it with aTrafalgar Day in October,while only a fifth supportreplacing it with a St.George’s Day public holi-day in April.

TripAdvisor spokesmanEmma O’Boyle said: “MayDay has been a popularBritish holiday for over 30years and many peopleplan holidays and familydays out around this.

“It is understandable whysome may oppose thechange, but replacing itwith a Trafalgar Day inOctober would certainlyhelp extend the Britishtourist season and breakup the long period betweenthe August bank holidayand Christmas.”

Most wantto hang onto May Dayholiday

Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury hasvisited the Peak District to launch a festival dedicated to enjoying the out-doors. Julia was at Buxton’s PavilionGardens to mark the start of Visit PeakDistrict and Derbyshire’s series ofWalking and Outdoors Festivals. Thelaunch also included a range of familyfriendly activities including magic shows,percussion workshops and a walk with aBlue Badge Guide.

How MiddleBritons facedownturn

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Entertainmentnews inCentrestagestarting on Page 13

Wild at Heart Pages 8&9

Destination Scotland Pages 16&17

Follow in Harry & Co’s

footstepsPage 5

ContactsEDITORIALAndrew Harrod group editor 01226 734639 [email protected] Cordell reporter 01226 734694 [email protected] Eccles reporter 01226 734463 [email protected] Musgrave reporter 01226 734407 [email protected]

PRODUCTIONJudith Halkerston – group deputyeditor – [email protected] Holt – studio manager –[email protected] Wilkinson – graphic [email protected] Blackburn – graphic [email protected]

ADVERTISING

Andrew Loadesassistant product manager01226 734482Tony Barrysales and marketing director01226 734605/01226 734333

CIRCULATION

Kelly Tarff01226 734695 [email protected]

Fax: 01226 734477

Web: www.destination.uk.com

DESTINATIONNEWS

OVER 10m Brits made the most ofthe double Bank Holiday by takingat least one overnight stay in theUK, according to figures fromVisitEngland.

The organisation’s Easter HolidayTrip Tracker showed 10.3m peopleplanned to take a UK break – with8.6m of those holidaying inEngland.

The annual survey showed thatover the Bank Holiday period –which included Easter, the RoyalWedding and May bank holiday –over a quarter of British adults (26per cent) said they were planning atleast one overnight trip away from

home, figures which were in linewith last year’s figures and four percent up compared to the same timein 2009.

Chairman of VisitEngland LadyCobham said: “These figuresindicate a boost for tourism at thestart of what promises to be anexciting 18 months ahead.

“It’s certainly a time of celebrationwith the Royal Wedding followed bynext year’s momentous events likethe Diamond Jubilee, London 2012Olympic and Paralympic Games, theCultural Olympiad and Torch Relayto name a few.”

Over 10m take double Bank Holiday break

Yorkshire TV campaignaims to steal thenation’s heartBy Christina Eccles

WELCOME to Yorkshire has announced ambitiousplans to boost visitor numbers to the county at itsannual tourism event.

Y11 took place at the Grand Theatre and OperaHouse in Leeds and was attended by over 1,000people.

Delegates heard about a range of upcomingcampaigns designed to inspire visitors to Yorkshire,including the agency’s latest TV campaign.

Chief executive Gary Verity said: “Building on ourprevious award-winning campaigns, we’rebroadcasting a brand new TV advertisement intohomes across the UK with, ‘So much, so near, sodifferent.

“Have a brilliant Yorkshire’ as our new slogan andif you miss that you’ll certainly not miss oursponsorship deals which will accompany a numberof prime-time TV programmes.”

The sponsorship of programmes such as TheRoyal, Do the Funniest Things and The Paul O’GradyShow aims to target peak viewing times toencourage families to visit the county.

Gary added: “The TV promotions aim to target thefamily market because we know that once people visit Yorkshire, they fall in love with ourmarvellous county and become repeat visitors in thelong term.”

Guests at Y 11 also saw extracts from the new TVseries The Dales which is presented by Yorkshire-born actor Adrian Edmondson.

More than 8.7m viewers have tuned into the fly-on-the-wall documentary, featuring locations,businesses and characters filmed across theYorkshire Dales last summer.

It is hoped the 12-part series will inspire people tovisit the county and within 24 hours of the firstepisode, the agency saw a 375 per cent increase inpage views.

Other plans unveiled included details of the Arts ofYorkshire campaign and this year’s entry for theRHS Chelsea Flower Show.

“The previous year’s campaigns and partnershipshave resulted in a raft of amazing successes.

“By bringing people together we are seeing morevisitors and further growth to our economy and nowis the time to build on this for the future of

Yorkshire’s tourism industry. “We now have a three year plan and I can

guarantee you this; Yorkshire’s profile is going to bebigger and better than ever.”

Gary Verity Picture: Welcome to Yorkshire

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THE organisers of a major food and drinkfestival have told how the event is encouragingvisitors to flock to the region.

The Wakefield Festival of Food, Drink andRhubarb is one of the first major events in thefood festival calendar and celebrates the city’slinks with rhubarb growing.

The event – which takes place in February –has steadily grown over the years withorganisers adding more content each time toattract visitors.

The 2011 festival was visited by over 80,000people and provided the opportunity for localchefs to show off their skills while also actingas a showcase for the best of the region’sfood and drink offering – including the famousrhubarb.

The festival is organised by WakefieldCouncil’s events team, who claim its lastingsuccess is down to working with partners –from tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire, tolocal restaurants, chefs and tourist attractions– to ensure there is plenty to do at the eventfor both local people and visitors looking toexperience what Wakefield has to offer.

Senior markets and major events managerLisa Ferguson said: “It is the first food festival

of the year in the calendar and fires everyoneup for the rest of the festivals that follow.Yorkshire has got a good reputation for foodfestivals and we are really proud of the event.”

Local businesses are always keen to getinvolved – reporting large increases in takingsover the festival weekend – and the event hasrecently been recognised for the role it plays inattracting tourists.

