Destination UK (September/October 2010)

Issue 36 September/October 2010 £2.75

By Christina Eccles

THE industry has welcomed PrimeMinister David Cameron’s plans towork together to position the UK inthe world’s top five tourism destina-tions.

Following a speech in which MrCameron pledged his support to UKtourism, key organisations haverevealed they are keen to take uphis challenge to work with tourismminister John Penrose to develop astrategy that sets the UK on thepath to be in the top five touristdestinations in the world.

Chief executive of the BritishHospitality Association Ufi Ibrahimsaid that the BHA warmly welcomethe Prime Minister’s enthusiasticapproach to the industry as theassociation had long been con-cerned about the lack of a joined upgovernment approach to tourism.

She explained: “It’s completelyrefreshing to see the prime ministerspeak so enthusiastically of thevalue of the industry to the UK econ-omy, and its potential future contri-bution. This is what the industry hasbeen wanting to hear for manyyears.

“We also welcome the focus on

encouraging local tourism as a localindustry and the ability of localauthorities to invest more intourism, though the details of thisneed to be carefully examined.”

She also said that the BHA iseager to have a major input into areport which is being prepared bythe tourism minister on increasingdomestic tourism. She added:“Increasing domestic tourism mustbe a key objective, but this willdemand a huge effort on the part ofthe industry, local authorities, andgovernments. We look forward toworking to achieve this, so that thetourism industry and the UK econo-my as a whole can benefit.”

VisitBritain has also pledged itssupport – with the organisation cur-rently working on plans to boost UKtourism based around the 2012Olympic and Paralympic Games.

CEO Sandie Dawe added: “We aredelighted that the Prime Ministerhas declared so clearly that tourismis fundamental to the rebuilding andrebalancing of our economy. And weshare his determination to use thecoming decade to boost Britain’sinternational competitiveness intourism and to take our industry toa whole new level.”

NEW tips on extending awarm welcome to over-seas visitors in the run upto the 2012 Olympicshave been launched byVisitBritain.

The new online resourceis designed to help every-one in tourism provide anefficient and helpful cus-tomer service that takesaccount of visitors’ cultur-al needs.

Tips have been writtenby VisitBritain staff, whoare natives of the coun-tries featured, and have awealth of insight into theplaces visitors come from.

CEO Sandie Dawe said:“Overseas visitors spendmore than £16b a year inBritain, contributing mas-sively to our economy andsupporting jobs acrossthe country. So giving ourforeign visitors a friendlywelcome is absolutelyvital to our economy. Withhundreds of thousands ofpeople thinking of comingto Britain in the run up tothe Olympic andParalympic Games in2012, this new advice isjust one of the ways thatVisitBritain is helping thetourism industry care fortheir customers – wherev-er they come from.”

Welcometips foroverseasvisitors

Robbie Williams was the star attraction atthis year’s illuminations switch on event inBlackpool.15,000 fans saw Robbie switch on thelights as well as performances from a lineup of stars including opera-singing sensation Russell Watson, Strictly ComeDancing judge Alesha Dixon and X Factorfinalist Olly Murs.

PM’s plansfor industry‘refreshing’

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Entertainmentnews inCentrestagestarting on Page 15

Destination Ireland Pages 12 & 13

Destination Cumbria/Lake District Page 10

North Eastfestival

bringingtourism

boostPage 6

ContactsEDITORIALAndrew Harrod group editor 01226 734639 [email protected] Cordell reporter 01226 734694 [email protected] Eccles reporter 01226 734463 [email protected] Spencer reporter 01226 734712 [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]: 01226 734477

Web: www.destination.uk.com

DESTINATIONNEWS

A fish-themed treasure hunt will helpvisitors celebrate the 120th anniversary ofAgatha Christie on the English Riviera.Throughout September, 120 special redherrings will be hidden across the threetowns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham,with a series of clues encouragingamateur sleuths to discover theirwhereabouts. The individuals or teamswho find the most red herrings by the endof the week will win prizes, which includea two night stay in the deluxe Park PlazaVictoria Hotel in London with tickets tosee The Mousetrap.

Tourism revenue couldrise 60% in a decadeBy Christina Eccles

UK tourism revenue has thepotential to grow by more than 60per cent by 2020 – providingcurrent challenges are tackled.

According to an independentreport commissioned by VisitBritain,the total value of tourism to the UKis set to rise to £188b over thenext decade thanks to factors suchas the favourable exchange rateand the lure of the 2012 Olympicand Paralympic Games.

And this should ensure that thesector grows at an above averagerate of 3.5 per cent per annumbetween now and 2020.

However, the report warns thatGovernment intervention will be thekey to success because a range ofmarketing failures need to betackled. These include:

� Co-ordinating marketing to helpsmall and medium sized touristbusinesses who cannot afford to doit themselves� Enabling rural firms who facehigher costs of operating to adoptinnovative technology� Supporting the many districtsacross the UK that relydisproportionately on tourism as animportant source of jobs for lowskilled and part time workers.

The report also said the industryalso needs help to improve itsability to predict what facilities willbe needed for the tourists that arelikely to turn up, to ensure themodernisation of hotels and venuesis done in a way that retains theiroriginal appeal and authenticity andto adapt more swiftly to new trendssuch as the growth in older tourists.

Chairman of VisitBritain

Christopher Rodrigues said: “Thisdetailed and rigorous report fromDeloitte is enormously encouraging.It demonstrates that the industryhas the power to deliver a hugeamount of extra wealth and jobs toBritain in the coming decade, withthe total value of tourism to theBritish economy looking set to rise60 per cent between now and2020. This makes it clear thattourism, already Britain’s fifthlargest industry and third biggestearner of foreign exchange, is goingto be central to the health of theBritish economy for years to come.The continuing low level of thepound and the approachingOlympics in 2012 give us atremendous opportunity to promoteBritain’s attractiveness as adestination to the rest of theworld.’’

Tourism bosses inSouthport have revealedthe dates for severalmajor events taking placein the resort next year.Events on offer to visitorsto the town include theJohn Smith’s GrandNational at nearbyAintree Racecourse nextApril, the Southport Foodand Drink Festival in May,the Southport Air Show inJuly and The British MusicalFireworks Championships(pictured) in October.

VISITENGLAND has set up thefirst quality scheme in thecountry for sport – with horseracing the first sport to beassessed in this way.

The VisitEngland QualityAssured Racecourse Schemewill assess 55 racecourses upuntil November and inpartnership with Racing forChange, will send independentassessors to racecoursesaround the country. Areasunder assessment will include:� Pre-arrival information� The website� Journey planning� Signage� Welcome on arrival� The actual sporting event

� Toilets� Catering� Retail outlets

Having completed a fullassessment, racecourses willbe awarded a VisitEnglandplaque illustrated by theorganisation’s red rose logo.

Jon Williams of Racing forChange said: “We want tomake race going an experienceto be enjoyed by all race goersincluding families.

“The VisitEngland QualityAssured plaque will act as astamp of approval showingvisitors that a day’s racing is aquality experience and greatvalue for money.”

VisitEngland qualityscheme assesseshorse racing venues

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DESTINATIONNEWS

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BRITAIN’S major museums andgalleries earned the country £1bin revenue from overseas touristslast year, according to a surveyby VisitBritain.

The new report shows Britain’sculture and heritage is a keymotivator for many internationalvisitors to the UK – with our freenational museums and artgalleries proving a particulardraw.

VisitBritain sponsored aquestion on the InternationalPassenger Survey asking about arange of activities that visitorsmay have undertaken during theirstay.

And the results show thatamong the 30m inbound visits in2009, 7.7m included visiting amuseum and 4.2m, an artgallery.

Popular choices include the TateMuseums in London, Liverpooland St Ives, The National Gallery,The Imperial War Museums inLondon and Manchester andKelvingrove art gallery andmuseum in Glasgow.

The results also show that thelonger the duration of the stay,the more likely a tourist will visita museum or art gallery – 42per cent of people who stay 15+nights will spend time atmuseums and 26 per cent in artgalleries.

The top international visitors to

UK museums are the French,followed by the Americans,German and Spanish.

For art galleries, Americansreplace the French in the topspot with well over 500,000visits, with the Germans andSpanish once again holding thirdand fourth place.

Although not appearing in thetop ten in terms of volume,Brazilians and Argentineans arethe most avid museum visitors –nearly two-thirds had made avisit.

VisitBritain’s chief executiveSandie Dawe said: “This survey

showcases the internationalappeal of Britain’s culture andheritage – where else could yousee Grand Masters next tocutting edge installations, aSpitfire hanging next to a Dali?

“We are fortunate in theauthenticity of what we have topromote and the connections thatour rich culture makes across theworld. Tourism is the goldenthread running through thecultural sector, delivering theeconomic benefits of our worldclass culture and ensuring thatthese great works and museumscontinue to be appreciated.”

