Issue 31 November/December 2009 £2.75 By Christina Eccles THE current exchange rate combined with successful marketing cam- paigns could help to position Britain as the destination for a great value holiday in 2010, according to an expert. VisitBritain’s director of strategy and communications Patricia Yates said one of the most important messages the agency can use to promote the UK – both to domestic and overseas visitors – is that the country provides excellent value for money regardless of budget. She told Destination UK now is a good time to push this message to encourage visitors here through the winter and into 2010. VisitBritain has already had suc- cess forging partnerships with major airlines to promote the UK to over- seas visitors – something which Patricia said is set to continue next year. And she also hopes that in the short term, the strength of other currencies against the pound will make London and other UK cities a popular choice for people looking for places to do their Christmas shop- ping or spend money in the January sales. She said: “Britain is good value and we are capitalising on that. We want to highlight the rise in quality and the fact there is good value available at every price point. “We have worked very hard with carriers such as Virgin, BA and EasyJet and we are wanting to pro- mote that it is a good time for peo- ple to book now.” Patricia also revealed VisitBritain is already looking at strategies for 2010 and how the message that the UK offers great value for money can be built on. She added: “For the end of the year, we are predicting that visits to Britain will be up to five per cent down and next year is likely to be another tough year. “We are formulating our business plans now and looking again at the value message to make sure that story keeps running. Some interna- tional markets are feeling more con- fident than others and there are some optimistic signs but still a lot of work to do. “If the exchange rate is still down, this gives us a competitive advan- tage to position Britain as a great value destination.” THE government needs to remove the barriers it has imposed on tourism in order to help the industry through challenging times, UKinbound has warned. VisitBritain has claimed that inbound tourism could continue to decline and that trips to Britain could fall by as much as five per cent in 2009. But according to UKinbound, the govern- ment’s own initiatives, such as air passenger duty and high visa costs, are partly to blame as they deter overseas resi- dents travelling to Britain. Chief executive Mary Rance said: “There is a danger that inbound trav- el to the UK could contin- ue to fall. “Consumers globally are looking for value. People don’t mind spending money on quali- ty products, but they do not want to pay higher taxes. “Government must remove the barriers of high taxes to ensure the UK tourism industry can remain internationally competitive in terms of price and accessibility, and to enable business to compete effectively in the international market.” Tourism barriers ‘must be removed’ The world-famous Blackpool Tower Ballroom will provide the backdrop for an episode of hit BBC show Strictly Come Dancing. The show’s remaining couples, judges and hosts Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly (pic- tured) will return to the town to film an episode. Blackpool Council's Coun Maxine Callow said: “Blackpool is absolutely thrilled to be hosting Strictly Come Dancing again and is very grateful to the BBC for bringing this fantastic spectacle back to the home of ballroom dancing.” Britain: THE destination of 2010?
Transcript
Issue 31 November/December 2009 £2.75
By Christina Eccles
THE current exchange rate combinedwith successful marketing cam-paigns could help to position Britainas the destination for a great valueholiday in 2010, according to anexpert.
VisitBritain’s director of strategyand communications Patricia Yatessaid one of the most importantmessages the agency can use topromote the UK – both to domesticand overseas visitors – is that thecountry provides excellent value formoney regardless of budget.
She told Destination UK now is agood time to push this message toencourage visitors here through thewinter and into 2010.
VisitBritain has already had suc-cess forging partnerships with majorairlines to promote the UK to over-seas visitors – something whichPatricia said is set to continue nextyear. And she also hopes that in theshort term, the strength of othercurrencies against the pound willmake London and other UK cities apopular choice for people looking forplaces to do their Christmas shop-ping or spend money in the Januarysales.
She said: “Britain is good valueand we are capitalising on that. Wewant to highlight the rise in qualityand the fact there is good valueavailable at every price point.
“We have worked very hard withcarriers such as Virgin, BA andEasyJet and we are wanting to pro-mote that it is a good time for peo-ple to book now.”
Patricia also revealed VisitBritain isalready looking at strategies for2010 and how the message thatthe UK offers great value for moneycan be built on.
She added: “For the end of theyear, we are predicting that visits toBritain will be up to five per centdown and next year is likely to beanother tough year.
“We are formulating our businessplans now and looking again at thevalue message to make sure thatstory keeps running. Some interna-tional markets are feeling more con-fident than others and there aresome optimistic signs but still a lotof work to do.
“If the exchange rate is still down,this gives us a competitive advan-tage to position Britain as a greatvalue destination.”
THE government needs toremove the barriers it hasimposed on tourism inorder to help the industrythrough challengingtimes, UKinbound haswarned.
VisitBritain has claimedthat inbound tourismcould continue to declineand that trips to Britaincould fall by as much asfive per cent in 2009.