The festival was a finalist in the Welcome toYorkshire White Rose Awards for Tourism Eventof the Year in both 2009 and 2010.

It is also in the running for VisitEngland’sWhere Else but England Award, whichrecognises the best of England’s quirky eventsprogramme.

To capitalise on the festival’s tourismoffering, at this year’s event, organisersteamed up with a number of local hotels tooffer overnight stays which tied in with thedates of the festival and created a package.

Lisa added: “We are keen to work withbusinesses and major attractions in the regionand we had a really good mix of programming.Our partners can see the benefits of gettinginvolved, which is really important.”

Rhubarb pulls in visitorsfor West Yorkshire city

IT is essential local councilscontinue to support sustainabletourism initiatives, according to VisitKent chief executive SandraMatthews-Marsh.

She has written to the tourismminister, John Penrose, stressingthe importance of councils helping to bring together tourism,leisure and hospitality businessesto promote sustainabledestinations.

She said: “We have generallywelcomed the government’snational tourism policy, but areconcerned that some of the ‘glue’that enables destinationmanagement organisations tocreate successful partnershipscould be eroded in current budgetreviews.

“Local authorities have a key roleto play in pump priming andunderpinning the process of bringingvarious interests together.

“They help create a platform onwhich destination businesses canstand together, collaborate andinteract in the task of delivering arounded project to visitors.”

Visit Kent is also urging theminister to back efforts to identify an Enterprise Zone for Kent in recognition of the strongrole tourism plays in creating

jobs in the area.Sandra added: “We are delighted

that, for the first time, the tourismindustry has been recognised by thegovernment as a sector in its ownright and as a key driver forrebuilding the economy during therecovery.

“These are challenging times andwe need to deliver radicalprogrammes and put in place thefoundations that will enable them tosucceed.”

Local councilshave key rolein pump priming

Tourism minister John Penrosereceives a hamper of Kentproduce from Visit Kent chairmanAmanda Cottrell

New rail company ontrack with SuperbreakSUPERBREAK has added a newrail company to its portfolio ofrail options for short breaks.

Agents can now add trains fromstations on the Grand Centralroute, opening up WestYorkshire, Wearside, Teeside andthe Durham Coast.

National sales manager GrahamBalmforth said: “West Yorkshire,Teesside and the Durham Coast

is a massive area for us with thetrade very active in selling ourproducts, especially into London.We listened to what agents wereasking us for and we have beenable to add Grand Central to ouralready comprehensive railpackages to London. This newpartnership gives us additionallocalised options to our agentsand their customers.”

Simon Duffy has been appointedas the new general manager atLa Fregate Hotel. He has worked at some of theChannel Islands’ topestablishments over the past 30years, including LonguevilleManor and The Atlantic Hotel. He said: “I am delighted to bebringing my knowledge andexperience to La Fregate to

further support and enhance thefine reputation that the hotel hasestablished over the past 30years. “I would like to praise thecurrent team for their hard workand professionalism and I lookforward to working with them tomaintain, and build on, thealready high standards that havebeen achieved.”

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FANS of the Harry Potter films willsoon be able to follow in thefootsteps of their heroes when anew multi-million pound UKattraction opens next spring.

Warner Bros Studios London’sThe Making of Harry Potter tourwill allow the public to go behindthe scenes of the movies for thefirst time, witnessing the intricateprops, sets and costumes that

have brought the characters tolife. The attraction is based atWarner Bros. Studios inLeavesden, which was theproduction home of the HarryPotter films for over 10 years.

Never-before-seen exhibits onthe three hour long tour includememorable sets such as theiconic Great Hall andDumbledore’s office.

Harry Potter star Emma Watson

Follow in Harry’s footsteps

Governmentputs industryin driving seatBy Christina Eccles

THE government will put theindustry in the driving seat, allowingit to decide what’s best for UKtourism, according to John Penrose.

The minister for tourism andheritage spoke to delegates at thisyear’s Best of Britain and Irelandshow in Birmingham, explaining howthe government aims to work withtourism businesses to support theindustry.

He explained: “We are trying toset out a new approach forgovernment and the way it workswith the leisure economy. You willnot see a grand central plan abouthow to market this destination orthat. Instead we are taking adifferent approach.

“We want to work at how we canhelp you to do what you do bestand put you in the driving seat. Wewant it to be led by the industry andsupported by government. Localauthorities will support but you arein charge.”

He added that major events suchas the upcoming Olympics in 2012will provide a great opportunity toshowcase the UK to millions of

people all over the world, who couldpotentially visit in the yearsfollowing.

And that the industry’s challengeis to make coming to the UK – orstaying in the case of domestictourists – as appealing aspossible.

He added: “The Royal Weddingand Olympics are an opportunity forus to show Britain in the bestpossible light to TV audiences sothey come in 2013 and 2014. Wewill keep pushing this messageacross in the run up to, during andafter the events.

“We also want to make sure theindustry continues to improveproductivity and competitiveness –we have to offer good value atevery price point.

“The final thing is to carry onboosting domestic tourism. We as acountry are more likely than ourEuropean neighbours to tounderestimate what’s on ourdoorstep. That’s crazy when youlook at what we have to offer. Butit’s up to us to market that andshow that the tourism industry is anindustry not just for today but fortomorrow as well.”

Picture: BBC/Matt Squire

A SPECTACULAR outdoor eventattracted 12,000 people to Leedslandmark Kirkstall Abbey – including2,000 locals who signed up to takepart.

Frankenstein’s Wedding Live inLeeds was produced by the BBC,working in partnership with LeedsCity Council, Marketing Leeds andWelcome to Yorkshire.

The live show’s cast includedEastEnders’ actress Lacey Turnerand included a wedding dance led

by a cast of 2,000 participantsfrom the Leeds area.

The show was also simultaneouslybroadcast on BBC Three – allowingaudiences all over the country tosee what Leeds has to offer as atourist destination and as a citycapable of hosting major events.