The Tate Modern

Culture and heritagea key motivatorand money-maker

Campaignsgenerateover £13mMARKETING campaigns by VisitPeak District and Derbyshire topromote the area as a world classtourism destination have generatedmore than £13m for the region’seconomy.

The official tourist board’sachievement accounts for almosthalf the total return brought into theEast Midlands through tourisminvestment made by regionaldevelopment agency emda in2008/9.

Research carried out for EastMidlands Tourism – emda’s tourismarm – has revealed that Visit PeakDistrict and Derbyshire’s 2008/9Time to Escape campaign sparkedthe lion’s share of the £28m spentfollowing regional marketinginitiatives.

The news means that, for everypound invested by emda in Time toEscape, £46 was spent – thehighest return on investment for anymarketing campaign in the region.

Chief executive at the tourist boardDavid James said: “Theseimpressive figures can leave no-onein doubt just how crucial tourism isto both the local and regionaleconomy.

“At a time when there ispotentially less money available todevelop and sustain tourism, it’svital that cash continues to beinvested in areas like the PeakDistrict and Derbyshire, where thebiggest returns are achieved.

“High-performing Time to Escapedemonstrates what great value formoney we offer in supporting theUK’s tourism industry, despitethese economically challengingtimes.”

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust isencouraging visitors to follow in the footstepsof William Shakespeare with a new map. Themap illustrates how to walk from Stratford-upon-Avon town centre across the fields toAnne Hathaway’s Cottage – the route whichShakespeare walked when he was courting his

future wife.Director at the Shakespeare Birthplace TrustDiana Owen said: “This is lovely easy walk forvisitors to enjoy especially during the summermonths. We hope lots of our visitors will beencouraged to leave their cars in town and setoff on foot to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage.”

Resort inbid to netfootball fansPREMIER League football fans are beingencouraged to use their team’s away fixture atBlackpool to enjoy a family break in the resort.

visitBlackpool has created a dedicatedwebpage for visiting fans, which includesaccess to offers from the resort’s restaurantsand attractions – with money off food,entrance fees and even taxis up for grabs.Alongside these deals, there is alsoinformation on areas including accommodation,parking, travel and events.

Head of visitBlackpool Natalie Wyatt said:“The whole town is extremely proud ofBlackpool Football Club’s promotion to thePremier League – and it gives many new fansthe opportunity to visit the town.

“We have created a series of special offersto make it simpler and cheaper to visitBlackpool and would certainly encouragefamilies to come and enjoy the resort together,even if not everyone is going to the match.”

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DESTINATIONNEWS

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Four of the world’s smallest otters have been born andsuccessfully reared at Blackpool Zoo for the first time in its 38year history. The cute quartet of Oriental Small Clawed ottersare now out and about after spending their first two monthsbeing cared for by their mother.

Area reportsrise in visitorspendingBy Christina Eccles

VISITORS to the Peak District andDerbyshire spent more than £1.46bin the county last year, according tonew research.

A study carried out on behalf ofEast Midlands Tourism revealed thattourist spending in the area rosefrom more than £1.42b in 2008 –an increase of three per cent.

The study, conducted byScarborough Tourism EconomicActivity Monitor (STEAM), alsoshows that tourism supported morethan 25,000 jobs in Derbyshire andthe total number of tourists visitingthe county increased from morethan 35m in 2008 to more than36m last year.

Head of marketing and deputychief executive of Visit Peak Districtand Derbyshire David Thornton said:“Given the current economicclimate, it’s great news that tourismis responsible for some growth –both in terms of the number ofpeople who visit and how much theyspend and the number of jobs theysupport.

“These figures underline theimportance of what Prime MinisterDavid Cameron said in his recentspeech, indicating that tourism willbe one of the key drivers to kickstart the UK out of recession.

“They offer further proof of justhow vital tourism is to the local,regional and national economy, andshow how important it is tocontinue to invest in areas such asours, where the largest returns areachieved.

“Now the challenge for us, and fortourism businesses across thearea, is to work together and begreater than the sum of our partsso we can successfully compete onan international scale to answer theGovernment’s call and generatenew tourism business for Britain.

“And, following the launch of ourrecent industry membershipscheme, we look forward to sharingour continuing success with asmany of our tourism businesses aspossible, as well as making acrucial contribution to the area’soverall economic prosperity.”

Attractions see anincrease in numbersVISITS to some of England’s mostpopular visitor attractions were upby five per cent last year, accordingto a VisitEngland survey.

The Annual Survey of Visits toVisitor Attractions showed that allcategories experienced growth lastyear – with historic houses andcastles topping the bill with a 12per cent increase.

Gardens grew by 10 per cent whileattractions in rural locations wereup by seven percent, followed bythose in coastal areas whichincreased by three per cent.

Nine out of ten of England’s topfree attractions were either amuseum or art gallery with theBritish Museum maintaining its topspot with just under 5.6m visitors.

The Tower of London topped thepaid for category with 2.4m visits –

with other attractions in the top 10including St Paul’s Cathedral,Windermere Lake Cruises andChester Zoo.

VisitEngland chief executive JamesBerresford said: “Our job atVisitEngland is to inspire Brits andinternational visitors alike to enjoyevery minute in this wonderfulcountry. Our attractions are worldclass, whether you’re looking for azoo, a historical gem, a theme parkor one of our beautiful gardens.This latest report shows a strongtrend towards day trips, withattractions reporting an eight percent increase in visitors who livelocally.

“Wherever we live in the country,we are never far away from someamazing attractions offering a greatday out for the whole family.”

Exhibitors flock to sign up for showOVER 100 exhibitors have alreadysigned up for Excursions 2011 –five months before the show takesplace.

The one-day group travel show, isorganised by Tourism South Eastand Group Travel Organisermagazine – with support from VisitLondon and East of England Tourism– and will be held at London’sAlexandra Palace in January.

Tourism South East’s travel trademanager Elaine Pearce said:“Excursions is continuing to grow inpopularity with both exhibitors andvisitors alike. For 2011, we plan tobuild even more on the visitorquality and quantity. Next year’sshow promises to offer new andunmissable opportunities for grouptravel organisers planning their daysout and short breaks.”

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DESTINATIONNEWS

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By Christina Eccles

THE organisers of a festival in theNorth East have revealed how it issuccessfully boosting tourism inthe region.

The Mouth of the Tyne festival is organised by North TynesideCouncil and this year’s eventattracted about 150,000 visitors.

Highlights of the programmeincluded free world-class streetentertainment, live music andspecial one-off performances aswell as a ticketed, paid for

concert at local attractionTynemouth Priory and Castle frompopular singer James Morrison.

According to tourism and eventsproject officer Laura Picton, theevent is gradually getting a goodreputation throughout the regionand further afield and is provingprofitable for local businesseswho can cash in on the extravisitors which the festivalgenerates.

She explained: “Year on year,the event has a growingattendance from the wider NorthEast region and beyond and

statistics from a visitor surveyshowed that six per cent ofattendees were from outside ofthe region.

“Local hoteliers, B&Bs,restaurants, bars, shops andother local amenities benefitedfrom the festival and researchshowed that visitors spent anaverage of £7 each during theirvisit.”

Past performers at TynemouthPriory have also included TheScript and Beverley Knight andLaura also said that this event isconsistently the most popular part

of the festival – attracting anational and even internationalcrowd.

She added: “Data capture fromticket sales via Ticketmaster forthe James Morrison concertshowed that people travelled fromthroughout the UK and Europe toattend. This event in particular isan example of how we use thecoastal lifestyle and stunningtourist setting to engage residentsand visitors in exciting events andfestivals that can provideeconomic and social benefits tothe area.”

North East festivalbringing tourism boost

THE Continuum Group have secured a lease extension to The Real Mary King’sClose visitor attraction which will see thecompany continue to operate one ofEdinburgh’s must-see attractions until atleast 2028.

Continuum first opened The Real MaryKing’s Close in the spring of 2003 andoriginal lease was to run until 2013.

But following negotiations with the City ofEdinburgh Council this has now beenextended for a further 15 years.

Chief executive of the Continuum GroupJuliana Delaney said: “To have theconfidence and security to further invest inthe attraction is wonderful news. We’reextremely proud of what has already beenachieved and we will strive to continuedelivering an uplifting world class attraction.As part of the deal we have managed tonegotiate additional space which will allowus to broaden our offer, and mostimportantly, will make our visitors’experience even more special.”

Group to operate attraction till 2028

Weather fails todampen enthusiasmof overseas visitorsOVERSEAS visitors to the UK are not put off by theunpredictability of the British weather, it has been claimed.

In a VisitBritain survey, 1,000 would-be holidaymakers in three dozen countries worldwide were asked to rate how much they agreed with this statement: “I would not want to visit Britain because of the weatherthere.’’

On a scale where one equals “strongly disagree” andseven equals “strongly agree” the average score was just2.76, indicating that, overall, people strongly disagreed withthat view.

They were also asked to rate the opinion: “Britain isalways wet and foggy.” The average score was 4.48suggesting that people tended to agree, but not verystrongly.

VisitBritain chief executive Sandie Dawe said: “This survey shows that Britain’s weather is not as bad asfolklore would have us believe. Our research also tells us that visitors from overseas come here toexperience our world class heritage and culture, be thisTate Liverpool, Edinburgh Castle, the British Museum orStonehenge.

“Visitors do not come with a belief that should a fewdrops of rain fall then their trip will be ruined.’’

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DESTINATIONNEWS

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By Christina EcclesA FORTHCOMING MTV visit to Belfast will showcasethe city to a completely new audience, according toBelfast City Council.

The broadcaster’s ‘MTV Presents …’ concert,featuring Mark Ronson, will take place at theWaterfront on September 19 and will be broadcastto an estimated 213m people across 28 differentMTV networks.

And tourism bosses are hoping the partnership willhelp to attract visitors who had never previouslythought of visiting the city.

Chairman of Belfast City Council’s developmentcommittee coun Conor Maskey explained: “Thisassociation with MTV means that we can reachpeople, both internationally and locally, that we havenot had the opportunity to reach before.

“MTV’s audience, by its very nature, is young andinterested in contemporary music. They are from ademographic that travels, and seeks out newcultural experiences.

“Internationally, cultural tourism is developing intoone of the fastest-growing and most sustainableaspects of the tourism industry, accounting for morethan 40 per cent of all world travel. Recent researchshows that 21 per cent of potential visitors are

inspired to choose a destination because of themusic or bands of that country.”

He added that music is a key part of the city’scultural offer – with domestic tourists spending over£100m on cultural and recreational events in thenorth of Ireland each year – and the event will helpto showcase this.

He added: “By teaming up with MTV, we aredirectly tapping into this market – and, in particular,taking our message directly into the homes ofactively travelling young adults, allowing us toshowcase and strengthen Belfast’s position on the world stage as a primary destination formusic, entertainment and culture, and also toincrease our profile as an exciting weekend breakdestination.

“This event, and the surrounding programming, willprovide the opportunity to showcase our richmusical heritage, thriving contemporary musicscene, promote our distinctiveness and increase thenumber of Belfast musicians doing businessinternationally.”

The MTV concert will be the culmination of BelfastMusic Week, which will see more than 100 showstaking place across the city,

MTV to showcasecity to ‘completelynew audience’

Londontaxis hailedthe bestLONDON’S taxis have been votedthe best in the world for the thirdyear running, according to theannual taxi report, compiled byHotels.com.

59 per cent of travellers polledacross the world said that London’sblack cabs were by far and away thepick of the world’s taxis.

Despite also being named themost expensive, London’s taxidrivers fared the best across anumber of categories includingfriendliness, cleanliness, quality ofdriving and knowledge of the area.

The top ten cities in the world fortaxis:1. London2. New York3. Tokyo4. Berlin5. Bangkok6. Madrid7. Copenhagen8. Dublin9. Frankfurt10. Paris

Director of communications atHotels.com Alison Couper said: “It’sgreat to hear that London has wonthe best taxi vote for the third yearrunning. The journey to youraccommodation should not be astressful or off-putting experienceas it can severely taint your view ofa destination, if bad.

“A friendly, knowledgeable taxidriver helps form a positive firstimpression and they are mostdefinitely an important part of anycountry’s tourism industry.”

Card aimedat visitorsfrom IndiaVISITBRITAIN and StandardChartered Bank have teamed up toprovide a prepaid travel money cardfor travellers visiting the UK fromIndia.

Travellers will be able to purchasea card for a small sum and will thenload it with currency before theytravel.

The card is loaded with Rupees,which will automatically beconverted into Pounds Sterling,ready to be withdrawn as cash inthe UK, or spent directly from thecard in British shops andrestaurants.

The scheme forms part ofVisitBritain’s drive to smooth away the hassles of internationaltravel and make tourists feel they are receiving a first-classwelcome when they holiday in thecountry.

App leads way with Fido factorPET owners have been given ahelping hand to find the most dogfriendly destinations in the UKthanks to a new app created forthe iphone.

The app, launched by DogFriendly and the Kennel Club, helpsdog owners to find all the dogfriendly lodgings in the area where

they live or are visiting. It lists more than 10,000 places

including beaches, suggested daysout and even veterinary surgerieswithin the user’s vicinity.

Co-founder of Dog Friendly SteveBennett said: “As a dog ownermyself, I know how frustrating itcan be when you can’t find

anywhere to go that will allow yourdog in as well.

“This iPhone app has long beenan ambition of mine and I am gladthat we are now able to launch itand help bring together thecountry’s dog owners and the verymany dog friendly businesses thatare out there.”

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DESTINATIONGROUP LEISURE PREVIEW

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ORGANISERS of the Group Leisureand Travel Trade Show (GLTT), whichtakes place at the NEC, areencouraging group travel organisers,coach operators and the widertravel trade not to miss thisimportant industry meeting place,by pre-registering now.

Britain’s biggest event for grouptravel is now in its 14th successiveyear and the only show of its typethis year at the NEC.

Emma Cash of YPL Exhibitionssaid: “The GLTT is designed tostimulate ideas and providesolutions for travel in the UK,Europe and further afield. It is both

a relevant and important two daysof networking face to face for allgroup travel professionals, coachoperators and travel tradeexecutives. In particular, the show provides the very latestinformation on the group travelmarket and really is an unmissableevent for those serious about theindustry.”

As Britain’s biggest trade event forgroup travel, coach tourism and thetravel market at the NEC in 2010,visitors to the show will find around250 exhibitors, a coach displayarea and the Premier Lounge.

This year the Premier Lounge is

sponsored by The Wizard of Oz andnominated ‘Premier Club’ visitorscan follow the yellow brick road tofind out more information about thisexciting new production.

The show also provides visitorswith a free bacon butty breakfast onarrival for the first part of the dayand also offers free coach transportfrom various locations within theUK. There is also free car parkingfor bona-fide group travel organisersand coach operators plus traveltrade executives who must pre-register for the show to qualify,saving the £8.00 NEC parking fee.Coach operators who bring their

own groups can also receive freecoach parking if they pre-book withthe organisers.

The GLTT takes place over the twodays of September 22 and 23, inHall 11 of the NEC Birmingham.Entry is free of charge and allvisitors can now pre-register for fast track entry by visiting thewebsite or contacting the showhotline.

Pre-registered attendees to theshow also automatically qualify tobe entered into a prize draw to wina holiday for two people to Italy,sponsored by Newmarket TravelService.

Travel trade exhibitionis not to be missed

Group Leisure Exhibitors’ listA-Ha MarketingAdvantage Now – Hotel LeisureSalesAlnwick CastleAlnwick GardensAmerican Museum in BritainAngela Holidays LtdAristel HotelsAscot RacecourseAvoncroft MuseumBamburgh CastleBateaux ParisiensBeaulieu & Buckler’s HardThe Beautiful South (Tourism SE)Best Western HotelsBest Western South East HotelsThe Black Country Living MusuemBlackwell Arts & CraftsBlenheim PalaceBohlale Safari & Golf Tours SouthAfricaBosworth BattlefieldBoundary Mill StoresBourne Hall Country House HotelBritannia HotelsBurn Hall HotelCadbury WorldCannock Chase CouncilCardiff & CoChoice Hotels EuropeCity SightseeingClassic International Cruises LtdClassic Lodges Hotel GroupCoach LinkCoach WorldCoachChoiceCollette Worldwide HolidaysCondor FerriesConference Aston

Coventry Transport MuseumCrich Tramway VillageCruise for GroupsCumbria TourismDalemain Mansion & HistoricGardensDalton Park Outlet Shopping CentreDe Vere Hotels, Resorts & VenuesDestination BristolDestination SpecialistsDestination UKDinosaur IsleThe Discovery CollectionDove CottageDudley Canal Trust Tunnel TripsDunwood TravelDurley Dean HotelEast Midlands Trainseasy-breaks.comEffe Hotels & TravelEncore Tickets LtdEnglish HeritageEurocampEurope Incoming BudapestExbury Gardens And Steam RailwayExplore The Lake DistrictFord And Etal EstatesFour Pillars HotelsFred. Olsen Cruise LinesGenerator HostelsGo WindermereGoCruiseThe Golden Coast of Southern WalesGrasmere GingerbreadGroup Leisure & Travel Trade Show2011Group Leisure MagazineGroup LineGroup Travel Organisers Association