Estimates suggest visitors to theevent spent about half a millionpounds during the weekend onthings such as food and drink,shopping and accommodation.

Event attracts 12,000to Leeds landmark

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STRATFORD-upon-Avon has beenvoted the sixth best UKdestination by the world’s largesttravel website, TripAdvisor.

The winners of the 2011Travellers’ Choice DestinationAwards were based on theexperiences of millions oftravellers from around the world.

The site asked its users tostate where in the world they hadvisited and whether they liked itor not and received contributionsfrom more than 1m people.London topped the chart withEdinburgh and Bath comingsecond and third.

TripAdvisor spokesman EmmaO’Boyle said: "For Stratford tocome in at number six and beata lot of other famous and larger,obvious tourist destinations is afantastic achievement. It's closeto an airport (Birmingham); it'sgot good road links and isrelatively easy to reach by rail.These awards honour the world’s best destinations asdecided by those judges thatreally matter – travellersthemselves. Stratford, famousfor being the birthplace ofShakespeare, offers a great dealof culture, heritage and beauty

and it’s wonderful to see itrecognised.”

Managing director ofShakespeare Country TonyMerrygold added: “This is a greataccolade for Stratford-upon-Avonto be voted the sixth mostpopular place to visit in the UK.

“TripAdvisor is one of the mostpopular travel websites in theworld. As the reviews are written

by real travellers, the accolade iscompletely impartial and one thatI feel is very much deserved forthe town.”

This is not the first TripAdvisoraccolade won by Stratford-upon-Avon – in 2009 it was voted thenumber one charming small townin the world and was also theonly town in the UK featured inthe top 10.

Stratford butterfly farm

Stratford celebrates bestUK destination placing

Shakespeare’s Birthplace

New guidefor foodloversA NEW guide has been launched tohelp food lovers make the most oftheir trip to the Peak District andDerbyshire.

The area’s official tourist board,Visit Peak District and Derbyshire,has teamed up with Food and DrinkGuides Ltd to provide the 64-pageguide at the Tideswell School ofFood.

It contains full details of a widevariety of venues to eat, rangingfrom city bars to cafes, restaurantsand country pubs.

Almost 100 venues are includedand there are also special featureson wining and dining in Derby, theDerby Food and Drink Awards, theDerbyshire Food and Drink Awardsand the Derbyshire Food and DrinkFair.

David Thornton, the tourist boardsdeputy chief executive, said:“Premium food and drink are keyingredients in the choice menutourists have come to expect whenthey visit the Peak Distric andDerbyshire and this fact packed newguide offers a feast of informationabout the wealth of venues we haveto tempt their taste buds.

“Many of them set great store byfocusing on quality, locally-sourcedproduce – and the featured venueshighlight a huge spectrum of choice– aimed at satisfying a broad rangeof tastes and budgets.”

Praise for£30millionrevamp venue MANCHESTER Central has takenhome the silver medal in thebusiness tourism category at theEnjoy England Awards forExcellence.

The venue was praised byindustry experts following thecompletion of a £30mredevelopment, created to reflect that original and modern architecture ofManchester.

Lesley Tomlinson, chief executive,said: “We are very pleased to havebeen awarded silver at the NationalAwards for Excellence.

“It means a great deal toeveryone who works at ManchesterCentral and we are delighted tohave our efforts recognised by ourpeers.

“The venue has generated over£56m of economic impact forManchester in the last 12 monthsand is set to increase this figure bya further £4m in the next financialyear.

“We are very proud to be part ofthe Manchester conferencing offerand we are looking forward tocontinued growth in the years tocome.”

Flyer for agents to promote breaksSUPERBREAK has launched a new monthly ‘Break Out’ flyer foragents to use to promote shortbreaks in their local catchmentarea.

The flyer is being emailed toagencies for them to print off andSuperbreak’s sales team will begiving out supplies when they visitagents.

Each sales executive has a flyer

personalised with offers for theirregion ensuring that the product isrelevant.

The flyer features deals such astwo nights with free dinner on thefirst night and rail inclusivepackages.

National sales manager GrahamBalmforth said: “We’ve designedthe flyer to look like a red-topnewspaper so it is eye catching for

customers. We’ve geared it towardsthe economic climate by showingthe great value short breaks offer –for example as petrol pricescontinue to rise, we highlight thevalue of travelling on our special railfares.

“We intend to roll these out everymonth and we hope agents will getbehind it and use the flyer to getthe message out there.”

Henry VIII continues to hold court daily at Hampton Court, where groupsenter a living Tudor world and can participate in life at Henry’s palacefrom special Tudor cookery weekends to everyday court life.

Groups will be inspired by Florimania this spring with scented floralarrangements in keeping with the ancient stories from the past 500 yearsof dazzling history. Visitors can walk in the footsteps of Henry VIII andmarvel at the displays arranged by the Surrey area of NAFAS (NationalAssociation of Flower Arrangement Societies), volunteers will offer flowerarranging demonstrations.

After enjoying the flowers inside the palace, step outside to the gloriousformal gardens of William III and Mary II before you disappear into theMaze where whispers of the past will haunt every step to the centre of thistopiary puzzle.

The palace will be on tenterhooks awaiting the impending birth ofHenry VIII and Jane Seymour’s first child. Will it be a boy? Will it survive?Will there be joy or sorrow? Join the court and be first to hear the eagerlyanticipated news!

The Tudor cooks will also be on hand to satisfy the requirements of the

hungry court with typical Tudor delicacies in the greatkitchens and the ever-popular wedding of Henry VIII andhis sixth wife will still be taking place with liveinterpretation daily.

For those seeking tranquillity, a stroll through thegardens to see the spring flowers will build up an appetitefor a snack or lunch in the Tiltyard Café, where grouparrangements can also be made.