Guoman & Thistle HotelsHarry Shaw Group TravelThe Headway HotelHello Paris LtdHighlight – Live Comedy AndEntertainmentHoliday Inn WinchesterHoliday On IceHornsea FreeportHuggler HotelsHurtigrutenI C TImperial College LondonIndia TourismInterChoice HolidaysIntourist UKIsle of Wight CouncilIsles of ScillyIsrael Tourist OfficeJersey TourismJesta Black Jack CasinoJet2.comJinney Ring Craft Centrejust for groups! & Grand UK HotelsKillarney – IrelandLake District Visitor CentreLakeland Motor MuseumLakes AquariumLakeside & Haverthwaite RailwayLansdowne Place HotelLatona LeisureLeaf HotelsLeeds & Pennine YorkshireLichfield District CouncilLonghirstMartyn Leisure Resorts & HotelsMersey FerriesMethodist HeritageModern Hotels – Jersey

National Memorial ArboretumNational TrustNewmarket RacecoursesNewmarket Travel ServiceNorfolk LavenderNorman Allen Group TravelNormandy Tourist BoardNorthern Secrets LtdNorwegian Cruise LineNPF Bassetts PoleOn The Go ToursOrbis Insurance Services LtdP&O FerriesPark InnPhoenix HolidaysPort Sunlight Museum & GardenVillagePotters Leisure ResortQuietvox UKRamada Jarvis HotelsRavenglass & Eskdale RailwayRed FunnelThe River Cruise LineRoyal Botanical Gardens KewThe Royal British Legion – PoppyTravelRoyal Marine HotelRoyal Shakespeare CompanySagaScotRailSevern Valley RailwaySeymour HotelsSGE HotelsShakespeare Birthplace TrustShrewsbury Flower ShowSimply GroupsSnibston Discovery MuseumSouth Quay CruisesSouth Quay Travel & Leisure

South Staffordshire CouncilSouthern WalesSouthport – England’s ClassicResortSteve Reed Tourism LtdStoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf & SpaStrathmore HotelsSuccess ToursTailored TravelTamworth Borough CouncilThe Ticket FactoryTitan TravelTransunTravelsphere And Page & MoyTravtelTreasure ParkTutankhamun ManchesterUllswater SteamersViking River CruisesVirgin TrainsVisit BlackpoolVisit LutonWaddesdon ManorWarner Leisure HotelsWarwick CastleWaverley & BalmoralWentworth Castle GardensWest End Theatre BreaksWest Midland Safari ParkWest ParkWest Somerset RailwayWhite Hotel Group of IrelandWightlinkWindermere Lake Cruises LtdWoods Coaches LtdThe World of Beatrix Potter Attraction

Exhibitors’ list was correct at time of going to press

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DESTINATIONLAKE DISTRICT AND CUMBRIA

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LAKE Buttermere has been votedBritain’s most beautiful view in a poll by car manufacturerChevrolet.

The survey – conducted tocelebrate the best of scenic Britain– discovered one in five peopleasked believe the Cumbriaattraction is the nation’s top view.

This was closely followed by

neighbouring Lake Derwentwater,which received 11 per cent of thevote.

To celebrate Britain’s top views,the car company has created afour metre wide gilt frame whichturns the natural environment intoscenic art and enables families toenjoy the views from the comfortof the car.

Families can drive into parkingspaces located in front of the topviews in the UK and see themthrough the frame, which capturesthe best part of the landscape.

Chevrolet’s Les Turton said: “Wedon’t need to fork out on flights tofind scenic locations. It is reallygreat that more and more peopleare appreciating and

acknowledging everything that ourown country has to offer us.

There is a wealth of beauty onoffer to everyone within the UK andwe only need to hit the road to findit.”

Other destinations to make it into the top 10 included SevenSisters in Sussex, St Ives andStonehenge.

Car maker spreads Buttermere word

World's most luxury ship sailsinto WhitehavenTHE most luxurious cruise linerever to set sail has beenwelcomed into Whitehaven aspart of a drive to boost tourismalong the Cumbrian coast.

The luxurious 12-deck vessel– named The World – iscarrying around 150 to 200guests all staying in privateresidences onboard.

Each residence ranges inprice from between £500,000,up to as much as £13m.

Officials from CumbriaTourism have been working toattract more cruise ships tothe ports to boost tourismalong the county coast andheads up a special groupcalled Cumbria's Cruise Group,featuring all the leading playersacross the county.

Chief executive Ian Stephenssaid: "This is without doubt theworld's most prestigious ship.

It's also a very highly visibleresult of all the work beingdone by ourselves and ourpartners to put Cumbria on themap in the cruise world. Wereally hope businesses in thearea benefit as a result."

The visit by the Worldprovided an opportunity forpassengers and over 250 crewmembers from 40 differentcountries, to explore both thehistoric port town ofWhitehaven, and see some of the sights of the LakeDistrict on a series of specialtours.

Ian added: "If we can attractthis calibre of ship to ourshores and impress themwhile they're here, it can helpspread the word about whyCumbria is a must-visit port-of-call for cruise ships visiting UKwaters."

A HOTEL in the Lake District iscashing in on the area’spopularity as a destination forstar-gazers by creating a newpackage for astronomy fans.

Armathwaite Hall CountryHouse and Spa’s ‘Starry Eyed’package allows visitors to viewthousands of stars, planets,

and even galaxies from thespecially installed telescope inthe hotel’s conservatory.

And as a lasting reminder ofthe experience, visitors evenname their own star which willbe registered on theIntergalactic Star Database.

Package for stargazers

Funding cutsmean majorrestructureA MAJOR restructure will take place atCumbria Tourism after the organisationlost out on funding worth over £1m.

The cuts will mean the organisationfocuses on priority projects to promotethe area to visitors and has a leanerworkforce come the New Year.

Since 2004, Cumbria Tourism's workhas been helped by an annual £1.3mgrant from the Northwest DevelopmentAgency.

But that is coming to an end after thegovernment asked the NWDA to findsavings of £52m before the end ofMarch 2011.

Chief executive Ian Stephensexplained: "This is not the end ofCumbria Tourism but the action we aretaking to address a change in how wewill be funded in the future. We mustreset what we do to ensure that theLake District and Cumbria continues tobe professionally promoted as a place tovisit – irrespective of the new financialclimate in the public sector.

"We will remain a membershiporganisation working on behalf of countytourism businesses likes B&Bs,cottages, visitor attractions and hotels.We will also continue to operate the

successful golakes.co.uk website whichbrings in millions of pounds worth ofbookings to the county's tourismbusinesses every year.

"We will continue to produce ourannual holiday guide which profiles thearea to visitors and is used by 73 percent of people to make their choice ofwhere to stay. We will continue topromote the internationally famous LakeDistrict, Cumbria brand and all aspectsof affordable marketing will be deliveredto the highest standards as always.

"Marketing, promotion, sales and thevoice of the strong private membershipwill be central to the new structure."

Cumbria Tourism's work is also fundedby over 3,500 tourism businesses whosubscribe to become members of theorganisation. It also bids for fundingfrom other organisations and this willcontinue.

A consultation process has begun toassess the roles of Cumbria Tourism’sexisting staff and the organisation’s newpriorities.

At the end of the consultation, a newlyrestructured Cumbria Tourism willemerge with new tourism objectives ledby the industry.

10 9/9/10 13:22 Page 1

Historic Royal Palaces and Royal Armouries have joined forces topresent ‘Fit for a King’, a stunning new permanent exhibitionshowcasing five hundred years of royal arms and armour. The Towerof London’s iconic White Tower will host the exhibition of Tudor,Stuart, Hanoverian and Windsor arms and armour from Easter 2010,marking the 350th anniversary of King Charles II’s restoration andthe Tower of London opening to visitors for the first time.

The exhibition begins with two contrasting pieces of 16th Centuryarmour created for King Henry VIII. His intricately decorated‘silvered and engraved’ armour (c.1515) celebrates his marriage toKatherine of Aragon, and is adorned with the intertwined initials ‘H’and ‘K’. This armour was possibly one of the first works produced inHenry’s newly-established workshops at Greenwich. This will bedisplayed alongside Henry’s much later field and tournament

garniture armour (c.1540), probably made for one of the lasttournaments organised by the monarch.

Whilst Henry VIII’s armour was created in the Greenwichworkshops built by the King, the exhibition will also showcase theskilled craftsmanship of other nation’s armour workshops. The trulyexquisite, traditional Japanese armour (c.1610) gifted to King James I(James VI of Scotland) by Tokugawa Hidetaada is almost certainly thefirst Japanese armour ever to be seen in Britain.

Also joining the royal line up on five hundred years of armour, arethose created for much younger royalty, including young Edward VIand Charles I as a prince, so they could ‘dress up’ as their heroicfathers and ancestors. King Edward VI’s light cavalry armour of about1550 was crafted for the teenage King when he was aged just 13 yearsin the Greenwich workshops established by his father, Henry VIII.Young Prince Charles’s miniature horseman’s armour of about 1615which later passed from Charles I to his eldest son, the future CharlesII, is another beautiful work of art created in the Netherlands.

Finally, a collection of Hanoverian and Windsor swords startingwith George I’s through to that of George VI completes the line up ofnearly five centuries of royal arms and armour.

See our next edition for exciting news of the new ‘Royal Beasts’, aninteractive exhibition recalling the days when the Tower was home toexotic lions, bears and even an elephant.

For help and advice in organising group visits to any of the historicroyal palaces, contact the Groups and Travel Trade Team on +44 (0) 203166 6311 or e-mail [email protected]. Please quote“Destination UK September” when contacting us.

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11 Tower of London 9/9/10 13:23 Page 1

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OVER 11m potential holidaymakersin the UK are hearing TourismIreland’s new advertising campaignfor Dublin.

The series of light hearted ads –which consist of a tongue-in-cheekapology to other popular Europeancities (including Rome, Madrid andParis) for beating them in thefriendliness stakes – has been

aired on major national and regional radio stations throughoutthe UK.

Capitalising on Dublin’s TripAdvisoraccolade of ‘Europe’s FriendliestCity’, the message behind the adsis all about the ‘craic’ that visitorswill have when they come to Dublin.

Tourism Ireland’s deputy head of

Great Britain Vera Stedman said:“Again and again, our researchshows us that the friendliness ofthe people here is one of ourunique selling points.

“Tourism Ireland’s new radio adsare an amusing and light-heartedway of promoting Dublin. It is thewarm welcome and the ‘craic’ herethat resonates with potential

holidaymakers overseas and makethe city such a great choice for ashort break or holiday.”

As well as the radio ads, the newDublin campaign includes onlineadvertising on key websites, directmarketing and social mediainitiatives, as well as promotionswith tour operators and air and seacarriers.

New campaign spreads the word

Ireland ready tomake a hole inthe golfing market GOLF fans are being targeted aspart of a new campaign to promoteIreland as a premier golfingdestination.

Against the backdrop of therecent 3 Irish Open, minister fortourism, culture and sport, MaryHanafin spoke about theimportance of showcasing Irelandthrough golf tourism as FáilteIreland outlined its intent tomaximise the potential of theevent for Ireland’s golfing andtourism sectors.

Fáilte Ireland has been workingwith the golf industry, through a

national Golf Forum, to put in placea number of initiatives to boostgolf tourism in Ireland.

As part of this, a new brand –Time to Play – has been unveiledto rival competing destinationssuch as Scotland and Wales andPadraig Harrington brought onboard as Ireland’s golf ambassador.

During the Irish Open, there wasalso a “Big Brother” style diaryroom where visitors could tell theirfavourite golf story.

The winner of the competition willnow be involved in a new DiscoverIreland golf advert.

New development forum setto boost tourism in KerryA NEW development forum hasbeen created to boost tourism inKerry.

Fáilte Kerry will be responsible forspearheading and overseeing athree-year plan for tourism in theregion, with support from FáilteIreland.

The new organisation replaces the

former South West Regional TourismDevelopment Board and one of itskey aims will be to identify andimplement a range of measuresdesigned to boost overseas visitorsto the region.

Membership is drawn from thetourism industry, businessinterests, the Local Authority andFáilte Ireland.

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WICKLOW has been promoted as aholiday destination to 750,000potential visitors following a visit bya Belgian TV crew.

The crew filmed two episodes ofweekly travel programmeVlaanderen Vakantieland in thecounty, which will air in Belgiumnext spring.

The theme of the episodes filmedin Wicklow is ‘family holidays inIreland’ and specifically holidays ina horse-drawn caravan. Footage willinclude well-known Belgiancomedian Herman Verbruggen withhis family enjoying the relaxed paceof a holiday by horse-drawn caravanand the scenery in this part ofIreland.

Tourism Ireland’s manager inBelgium Danielle Neyts said: “Weare delighted that VRT has chosento film in Wicklow. It is a wonderfulopportunity to highlight what thispart of Ireland has to offer to ahuge Belgian audience. The twoepisodes of VlaanderenVakantieland filmed here will beseen by hundreds of thousands ofpotential holidaymakers, looking forideas and suggestions for their nextshort break or holiday destination.”

Wicklowholidaysfilmed

Irish visitorstargeted inDublin campaignBy Christina EcclesAN advertising campaign worth €160,000has been rolled out to promote Dublin tovisitors from other parts of Ireland.

The campaign – which is funded by FáilteIreland, in conjunction with Dublin Tourism,the Irish Hotels Federation and Dublin CityBID – complements the larger DiscoverIreland campaign launched earlier this year.

A mixture of radio and press adverts, it willhighlight what there is to do in Dublin,focusing on three target markets inparticular – families, young couples and theover 55s.

Fáilte Ireland’s head of operations inDublin Kevin Moriarty said: “With thecampaign, we want to encourage peoplefrom all around the country to consider ashort break in Dublin.

We, in Fáilte Ireland, believe that there isgreat potential in the home holiday marketand are determined to put Dublin firmly inthe frame as many potential visitors look toplan their weekends away and short breaks.

“We hope this campaign will enticepotential visitors who may not haveconsidered Dublin as a holiday location to

reconsider. The developments across thenational road network along with theincreased value throughout the industrymeans that Dublin has never been closer orsuch good value.

“What is on offer in Dublin today reflects agreat opportunity for people all around thecountry to come to their capital city andhave an enjoyable break.”

Chief executive of Dublin Tourism FrankMagee said: "We at Dublin Tourism areexcited to launch this dynamic domestictourism campaign for Dublin, generouslysupported by Fáilte Ireland.

“The result of a strong partnershipbetween a number of key industry players,the campaign is designed to drive additional business to our tourism partnersat a difficult time for the tourism industry. Domestic tourism has provenresilient in recent times and we would liketo ensure Dublin has its share of thatbusiness.

“2009 saw a 25 per cent increase in thenumber of domestic bed nights for Dublin –our target is to build on that figure thisyear."

A GROUP of Japanese travel agents have visited Ireland todiscover what the country has to offer tourists from Japan.

The group enjoyed a fact-finding visit around the country –taking in places such as Belfast and the Hill of Tara –before attending a B2B tourism workshop in Dublin.

Tourism Ireland’s head of Australia and developingmarkets Jim Paul said: “We are delighted these travelagents took time out of their busy schedules to visit theisland of Ireland. For many, it was their first time here andthey were extremely impressed by our spectacular scenery,the wealth of historic attractions, as well as by thehospitality and friendliness of the people they met.

“Familiarisation visits such as these are extremelyimportant as they help the travel agents to know exactlywhat we have to offer potential Japanese holidaymakers;the aim is that when they return home to Japan they arebetter equipped to advise their clients on future travelplans and trip bookings.”

Japanese fact-finders

13 9/9/10 13:25 Page 1

This summer, take advantage of our new jointticket for admission to Kew Palace and the RoyalBotanic Gardens, Kew at the extra special price of£13.50 per adult and £11.63 per concession,exclusively for pre-booked groups of ten or more.Evening tours are available every Sunday duringthe opening season at 17.00h.

These guided tours are available for groups of 2-25 people and finish with a glass of wine in KewPalace’s atmospheric Tudor Undercroft. This is aperfect way to end the day for just £22.00 perperson plus vat.

For groups who wish to purchase a memento fromtheir visit, the Welcome Centre offers a selection ofgifts whilst the Orangery restaurant caters forthose who wish to get a bite to eat.

As one of the most intimate of royal palaces, groups can alsoexplore this family home of King George III and Queen Charlotte(1800- 18) as 2010 marks the celebration of the 250th anniversary ofGeorge III’s accession to the throne. Meet the man himself alongwith his extended family including Queen Charlotte and some oftheir fifteen children! Groups need to hurry however, as spaces arelimited and the palace will close it’s doors for the winter on 26thSeptember but re-opens in April 2011.

For your groups opportunity to explore this intimate palace, call ourContact Centre on 0844 482 7770 or [email protected]. Please quote "Destination UKSeptember" when contacting us.

14 KEW Palace 9/9/10 13:25 Page 1

15 Superbreak Centrestage 13/9/10 15:31 Page 1

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Theatresset tore-openTHE Royal Shakespeare and Swantheatres will reopen in Novemberfollowing a four-year redevelopment,the Royal Shakespeare Companyhas confirmed.

From November 24, visitors will beinvited to rediscover and explore thebuilding, which will have a brandnew 1,000 seat thrust stageauditorium, 36m high Tower, newexhibition spaces, new places to eatand drink, restored 1930s featuresand improved public areas includingthe new Weston Square.

Visitors will also be able to takepart in a series of preview eventsand activities which will help testthe spaces, while throughout theopening period, Matilda, A Musicalwill play at The Courtyard Theatre.

Next February, the current RSCensemble will perform the firstproductions on the new RoyalShakespeare Theatre stage whenthey return from London’sRoundhouse to revive King Lear andRomeo and Juliet, directed by RSCAssociate Directors, David Farr andRupert Goold.

The RSC will then celebrate its50th birthday and formally reopenthe theatres with new companiesand a new season from April 2011.