For your groups opportunity to meet Henry VIII’s wivesor take part in any of the Tudor events, call our contactcentre on 0844 482 7770 or e-mail [email protected]. Please quote “Destination UK May”when contacting us.

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WILDLIFE tourism is booming inScotland as holidaymakers look fornew activities to do during theirbreaks, it has been claimed.

Caroline Warburton works for WildScotland – the Scottish wildlife andnature tourism association – andshe told Destination UK thatrecently there has been an increasein the number of people wanting toexplore the country’s natural habitatand get close to nature.

She explained: “We have seeninterest grow exponentially.Previously wildlife watching was

seen as quite a niche activity butthe market has opened upcompletely. Part of the reason isthat the general public’s awarenesshas changed. Programmes such asSpringwatch have highlighted thatwe have world class wildlife and weshould shout about it.

“Scotland is such a small countrybut has a huge diversity of habitats,which are all within an easydistance of each other. Very fewcountries can offer that.”

Visitors to Scotland have beenenjoying the country’s varied wildlife

offering more than ever – takingpart in activities ranging fromdolphin watching off the coast towalking tours through the forestsand countryside.

But Caroline added while it is apositive thing that tourists arewanting to get out and about andexplore the country, it is importantto get the balance right betweenallowing them the freedom to roamand ensuring they do it responsiblywithout disturbing the animals intheir own environment.

She said the best way to achieve

this is to go on guided wildlifewatching tours, which allow visitorsto get close to nature with aqualified guide – giving them thebest chance of spotting the animalswhile also exploring safely andwithout damaging the naturalhabitat.

She added: “The Scottish outdooraccess code is great in terms ofencouraging people but we alwayssay if you go with an operator theyknow where and how to look. Youwill have a better experience andyou are also helping the localeconomy.”

ROYAL Beasts explores the history,spectacle and tragedy of the TowerMenagerie.

Founded during the reign of KingJohn in the early 1200s, it becamea regular feature at the Tower ofLondon for over 600 years.

The new family exhibition will bean opportunity for visitors toencounter a diverse cast of formerTower residents through arrestingmodern animal sculpture by artistKendra Haste and new interactiveand sensory displays.

The recently restored north wallwalk and the never before openedBrick Tower will host some of thedisplays, including sights, soundsand smells of the animals.

Spectators will discover thecaptivating history of hundreds ofanimals who were kept at the Towerfor the entertainment and curiosityof the royal household and itsvisitors.

For the first time, Historic RoyalPalaces will tell the fascinatingtales of how these exotic creaturesfound a home in one of the world'smost forbidding and infamousfortresses – from a polar bear who

fished in the Thames daily for hislunch, to the leopard who stolevisitors’ umbrellas, to the ostrichthat ate nails and many more.

The exhibition will also explore thelong tradition of kings and queenskeeping wild and exotic animals assymbols of power and look at howthe animals were often used forcruel sports resulting in neglect andmistreatment.

‘History, spectacleand tragedy of theTower Menagerie’

Wildlife tourism a roaring success

BLACKPOOL Zoo has completed thefinal stages of its latest touristattraction.

The children’s farm will allowyoung visitors to get hands-on withdonkeys, sheep, goats, rabbits andguinea pigs in daily interactivesessions and educational talks.

One of the zoo’s most popularanimals, Rudolf the Kune Kune pig,will also move into his purpose-builthome in the farm along with newadditions including Zebus, Llamasand a baby reindeer.

The zoo’s miniature train line hasbeen re-routed to start and finish atthe farm and there is a speciallydesigned play area with bark

flooring, picnic bench seating and aclimbing frame.

Marketing and PR coordinator JudeRothwell said: “The Children’s Farmhas been developed to give ourvisitors a whole new experience atthe zoo. It is a natural progressionof our very popular Children’s Zooand everyone will be able to getcloser than ever before to theanimals. There will always besomething to see and do inside andoutside so, come rain or shine, itwill certainly be a crowd pleaser.”

The farm, which cost £500,000, isthe latest in a long line of recentinvestment projects at BlackpoolZoo.

New farm attraction provesa hit at Blackpool zoo

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Celebrity chef James Martin hasopened his first restaurant atClarence Dock in Leeds. The Leeds Kitchen is situatedwithin the Alea casino andentertainment venue and issituated on the city’s waterfront.James will also supply and caterfor Alea’s own events andconferencing facilities, whichincludes a private cinema, twolarge function rooms withintegrated bars and a cocktaillounge.

Best for BusinessTravel list unveiledDISCOUNT hotels specialistLateRooms.com has unveiled itsBest For Business Travel list,highlighting the best hotels forbusiness travellers in the UK andbeyond.

The collection is based on acombination of the positivereviews submitted by businesscustomers online, as well as thehotels that secure the mostcorporate bookings.

UK hotels which made the listinclude: ■ Madingley Hall, Cambridge■ Mint Hotel, Leeds■ Grimscote Manor Hotel,Birmingham

■ Macdonald, Manchester ■ The RE Hotel, London’sShoreditch ■ The Hampshire Hog,Portsmouth

Managing director AndrewPumphrey said: “Personal serviceis essential for businesstravellers, whether that’s beingmade to feel welcome after along day on the road, or thoseextra touches to ease the stressof a hectic schedule.

“The hotels on our Best ForBusiness Travel list are a greatexample of properties that go theextra mile to cater for corporateclients.”

A panel of experts took to the stage at this year’s Bestof Britain and Ireland Travel Trade Forum for a specialMinister’s Question Time, hosted by The Tourism Society.Destination UK went along.

The panel:■ Minister for tourism and heritageJohn Penrose■ Chief executive, VisitEnglandJames Berresford■ Director of markets, TourismIreland Simon Gregory■ Director of partnerships,VisitScotland Riddell Graham■ Minister for economicdevelopment, Isle of Man Allan Bell

What does the future hold for starratings systems and qualityschemes?John: “What we want is the industryin England to develop them inwhatever way they see fit.