Actress Pamela Anderson willappear as the genie of thelamp in Liverpool Empire’sChristmas pantomime,Aladdin. Pamela returns topantomime following hersuccessful appearance in thesame role at the NewWimbledon Theatre last year.As well as Pamela, the showwill also star Liverpoolfavourite Les Dennis asWishee Washee, with morestar names still to beannounced.

SHORT break specialist, Superbreakhas reported that 25 years after itfirst opened, Les Misérables is stillone of the operator’s top-sellingshows in the West End.

With the show currently celebratingits 25th birthday year, the world’slongest-running musical continues towow audiences and has never left thetop ten in a quarter of a century.

The company offers a wide range ofpackages that combine overnightaccommodation in hotels all acrossthe capital with tickets to see theshow – from budget to top-pricedoptions. With its rail ticket add-ons,more and more people from aroundthe UK can now come to London for ashort break, enjoy all it has to offerand take in a West End show.

Sales director Ian Mounser said:“Les Misérables is only a couple of

years younger than Superbreak andlike us, the show continues to growand develop. It has been seen by 56mpeople worldwide in 42 countrieswhich really is staggering.

“It’s the world’s longest-runningmusical and has an extensivefollowing with people returning timeand time again. We want agents towork hard promoting add-ons such astheatre tickets when they are sellingLondon – we know that averagebooking values are on the increase(£349 in August 2009 against £412in August 2010) and we hope thiscontinues to grow. Adding theatre, railand attractions can boost earningpotential and show such as LesMisérables perform to sell outaudiences much of the time, so pre-booking with Superbreak is an idealway to secure tickets.”

Meeting the cast is Donna James, sales executive for the South Eastregion with Éponine and Marius.

Show marks 25 years at the top

THE legendary musical LesMisérables will celebrate its 25thbirthday by making theatricalhistory with an international firstof three different productions inLondon at the same time – theoriginal production at the Queen'sTheatre, the new 25th anniversaryproduction at The Barbican and acelebratory concert at The O2 onSunday October 3.

The 25th anniversary concert atThe O2 will host a company of

over 500 actors and musicians,including Alfie Boe as JeanValjean, Nick Jonas as Marius,Norm Lewis as Javert, Matt Lucasas Thénardier, Lea Salonga asFantine, Jenny Galloway asMadame Thénardier, CamillaKerslake as Cosette and the castsof the original production at theQueen's Theatre, the new 25thanniversary production at theBarbican, London and members ofthe original 1985 London cast.

Musical celebrateswith a treble ...

Photographs: Catherine Ashmore ©

16 13/9/10 15:33 Page 1

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HAMLET at the Sheffield CrucibleTheatre starring John Simm andJohn Nettles is proving to be aninternational sensation before theproduction has even opened.

According to recent data pulledfrom the theatre’s bookingsystem, people are purchasingtickets from all over the worldwith seven tickets sold to peoplein Australia, 29 tickets to theUSA, 15 to Russia, 36 toGermany, ten to Japan and four to

North Korea. The production willmark John Simm’s debut at theCrucible as well as his debutplaying the title part and is thefirst production of Hamlet at thetheatre for 15 years.

Simm is perhaps best known forhis role in BBC’s Life on Mars buthis many other television creditsinclude Dr Who, Sex Traffic, TheCanterbury Tales and Crime andPunishment. Also joining the castis John Nettles who plays

Claudius/ Ghost. His stagecredits include Anthony &Cleopatra, Season of Plays andThe Winter’s Tale (RSC).

Nettles has a long-standingtelevision career, with creditsincluding the title role in theBBC’s Bergerac and InspectorBarnaby in ITV’s MidsomerMurders. They are joined byMichele Dockery playing Ophelia.Dockery is about to star as thelead in ITV’s new Autumn Drama,

Dowton Abbey opposite DameMaggie Smith. Barbara Flynnplays Gertrude and is mostlyrecognised for her TV rolesincluding Ten Days to War,Cranford, Cracker, The Line ofBeauty and Elizabeth I. Flynn alsoplayed the Queen in the recentChannel 4 docudrama of thesame name.

Hamlet opens on September 22,with previews from 16, and runsuntil October 22.

Hamlet proves an internationalhit before it even opens

Encore Tickets has secured group rates for the newest addition to theWest End stage – Shrek the Musical.So confident is Encore of the show’s success when it opens at theTheatre Royal in Drury Lane next June that senior staff have alreadybeen to see the show during its current run in Chicago.Encore chairman Ashley Herman said: “There’s just one word for it:brilliant. It’s going to be a huge West End success and a perfect showfor the groups market. Book early to avoid disappointment.”

STRICTLY Come Dancing star JillHalfpenny will take to the stagelater this month to perform songs from The Great BritishSongbook.

Jill, who is currently starring in

smash hit musical Legally Blonde atthe Savoy Theatre, will performsongs by artistes including GaryBarlow, Eric Clapton and PaulMcCartney in the show, which takesplace at Wilton’s Music Hall inLondon.

Strictly star swapsdancing for singing

Picture: Robert Day

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Actress and Britain’s Got Talent judgeAmanda Holden is one of the first castmembers to be announced for new West EndShow – Shrek The Musical. Amanda will playthe role of Princess Fiona when the musicalopens in London next June. Other castmembers will include Richard Blackwood asDonkey.

Sex and the Cityactress Kim Cattrallwill play Cleopatra in anew production ofAntony and Cleopatraat the LiverpoolPlayhouse.Jeffery Kissoon willtake on the role ofAntony alongside anensemble cast, whichincludes former RSCactors Ian Hogg andMartin Hutson.The production will bedirected by JanetSuzman who revisitsShakespeare's epictragedy 37 years afterher career-definingperformance as theQueen of Egypt. Antony and Cleopatra isat the Playhousebetween October 8 andNovember 13.

LEICESTER Square’s Tkts booth celebratedits 30th birthday by offering the first 30people in the queue on that day a freetheatre ticket.

Over the last 30 years, the first, and onlyofficial, half price ticket booth has sold10.9m tickets to 1,200 shows.

Firm celebratedwith free tickets

Tony Award winning composer Jason Robert Brown will make his West End concert debut later this month. He will be joined at the GarrickTheatre by Anika Noni Rose – the voice of Princess Tiana in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog – who is also appearing for the first time inLondon’s West End.

18 9/9/10 13:28 Page 1

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THE new minister for tourismand heritage, John Penrose, hasvisited the new ManchesterVisitor Information Centreas part of a tour of the NorthWest.

The MVIC opened last monthfollowing an investment of over£800,000 by Manchester CityCouncil and the NorthwestRegional Development Agency(NWDA).

During the visit, he met withAndrew Stokes, chief executiveof Marketing Manchester, andNick Brook-Sykes, director oftourism at the NWDA, to see firsthand the workings of thecity-region’s £5.5b tourismindustry.

Andrew said: “The visit gave us

an opportunity to show theminister the new technology that we have incorporated into the centre to make theprovision of visitor informationmore relevant to the modern-dayvisitor.

“Demand for face-to-face adviceis as popular as it always hasbeen, but there is a newgeneration of visitors that like tosource information andrecommendations online, throughthe use of interactive technologyand by monitoring social mediachannels like Twitter.

“The new MVIC has embracedthis change and will adapt along with our visitors tomaintain our industry leadingposition.”

Minister visits newinformation centre

Guide serves up the best of area’s food and drinkA GUIDE has been launched in thePeak District and Derbyshire toshowcase the best of the area’sfood offering.

The 60-page Food and DrinkGuide 2010 includes features onquality local food and drinksuppliers and information on

tourist board initiatives – such asthe internet-based restaurantselection and reservation serviceGo Dine – as well as a newquality food and drink ratingscheme, Taste Derbyshire, set to be launched this autumn.

The guide also contains aconcise directory, plus usefullocation maps and contactdetails.

Visit Peak District andDerbyshire’s head of marketingand deputy chief executive DavidThornton said:

“First-class food and drink arekey elements in the mix of qualityingredients tourists expect whenthey come to stay in the PeakDistrict and Derbyshire, and thiscomprehensive new guide gives afull flavour of the treats they havein store.”

19 13/9/10 13:54 Page 1

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Tourism minister John Penrose has visited Bath to see anexample of best practice in the tourism industry.During the visit, he met representatives from Bath TourismPlus and Bath and North East Somerset Council followinga recommendation from Visit England.VisitEngland chairman, Lady Cobham and chief executive,James Berresford, came to Bath in June and wereimpressed with the success of the city’s tourism industryand effectiveness of Bath Tourism Plus as a destinationmanagement organisation.They then suggested the minister visit Bath as a guide tohow other tourism destinations could operate.� Pictured, from left: Mary Lynch, chair of Bath TourismPlus; John Penrose MP, Tourism Minister; Robin Bischertchief executive of Bath Tourism Plus.