“If we can get the industry to runit then [the scheme] is more likelyto be responsive to the needs ofthe industry. We also want to makesure people can also use othersources of information. Peoplealready use websites so they clearlyprovide a valuable additional service– it isn’t either/or.”Riddell: “We are very clear aboutthe star rating scheme. We value it,the industry values it andcustomers value it. There is anissue about industry involvementbut we have been lucky that wehave had interest from theindustry.”James: “If there is interest we willreview and modernise and hopefullycome out with an improved system.Visitors to this country want somecommonality across Britain so weall need to work quite closelytogether.”Allan: “We introduced it on the Isleof Man about 20 years ago and theindustry fought against it then. Wewill not be doing away with thegrading system. Unless we can setthe standards, the industry will notrise to the challenge.”Is the marketing of Britain aroundthe world strong enough and arewe investing enough?John: “We are trying to make sure

we use the money we have mostefficiently. Even where we don’thave a Visit Britain office, we willstill have a Foreign Office, UK Tradeand Industry and British Council sowe will still have a presence.”Simon: “We are very well fundedbut Britain has benefits that Irelanddoesn’t have so we have a lowerstarting point. We have had torealign our funds to markets thathave been working for us.”Riddell: “We could always do moreif we had more money. We prioritiseour markets internationally and weare under political pressure to be incertain markets.”James: “I am here to marketEngland and part of my priority is toprotect England. If we spend whatwe have wisely, we will make adifference.”Allan: “The Isle of Man market isthe British Isles – internationally wedo very little. There is always adrive for more money to be spentwithout equalling it to results.Better targeted marketing is a farmore sensible way. Chasing biggernumbers is not necessarily going togive better results.”

Is air Passenger Duty good or bad?Is the cost of Visas getting toohigh?John: “We want to make it fasterand cheaper to get hold of a Visa.We are not making it easy forpeople to get here. We want tomake it simpler and reduce acouple of the obstructions ofcoming to the UK. But the runningcosts are higher than the Visaprices people are paying so we haveto make sure we are constantlyvigilant.”James: “We need to takeconsideration of Air Passenger Duty.It is a huge issue but it alsobenefits domestic tourism. There isa value for money issue – we arestill perceived to be an expensivedestination.”

Experts take tostage for specialQuestion Time

Groups will get even more value for their visit from spring 2011when the incredible story of the Tower of London’s menageriewill be revealed as it is brought to life through a selection ofspecially commissioned animal sculptures installed around theFortress.

Wild and exotic animals were kept at the Tower for theentertainment and curiosity of the royal household and visitorsfor over 600 years. Kings and queens kept these extraordinarycreatures as symbols of power. Visitors can discover theamazing tales of how animals were fed, watered and housed,and compare how animals and prisoners were kept at the Tower.The experience will include displays along the recently restored

and opened north wall walk and Brick Tower where numerousinteresting exhibits will be included.

The Tower of London is the world’s most famous Fortressand Britain’s most visited paid for historic site. Home to seethe priceless Crown Jewels and legendary ravens that strut inthe grounds, the Tower also has a stunning new permanentexhibition showcasing 500 years of royal arms and armour -Fit for a King: making this a truly unique visit and great valuefor money.

For help and advice in organising group visits to any of thehistoric royal palaces, contact the Groups and Travel TradeTeam on +44 (0) 20 3166 6311 or e-mail [email protected]. Please quote “Destination UK May”when contacting us.

Royal Beasts return to the Tower of London

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Actress Thandie Newton launched a celebration ofBritish fashion at Oxfordshire attraction BicesterVillage. The British Designers Collective gave visitorsthe chance to discover the best of the fashionindustry’s new talent at a discount price. The range ofclothes and accessories were housed in an unmiss-able pop-up boutique until mid May.

Areas key toencouragingstaycationsBy Christina Eccles

THE Peak District has been named byVisitEngland as one of four ‘attractbrands’, designed to persuade morepeople to holiday at home.

The plan was unveiled by chiefexecutive James Berresford at Visit PeakDistrict and Derbyshire’s 2011 tourismconference where he told delegates howthe organisation hopes to tempt peopleto take their breaks in England andexplore what the country has to offer.

He said: “My job is to work with yourdestination to drive business down to thePeak District.

“Yours is to focus on marketingcampaigns, customer care and all theother attributes that makes this adestination of distinction.

“My role, and yours, is to keep peopleholidaying at home during the year of theLondon Olympics in 2012. Not only dowe have a fantastic opportunity toshowcase our product to the world, wehave got to persuade our fellow Brits tostay here throughout the year.”

James admitted the task wouldn’t beeasy, given current spending cuts atnational, regional and local levels, butsaid the Prime Minister’s recent speechand the coalition’s new approach totourism as a cross-Government policywas a welcome sign that it recognisedthe industry’s importance to thecountry’s economy.

James and VisitBritain’s project directorJoss Croft also used the conference tooutline how both organisations would beworking directly with area tourist boardslike Visit Peak District and Derbyshirefollowing the demise of the RegionalDevelopment Agencies.

Other speakers at the event includedVisit Peak District and Derbyshire’s chiefexecutive David James who revealed howthe area is managing to hold its owneven in a competitive marketplace, headof marketing David Thornton whohighlighted the tourist board’s plans forthe coming year and web expert

Susan Hallam who shared her tips onhow to use social networking to boostsales and add value to a business.

The conference’s keynote speaker waswriter and broadcaster Stuart Maconie,who gave an insight into his experiencesof travelling in and around the PeakDistrict.

Hotel gets down with the kidsA LONDON hotel isencouraging children to takecharge of their weekend awaywith the launch of a newpackage.

Families to the RenaissanceLondon Chancery Court Hotelwill receive an entrance pass

to a central London attraction of the children’schoice, accommodation, kids’ survival pack and take home bathrobes to ensure younger members of the family are catered for throughout their stay.

YORKSHIRE’S Great Houses, Castles andGardens Guide has been launched, detailingover 40 days out in the region.