Monarchy brings in£500m tourism cashBy Christina Eccles

BRITAIN’S Monarchy generates over£500m a year from overseastourists, new research hasrevealed.

The report from VisitBritain saidthat culture and heritage in thewidest sense – extending fromtheatres and galleries to pubs,Premiership Football, castles andstately homes – generated £4.6bin total spending by overseastourists in 2009, and supported100,000 jobs.

But within that total, one in eightof those sites – ranging from theTower of London to The Palace ofHolyroodhouse in Edinburgh and

Ruthin Castle in Wales – areassociated with Monarchy.

And the foreign tourists who visitthem generate £500m of spending.

Of the 30m overseas visitors whocame to Britain last year, 5.8mvisited a castle, 5m an historichouse and 6.4m a religiousmonument such as a cathedral.

The Tower of London was the toproyal attraction for internationalvisitors in 2009 with 2.4m visitors.The National Maritime Museum inGreenwich, which incorporates TheQueen's House, home to the wivesof James 1 and Charles 1 and theRoyal Observatory was second on2.3m.

Other popular choices included St

Paul’s Cathedral – the setting forCharles and Diana’s marriageceremony – Westminster Abbey,Edinburgh Castle, Hampton Court,Buckingham Palace and WindsorCastle.

VisitBritain chief executive SandieDawe said: ‘’This fascinatingresearch shows Britain’s monarchicheritage draws foreign tourists tojust about every corner of thecountry from Scotland to Cornwall.Her Majesty the Queen celebratesher Diamond Jubilee in 2012, a featlast accomplished back in 1897 byQueen Victoria.

“This report suggests that yearshe is going to generate a bonanzafor British tourism.’’

Travel guidenames tophotspotsTHE ancient Scottish fishing port ofNairn and Dorset seaside townWeymouth have been named asholiday hotspots by online travelguide Tripadvisor.

The destinations have beenselected as two of its Top 10emerging destinations – withWeymouth coming in at number fourand Nairn at number nine.

VisitBritain’s strategy andcommunications director PatriciaYates said: “It’s wonderful to seetravellers appreciating Nairn’shistoric connections along withWeymouth’s beautiful beach andold-fashioned English hospitality.What’s more, Weymouth will soonsecure its place on the global stagewhen it hosts the sailing events forthe 2012 Olympic Games whenVisitBritain will be promoting thetown worldwide.’’

Shortlist in search for Yorkshire excellenceTHE shortlist has been announcedfor this year’s White Rose Awards,which recognise excellence inYorkshire’s tourism industry.

The list boasts 90 of Yorkshire’sbest attractions, hotels, venues andindividuals from the tourismindustry and covers 16 categories.

Chief executive of Welcome toYorkshire Gary Verity said: “Thequality of this year’s White RoseAwards entries is so incredibly highwe had no choice but to increasethe number of those shortlisted.This clearly demonstrates that theYorkshire tourism industry has reallystepped up its game in terms ofquality and presence, both of whichare vital if we are to achieve ouraims to be the UK’s best.”

The White Rose Awards Finalists2010 are: Bed & Breakfast/GuestAccommodation of the Year:� Kilham Hall Country House� 17 Burgate� Clow Beck House� Cundall Lodge Farm� Moorlands Country House� Elder Lea HouseSmall Hotel/Townhouse of the Year� Hazlewood Castle Hotel� The Feversham Arms Hotel andVerbena Spa� Wentbridge House Hotel� Hotel du Vin and Bistro YorkLarge Hotel of the Year

� Best Western Premier Mount PleasantHotel� Crown Spa Hotel� Oulton Hall� The Leopold Hotel� The Royal York Hotel and EventsCentre� Leeds Marriott HotelTaste of Yorkshire Award� The Black Swan at Oldstead� Artisan Restaurant� Silversmiths Restaurant� Cedarbarn Farm Shop and Cafe� The Black Swan Tearoom andPatisserie� The Georgian Restaurant at Wood HallHotel and SpaSmall Visitor Attraction of the Year� Barley Hall� Harrogate Turkish Baths and HealthSpa� Standedge Tunnel and Visitor Centre� Kirklees Light Railway� Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens andNursery� The Walled Garden at ScampstonLarge Visitor Attraction� Eureka! The National Children’sMuseum� JORVIK Viking Centre� Lightwater Valley Theme Park� Museums Sheffield: Weston Park� RHS Garden Harlow Carr� York Castle MuseumYorkshire Pub of the Year� The Butchers Arms� The Grouse Inn� The Milestone� The New Inn and Cropton Brewery� The Shoulder of Mutton and TheShoulder Shop� The Star @ Sancton

Access for All Tourism Award� The Royal York Hotel and EventsCentre� The Alhambra Theatre� The Deep� Yorkshire Waterways MuseumSustainable Tourism Award� Home Grown Home� Old Cragg Hall Barn� RHS Garden Harlow Carr� The Dovecote Barns� The LeewaySelf Catering, Cruisers and ServicedApartments Award � Crow Hill Country House Estates� Old Cragg Hall Barn� Residence 6 Leeds� The Dovecote Barns� The Lawrance� The Sands Seafront ApartmentsBusiness Tourism Award� Shine� Weetwood Hall Conference Centre andHotel� National Railway Museum� Sheffield International Venues’Conferencing and Events� Well Met Conferencing, LeedsMetropolitan University� Yorkshire Sculpture ParkCaravan Holiday Park and HolidayVillage Award� Brompton Lakes� Burton Constable Holiday Park andArboretum� Faweather Grange� Primrose Valley Holiday Park� Nostell Priory Holiday ParkOutstanding Customer Service� Denise Walker, business centremanager The Royal York Hotel andEvents Centre

� Nkosilathi Tshuma, Royal Armouries(International) at Royal ArmouriesMuseum and Saviles Hall� Paul Schofield, Visit Hull and EastYorkshire� The conference team, The Met Leeds� Gillian Pool, JORVIK Viking Centre� Miller's Tea Room and Farm ShopteamTourism Event of the Year� 25th Annual JORVIK Viking Festival� Freedom and the Clipper 09-10 Roundthe World Yacht Race� Sports Personality of the Year� The Wakefield Festival of Food, Drinkand Rhubarb� The Ashes Festival� The Theakstons Old Peculier CrimeWriting Festival� Harrogate International FestivalsVisitor Information Award� Hull Tourist Information Centre� Humber Bridge Tourist InformationCentre� Leeds Visitor Centre� Malton Tourist Information Centre� Pickering Tourist Information CentrevWakefield Tourist InformationCentre/Wakefield CouncilBest Tourism Experience of the Year� Heritage Inspired� Jollydays Luxury Camping � York Maze� The Ebor Festival� Frightwater Valley� Xscape

The winners will be announced at aglittering gala awards ceremony at theYorkshire Event Centre based inHarrogate in October.

20 13/9/10 13:55 Page 1

Henry VIII continues to hold court daily at Hampton Court where groupsenter a living Tudor world and can participate in life at Henry's palace fromspecial Tudor cookery weekends to everyday court life. However, visitorsmay meet one of Henry's renowned six wives during 2010 in a series ofHenry's Women weekends.

Groups can also step into the Tudor kitchens and watch the cooks preparetantalizing feasts for Henry's queen using traditional recipes, ingredients,utensils and cooking methods. Cooking events take place on 4- 5 September,2- 3 October, 6- 7 November and 4- 5 December.

Also new for 2010, is the newly installed wine fountain. At over 4 metershigh, it is a copy of the one which Henry VIII built at The Field of the Clothof Gold in 1520.Visitors can see the original painting and learn more aboutHenry's parties in our exhibition Young Henry in the Wolsey Rooms.The newfountain will flow with red and white wine and groups will be encouraged tojoin in the celebrations and purchase a glass between 4.30pm and 5.30pmeach day throughout the summer.

The fabulously re-presented Tudor palace will continue to wow visitorsfrom Easter 2011 with Henry VIII’s new interpretation in his apartments atHampton Court Palace will focus on his search for an heir and the desire tosecure the Tudor dynasty. Henry’s three children, Mary, Elizabeth andEdward will be introduced, as visitors ask “who wears the crown next?” Walk

in the footsteps of Henry through the Chapel Royal under itsmagnificent ceiling to the newly re-created richly decoratedimperial crown, worn by Henry and his successors. The ever-popular wedding of Henry VIII and his sixth wife will still betaking place with live interpretation daily.

For your groups opportunity to meet Henry VIII's wives or toenjoy a tipple or two at the Wine Fountain, call our ContactCentre on 0844 482 7770 or [email protected]. Please quote "DestinationUK September" when contacting us.

21 Hampton Court Palace 9/9/10 13:32 Page 1

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By David Hughes, president,Tourism ManagementInstitute

THE Tourism Society’s destinationmanagement section, the TourismManagement Institute (TMI), isholding its 2010 annual conventionon October 5/6 in East London atthe Hilton London DocklandsRiverside Hotel.