One attraction is the Walled Garden atScampston, which is currently a finalist in theNational 2011 Enjoy England Awards forExcellence.

The RHS Garden Harlow Carr has alsoachieved success, wining both ‘Large VisitorAttraction of the Year’ and ‘Sustainable TourismAward’.

It includes details on Bolton, Raby, Ripley andSkipton Castles as well as 16 different statelyhomes, ranging from Harewood House to BurtonAgnes Hall.

The guide states: “Yorkshire boasts thehighest concentration of stately homes, castlesand gardens in England and this breadth of offerensures that there are a whole host of ideas forgreat days out with something to suit everyone.”The Walled Garden at Scampston Picture: Andrew Lawson

New guide featuresdays out in region

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Were you a fan of the original Shrekmovie?I was a fan of all of the Shrek movies. Ihave a five-year-old daughter and I’vewatched them repeatedly with her sinceshe was two. I know them backwards.That was my main impetus to be involvedin the show, the fact that she is such afan of them and now we are.

She must have been pretty excitedwhen you got the part.My daughter Lexi is beside herself thatI’m a princess and every time she drawsa picture at school, or at home, oranywhere, she goes: ‘Mummy, that’s youas Princess Fiona, but you’re not wearinga green dress, you’re wearing a pinkdress’. Because she’s not keen ongreen. (laughs) I think we need a bit of ashift in the fashion in this show.

And you’re a princess who turns into anogre? How are they going to transformyou?I’m going to be wearing a lot ofprosthetics and a fat suit that I’vealready been measured for to give meround shoulders and a bigger chest area.

I’m wearing a prosthetic nose, and ears,and I’m going to be painted green and Iwill be farting at will.

To be honest, that’s how I look mostSundays, after a big night out. So, it’s nodifference to me. I am an ogre, aglamorous ogre.

And why should people come along tothe show?People should come to Shrek theMusical because it’s a one-off. It shouldhave been on stage before it was madeinto a movie.

It’s funny, it’s feel-good. It’s teachingchildren, without getting too deep, not tojudge anyone by how they look or sound.I get to fart all the way through a songwhich is one of the main reasons I’mdoing it, because I‘m a vegetarian andthat comes easy to me.

And don’t make the mistake of thinkingit’s just for kids. Personally, I wouldnever do something where I thoughtthere was just going to be a bunch ofchildren in the audience, no disrespect.Because you need some adults in there.It’s hilarious.

You’re going to laugh all night.Amanda Holden

Why Amanda just couldn’t resist Shrek ...

THE world’s favourite ogrearrives at the Theatre Royal,Drury Lane in May in a musicalset to bewitch kids from six to60.

An all-star cast includes Nigel Lindsay (of Four Lionsfame), Richard Blackwood (The Richard Blackwood Show)as Donkey, Nigel Harman (heart throb Dennis Rickman in Eastenders) as LordFarquaard and Amanda Holden(Britain’s Got Talent) asPrincess Fiona.

The show is a stageadaptation of the Oscar-winning

DreamWorks animation Shrek,following the life of a hugegreen ogre and his trusty loyalsteed, as they set off on aquest in a land far, far away torescue a beautiful princessfrom a dragon-guarded tower.

But the journey isn’t going tobe as straightforward as firstthought as they must battlemany fairytale superstars alongthe way.

Based on the first chapter ofthe popular animation, Shrek isguaranteed to excite audiencesof all ages.

Featuring all new songs aswell as cult Shrek anthem – I'ma Believer – Shrek The Musicalbrings the well lovedcharacters to life in a hilariousand spectacular newproduction, which turns the world of fairytales upside down in an all-singing,all-dancing, irresistible mix of magic, laughter andromance.

Superbreak packages startfrom £77 per person includingone night at a three star hotel with a ticket to see theshow.

It’s big, green and heading to London!

Julie Atherton Helena Blackman

A SERIES of acoustic sessionsstarring some of the West End’smost popular performers willtake place throughout June atLondon’s Pheasantry.

Avenue Q favourite JulieAtherton will kickstartproceedings on June 4 and 5,followed by How Do You Solve aProblem Like Maria? finalistHelena Blackman on June 12and award-winning composerMichael Bruce on June 19.

Strictlyacoustic

Graham Balmforth Superbreak National Sale Manager

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Million Dollar Quartet has extended its booking period until April 282012. The West End hit is currently playing at London’s Noël CowardTheatre and features over 20 classic hits. Picture: Michael Malarkey as Elvis Presley.

Picture courtesy of Tristram Kenton

ENCORE Tickets is offering newrates for British comedy Betty BlueEyes.

The reductions for group travelorganisers and coach tour operatorsbring £59.50 seats down to £39.50for Monday to Thursday evenings,plus Thursday matinees.

UK sales manager RichardWoolliss said: “We’ve had greatfeedback from everyone who hasseen this show and there’s nodoubt it’s going to be a terrific hitfor groups this year.

“It’s 1947 – austerity Britain, belts

are being tightened, fair shares forall, the coldest winter in decadesand a Royal Wedding. Soundfamiliar?”

The tale centres around Betty, anadorable pig who is being illegallyreared to ensure the localdignitaries can celebrate theforthcoming Royal Wedding with alavish banquet while everyone elsemakes do with Spam.■ Picture shows Encore TicketsJohn Wales with the stars of theshow Sarah Lancashire andReece Shearsmith.

New rates for Betty Blue Eyes

DESTINATIONSCOTLAND

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A NEW tourism group has been setup to promote iconic Scottishattraction Loch Lomond.

Love Loch Lomond is a trade ledorganisation of about 100businesses, which is dedicated toimproving the promotion of tourismand the quality of the visitorexperience in and around Scotland’smost famous loch.

The organisation’s new websitewas launched by Visit ScotlandChairman, Mike Cantlay andGraeme Nesbitt, chairman of LoveLoch Lomond on a seaplane circling1,000 feet above the loch.

After landing at the CameronHouse jetty, the powerful newpromotional tool was thenshowcased to a gathering of localtourism businesses.

Mike said: ''It is vitally importantthat tourist destinations such asLoch Lomond are well organised toprovide visitors with memorable highquality experiences and I amdelighted tourism businesses havejoined forces as part of the newLove Loch Lomond initiative to dojust that and raise the profile of thediverse range of things to see anddo in this fabulous location.''

Love LochLomondgroup is set up

Loch Lomond

Hopes for bumper yearfor Scottish tourismSCOTTISH tourism could be set fora bumper year if businesses makethe most of every opportunityavailable, according to VisitScotlandchairman Mike Cantlay.

Speaking at this year’sVisitScotland Expo in Aberdeen,Mike told Destination UK thatdespite a variety of challenges

throughout 2010, tourism inScotland held firm.

He believes after surviving theimpact of the volcanic ash cloudand two prolonged periods of heavysnowfall, the industry can tackleanything.

He said: “In 2010 our transportsystem broke three times. Despitethat, the recession, economic gloomand VAT, Scottish tourism has beenremarkably resilient.

“We refer to 2010 as the ‘perfectstorm’ – three acts of God whichmade life challenging. But lookingforward, if we can cope with that,we can cope with anything.”

He added the challenge for thisyear is to cash in on the potential ofevery opportunity – from thedisplacement effect of theupcoming 2012 Olympics to ZaraPhillips’ wedding in Edinburgh thissummer and Scotland’s ‘winningyears’ where the country will hostboth the Commonwealth Games inGlasgow and the Ryder Cup.

He explained: “We are encouragingthe trade to look at 2011 as theyear that Scotland can gain realmarket share.

“We are coming into a bit of luckand the situation is looking prettygood. Investment is beginning to rollout again – in Glasgow there aregoing to be 1070 new hotel rooms.All the indications show we aredoing OK.”

VisitScotland is also working hardto attract more tourists to thecountry as well as encouragingScots to explore what’s on theirdoorsteps.

For the next few years, theorganisation’s marketing will have arenewed focus – with dedicatedcampaigns pushing the areas whichScotland is most famous for.

This year is the year of ActiveScotland, which will be followed byyears of Creative Scotland andNatural Scotland – culminating in asecond year of Homecoming in2014.

A new TV advertising campaign –‘Surprise Yourself’ – has alsorecently been rolled out whichincludes many icons VisitScotlandhas traditionally used to promotethe country but with a twist toencourage visitors to see them froma different perspective.

Mike added: “The interesting thingwith the ‘staycation’ trend is that ithas become a habit. Scots aregetting out and doing things theyhaven’t done before. They arehaving a good time and are comingback. We are trying to keep themood up. We have got somethinggoing on up until 2014 and arebidding for other major events.Scotland is really set to roll if wecan make full use of theopportunities that are there.”

Events mark Year of IslandsA PROGRAMME of cultural eventshas been unveiled to launch theYear of Scotland’s Islands.

The programme will showcasethe music, arts, food, sport andhistory of the islands, as well ashighlight their unique beauty asvisitor destinations.

The initiative aims to raise theprofile of the islands across theUK and internationally, attractmore visitors, bolster economicdevelopment and strengthen linksbetween the islands and mainland

cultural organisations.Highlights of the programme

include the award-winningShetland Folk Festival, the StMagnus International Festival onOrkney and the Hebridean CelticFestival on Lewis headlined by KTTunstall. The scheme has beendeveloped through a partnershipof the six local authorities withisland communities – Argyll andBute, Highland, North Ayrshire,Orkney, Shetland and Comhairlenan Eilean Siar.

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Shortlist revealed inLiverpool tourism awardsBy Christina Eccles

TOURISM businessesdemonstrating quality andexcellence across the Liverpoolregion have been shortlisted forthis year’s TMP Tourism Awards.

More than 100 entrants from awide variety of large and smalltourism businesses were judgedto determine the shortlist.

A second round of judging willnow take place to decide thewinners, including a series ofjudges visits and mystery shopsto venues in selected categories.

11 category winners will thenproceed to represent the region atthe Enjoy England Awards forExcellence.

The shortlisted entries are:Guest Accommodation of the Year: ■ Hatters Liverpool, Liverpool■ Knowsley Hall, Knowsley■ 21 Park House, Wirral■ At Peel Hey, Wirral

Self Catering Accommodation of the Year:■ BridgeStreet at Liverpool ONE,Liverpool■ Premier Apartments Liverpool,Liverpool■ Herons Well Holiday Cottage,Wirral

Hotel of the Year: ■ Hilton Liverpool, Liverpool■ Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool■ Novotel Liverpool, Liverpool■ Formby Hall Golf Resort andSpa, Sefton■ Ramada Plaza Southport,Sefton■ Hillbark Hotel and Spa, Wirral■ Leverhulme Hotel and Spa,Wirral

Small Visitor Attraction:■ Jungle Parc, Liverpool■ Mersey Tunnel Tours, Liverpool■ The Hardmans’ House,Liverpool■ The Beatles’ Childhood Homes– Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road,Liverpool■ The U-boat Story, Wirral

Large Visitor Attraction:■ Albert Dock Liverpool, Liverpool■ Liverpool Football Club,Liverpool■ Merseyside Maritime Museum,Liverpool■ The Beatles Story, Liverpool■ Knowsley Safari Park, Knowsley■ Spaceport, Wirral■ Mersey Ferries, Wirral

Excellence in Business Tourism:■ BT Convention Centre, Liverpool■ Merseyside Maritime Museum,Liverpool■ The Foresight Centre, Liverpool■ Knowsley Hall, Knowsley■ Haydock Park, St.Helens

Taste Liverpool:■ 60 Hope Street, Liverpool■ Lunya, Liverpool■ The London Carriage Works,Liverpool■ The Quarter, Liverpool■ Restaurant Richard Fox atLeverhulme Hotel, Wirral