The convention will be of interestto anyone concerned with tourismdestinations in the UK, whetherfrom a practitioner, academic orsupplier perspective. Delegates willreceive presentations from industryleaders and experts on up-to-the-minute topics, take part in livelyworkshops and valuable studytours, and have plenty ofopportunity to network withcolleagues from throughout the UK.

Taking place just a couple ofweeks before the announcement ofthe Government’s ComprehensiveSpending Review (CSR) the firstsessions will anticipate the likelyimpact on the support structure forUK tourism. This will range fromnational to local, taking into accountthe abolition of regionaldevelopment agencies andintroduction of local economicpartnerships. Speakers from theTourism Alliance, VisitEngland andthe Local Government Associationwill set the scene, followed by aQ&A session with an expert panel.

In the afternoon, delegates will beable to choose from a series oftopical workshops. Subjects beingcovered include seaside and ruraltourism, public and private sectorpartnerships, and ongoingdevelopments in sustainabletourism. The venue will also bereflected in two workshops, onefocusing on the Greenwich CruiseTerminal and its impact on urbanregeneration and the other on the

London Development Agency’s workon supporting quality improvement.Not surprisingly 2012 will alsofeature with a look at a number ofinitiatives relevant across the UK.

Day one will finish with a plenarysession on destination marketing.Led by VisitEngland this will set outthe planned approach to England’sattack brands in the context of theStrategic Tourism Framework forEngland. Delegates will then havethe opportunity to relax andcontinue the all-importantnetworking at an informal evening atthe Museum of Docklands.

Day two will kick off with a look atthe latest trends and developmentsin e-tourism. This will look at theways in which destinations usetechnology to target visitors with apanel of industry experts on handto offer their views. Delegates willthen hear about changes to themain visitor accommodationaccreditation scheme standards(star ratings) to reflect theincreasing importance of hospitality,customer service and welcomewithin the overall assessment.

The penultimate session will lookat how destinations and universitiescan work hand-in-hand to make thelink between theory and practice,with a number of case studiesprovided. The convention will thenreturn to the theme of the changingenvironment faced by destinationswith a final presentation byVisitBritain on tourism trends in achanging world. Four optional studytours will take place after lunch.These will take in Woolwich River-side and the O2 Arena; HistoricGreenwich; The Museum of LondonDocklands and London 2012 Tour;and the regeneration of London’sEast End. The TMI Convention is areal opportunity for anyone involvedin tourism to hear about anddiscuss the latest trends andissues for UK destinations.

What is the futureof destinationmanagement?

By Kurt Janson, PolicyDirector, Tourism Alliance

ON August 12 2010, somethingrather extraordinary happened – aPrime Minister gave a keynotespeech on tourism. Moreimportantly, it was a speech that hechose to make rather than one thatwas predetermined by circumstanceeg. Tony Blair speaking on tourismafter 9/11 and Foot and Mouth haddecimated inbound tourism orGordon Brown trying to quellindustry unrest that the Governmentwasn’t taking tourism seriously asan industry.

Not only was the Prime Ministernot “forced” into making thespeech, the speech itself was wellconsidered and gave the air ofsomeone who is genuinelyenthusiastic about the sector ratherthan simply going through themotions – as evidenced by thisopening section:

“For too long tourism has beenlooked down on as a second classservice sector.

“That’s just wrong. Tourism is afiercely competitive market,requiring skills, talent, enterpriseand a government that backsBritain. It’s fundamental to therebuilding and rebalancing of oureconomy.

“It’s one of the best and fastestways of generating the jobs weneed so badly in this country.

“And it’s absolutely crucial to usmaking the most of the Olympicsand indeed a whole decade ofgreat international sport acrossBritain.”

The Prime Minister’s speech wenton to outline the structure of theforthcoming tourism strategy thatthe tourism minister, John Penrose,is currently developing.

This strategy will comprisesections on DCMS’s role in tourismdevelopment, the role of localgovernment and how tourismwill be supported at the local level,how the private sector will beexpected to engage and howGovernment will interweave theneeds of tourism into the policiesformulated by Departments otherthan DCMS.

Importantly, the speech concludedwith the Prime Minister stating that;

“John Penrose is doing a report(on tourism growth targets) for me,which he will present in October. Infact, I want John to go further.

“I want John to work with you dayin and day out to develop a tourismstrategy by the end of this year thatbrings together the best of theideas you have that ensures London2012 provides the best economicand tourism legacy that any Olympic

host city has ever done and thatsets us on a path to break into thetop five tourist destinations in theworld.”

This statement is quite significant.Rather than simply saying that he’senthusiastic about the minister’splans for tourism and fully supportsthe strategy that is beingdeveloped, we have a PrimeMinister asking for a report onsetting challenging tourism targetsand highlighting what needs to bedone if these targets are to beachieved.

This personal interest andinvolvement has the potential toprovide the high-level support thatwill be required if there are to besignificant changes to the policyissues that make the UK lesscompetitive as a global tourismdestination.

These issues include improvingthe provision of visas, reducing AirPassenger Duty, developing anaviation policy that supports thesector and reviewing the level of VATon tourism goods and services,which is currently twice theEuropean average.

Now, it would be wishful thinkingto suggest that the forthcomingstrategy will address all theseissues. But there is a chance thatat least one of them might betargeted for change and thatministers outside of DCMS will beinstructed to make amendments tocurrent policies so as to facilitatetourism growth.

This will be a significant stepforward from previous Governmenttourism strategies such as“Tomorrow’s Tourism” and“Tomorrow’s Tourism Today” whichset targets for growth without anycommitment from the Governmentto change policy or provide anyadditional resources.

If this proves to be correct, thenthe tourism industry will certainlyhave turned a corner in itsconsideration by Government.

Tourism onthe rise ...

Kurt Janson

Chain opens 11th hotel in cityBUDGET hotel chain Travelodge hasstrengthened its position as thebiggest hotel brand in Edinburghwith the opening of its 11th hotel inthe Scottish capital.

In the past 15 months, the com-pany has opened five hotels in thecity, taking total rooms to more than1,000 rooms across 11 hotels.

Chief executive officer GuyParsons said: “Growth in Edinburghhas been one of our priorities as itis such an important tourism

economy. We have committedaround £50m to new hotels in thecity over the past three years,acquiring existing hotels that hadfallen below the standards that themodern day consumer expects. Weare very pleased to have securedthis fantastic city centre locationand are looking forward to addingmore hotels in the city over thecoming months and years.”

The 96-bed hotel cost £7.9m andwill offer rooms from £19.

New funding for food festivalONE of Scotland’s leading food anddrink events has been awarded newfunding worth £12,000.

eatBute – the Isle of Bute’s fest-ival of gastronomy – will receive£7,000 through EventScotland’snational events programme and afurther £5,000 as part of

Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink.

The additional funding will be usedto develop a new food village,providing a more interactive visitorexperience and allowing visitors totaste more of the food and getcloser to the producers.

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The best group days out TREAT groups to a magical start to the festiveseason and discover how Christmas was celebratedacross the ages with the National Trust. Warm upwith mulled wine and crackling log fires, pick upstocking fillers at festive markets or join in with aspot of carol singing; from country houseChristmases to ancient abbeys there’s no betterplace to discover the spirit of Christmas.

On 27-28 November pick up Christmas presents atDinefwr Park’s food and craft fair inCarmarthenshire or visit Barrington Court inSomerset and find perfect stocking fillers at theirMistletoe fayre. If you’d rather hold out tillDecember, then why not visit the VictorianChristmas fair at Arlington Court in Devon on 4-5?There’s plenty of carol singing and mulled wine tolook forward to, enjoy carols by candlelight at Fountains Abbey inNorth Yorkshire on 12 December, or join a lantern procession atBelton House in Lincolnshire on 4, 11 and 18 December.

Or if your group is looking for the perfect winter escape why not getaway from it all and explore the great outdoors at this magical timeof year? Visit Dunham Massey in Cheshire and enjoy the seven-acrewinter garden – the largest of its kind in the UK. With over 700different plant species and a further 1,600 shrubs, this uniquegarden is alive with colour and perfume. Or discover AngleseyAbbey, Garden and Lode Mill, Cambridgeshire. Measure up next toCorinthian columns on the Temple Lawn or walk the atmosphericEmperors’ Walk and spot the statuary spying on you. In the wintergarden discover an oasis where over a 150 species of plants bringcolour and scent to the greyest of winter days.

For more great ideas, including information on how to receive freecopies of the Groups Guide, Special Interest Tours and the WhereNext? newsletter visit 0844 800 2329* orwww.nationaltrust.org.uk/groups

*Calls provided by BT will be charged at 5 pence per minute. A call set-up fee of 8 pence

per call applies to calls from residential lines. Mobile and other providers’ costs may

vary.

NTPL Stephen Robson

©National Trust & Alan Novelli

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