Tourism Experience:■ Mersey Ferries – ManchesterShip Canal Cruise, Liverpool■ Mersey Tunnel Tours, Liverpool■ The John Moores Painting Prizeat Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool■ The Grand National Festival atAintree Racecourse, Sefton

Tourism Event:■ DaDaFest, Liverpool■ Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool■ Paradise in the Park, Liverpool■ Liverpool Food and DrinkFestival, Liverpool■ Bed-In at the Bluecoat,Liverpool■ The John Smith’s GrandNational, Sefton■ Wirral Food and Drink Festival,Wirral

Culture and Heritage Experience:■ FACT, Liverpool■ Liverpool Everyman andPlayhouse Theatres, Liverpool■ Liverpool PhilharmonicProgramme 2010, Liverpool■ Picasso: Peace and Freedom –Tate Liverpool, Liverpool■ The Bluecoat, Liverpool

Bar:■ Pima Bar at Hilton Liverpool,Liverpool■ MOJO, Liverpool■ Palm Sugar Lounge, Liverpool■ Alma de Cuba, Liverpool■ Gallaghers Pub and Barbers,Wirral■ Oxton Bar and Terrace, Wirral■ The Wro, Wirral

Tourism Marketing Initiative:■ Liverpool Coach Welcome at theAnglican Cathedral, Liverpool■ Touched – Liverpool Biennial,Liverpool■ Picasso: Peace and Freedom –Tate Liverpool, Liverpool■ The European Peace Monument– The Beatles Story, Liverpool

Tourism Retailer:■ Disney Store, Liverpool■ Everton Two, Liverpool■ World Museum Liverpool Shop,Liverpool■ The Beatles Story, Liverpool■ Utility, Liverpool

Sustainable Tourism:■ Arena and Convention CentreLiverpool, Liverpool■ Jungle Parc, Liverpool■ Radisson BLU Hotel Liverpool,Liverpool

Excellence in Customer Service:■ Kevin Roberts, Liverpool ONE,Liverpool

■ George Sourbutts, Barons BarScarisbrick Hotel, Sefton■ Cliff Bowden, Lady Lever ArtGallery, Wirral■ Jackie Burke, Compass Groupat Haydock Park Racecourse,St.Helens■ Alison Storah, NationalWildflower Centre, Knowsley■ Sue Halliday, Catalyst ScienceDiscovery Centre, Halton

Director of tourism at theNorthwest Regional DevelopmentAgency Nick Brooks-Sykes said:“Tourism is a vital part of theregion’s economy, worth over£14b a year and supportingalmost seven per cent of theregion’s workforce. However, thisis an internationally competitivemarket and so we must ensurethat we offer the facilities andservices that visitors are lookingfor.

The Tourism Awards recognisethose tourism businesses thatstrive to offer world class tourismexperiences, attracting visitors toour region and contributing to ourregional economy.”

The awards – supported byMerseytravel, Liverpool ONE, ACCLiverpool and BBC RadioMerseyside – take place on May26 at the BT Convention Centre,with a total of 15 trophiespresented on the evening.

AA first for Glasgow hotelBLYTHSWOOD Square has becomethe first hotel in Glasgow to receivethe coveted five stars from the AA.

The award recognises all areas ofthe business from front of house tothe more operational day-to-dayrunning of the 100 room hotel.

Managing director Hans Rissmannsaid: “We have been enjoying aparticularly successful period interms of winning awards here atBlythswood Square, however, this

latest one from AA Hotel Services isvery special as we’re the firstproperty in the city to receive it.

“The AA brand is known nationallyand internationally and as such thestandards required in order toachieve it are very exacting. It isrecognition for each member ofstaff and a great demonstration ofteamwork.”

The AA award follows the hotel’sFive Star grading received fromVisitScotland in March.

A DOZEN London museums havewon Green Tourism awards formaking their buildings moresustainable and bringing theenvironmental lessons of the pastto life.

The museums were supported totake part in the Green TourismBusiness Scheme by RenaissanceLondon, a partnership set up tofoster diverse, vibrant andsustainable regional museums in

the capital.Each museum was awarded

Bronze, Silver or Gold after monthsof work on improvements to areassuch as energy and waterefficiency, waste management andbiodiversity.

Museums taking part include The Whitehall Museum in Sutton, The Florence NightingaleMuseum in Lambeth and The Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe.

Museums win awards

DESTINATIONYORK

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YORK has beaten off stiffcompetition from rivals includingBath, Chester and Durham to becrowned Britain’s favourite smallcity.

The destination was chosen fromover 200 British small cities andtowns, coming top in a YouGov pollcommissioned by Rough Guides.

The top 10 were: 1. York

2. Bath3. Brighton4. Chester5. St Ives6. Durham7. Whitby8. Blackpool9. Keswick10. Stratford Upon Avon10. Cambridge

Visit York chairman John Yeomanssaid: “This is fantastic news for

York and all who work in the city'stourism sector. This independentpoll demonstrates the passion andlove that the great British public hasfor York.

“We believe that no other city ofits size offers such diversity ofculture, world class visitorattractions, superb shops andfabulous restaurants, all set amidststunning architecture and we knowour visitors agree with us.”

Britain’s favourite small cityYork was chosen from over 200 British small cities

City of Yorkcelebratesall thingsroyal ...TOURISM chiefs in Yorkgeared up for the RoyalWedding with a host ofspecial events andexhibitions celebrating all things royal in the city.

Among the attractions onoffer to visitors was a newroyal York walking tour of the city and theopportunity to view thewedding live in York'sMansion House.

Chief executive of Visit YorkGillian Cruddas said: “York has an outstandingarray of royal connectionsand some fascinating royalhistory.

“We're confident William and Kate's wedding will ignite new interest in York'sroyal history across theglobe, boosting visitor income for York throughout2011.”

In partnership with:

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