But according toUKinbound, the govern-ment’s own initiatives,such as air passengerduty and high visa costs,are partly to blame asthey deter overseas resi-dents travelling to Britain.
Chief executive MaryRance said: “There is adanger that inbound trav-el to the UK could contin-ue to fall. “Consumersglobally are looking forvalue. People don’t mindspending money on quali-ty products, but they donot want to pay highertaxes.
“Government mustremove the barriers ofhigh taxes to ensure theUK tourism industry canremain internationallycompetitive in terms ofprice and accessibility,and to enable business tocompete effectively in theinternational market.”
Tourismbarriers‘must beremoved’
The world-famous Blackpool Tower Ballroomwill provide the backdrop for an episode ofhit BBC show Strictly Come Dancing. Theshow’s remaining couples, judges andhosts Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly (pic-tured) will return to the town to film anepisode. Blackpool Council's Coun MaxineCallow said: “Blackpool is absolutelythrilled to be hosting Strictly Come Dancingagain and is very grateful to the BBC forbringing this fantastic spectacle back tothe home of ballroom dancing.”
Britain: THEdestinationof 2010?
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Entertainmentnews inCentrestagestarting on Page 15
SEASIDE resort Skegness ishoping to transform itself into ayear round tourist destinationafter the success of its eventsprogramme in attracting visitorsout of season.
The town has hosted two majorfestivals this year, which havebeen well received by bothtourists and locals and EastLindsey District Council hopesthat by creating a year roundcalendar of events, people will beencouraged to visit outside thetraditional summer period.
The SEAS Festival was held atthe end of September through tothe beginning of October andshowcased some of the best ininternational art andperformances.
And according to the council, itwas a useful way of extending theholiday season through toOctober – with hotel bookingsreported to be up for that time ofyear.
The council’s cultural teamleader James Brindle said:“Events act as a driver toeconomic development and bringpeople here.
“Those such as the SEASFestival put Skegness on themap nationally and make peopleinterested in investing here.”
Another success this year wasthe Arts Council funded SOFestival – which included comedy,cabaret, opera and fireworks.
And as the only coastal resortin the East Midlands, EastLindsey was keen that its biggestasset – a Blue Flag beach – wasutilised creatively in the event.
As part of the festival, aperformance was commissioned
at The Embassy Theatre starringopera singer Jonathan Ansellwhich was then broadcastoutside to spectators on thebeach via a big screen.
The resort also has issuesaround seasonal employment soit is hoped that events will alsocreate more year round jobs,encouraging people to stay inSkegness.
Communications managerJames Gilbert added: “Previously,East Lindsey didn’t have manyjobs that young people wouldwant to stay in the district for.There is now the opportunity forgraduates to come back and workin a field that they never wouldhave considered before. Thiskeeps the area vibrant and helpsthe district grow.”
Bid to turn tide ofresort’s fortunes
SO Festival included comedy, cabaret, opera and fireworks
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DESTINATIONNEWS
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By Christina Eccles
LEEDS has showcased its potentialas a top destination for retailbreaks by hosting its fourth annualshopping week.
The event is expected to attractthousands of people – both localsand visitors – into the city centreover a 10-day period for a range ofevents and offers centred aroundLeeds’ retail businesses andattractions such as the VictoriaQuarter.
Leeds Shopping Week is apartnership between MarketingLeeds, City Centre Management andLeeds Retail Association andDestination UK caught up withMarketing Leeds’ chief executiveDeborah Green during the event.
She said: “So far the event hasbeen really successful. Figures areshowing that footfall is about thesame but spend is significantly up.
“The event gives us the chance toshowcase Leeds as a touristdestination. Part of its success isthat it does focus on shopping butalso on what else is on offer inLeeds, such as cultural attractions,great accommodation andrestaurants.
“The event is a big shop windowto shine a spotlight on Leeds.”
One of the event’s biggestattractions was its launch in theVictoria Quarter, which had a Las
Vegas theme.Its 76 stores including Harvey
Nichols, Vivienne Westwood and AllSaints all had late night openinghours with offers and discounts andthere was Vegas styleentertainment on offer for visitors.
Deborah added: “The event is verymuch a collaborative partnershipand all the partners work togetherto play to their strengths. There isso much enthusiasm for it.”
The retail sector is very importantpart of Leeds’ tourism offering andaccounts for 10 per cent of jobs inthe city.
Deborah Green
Leeds showcasesits breaks withshopping week
A Yorkshire chef who hasrecently taken over a countrypub is aiming to lead the wayin sourcing and using localproduce in his dishes.Tim Bilton – chef at TheButchers Arms in Hepworth –has a policy of only usingingredients from within a 75miles radius of the village.And local residents have beenhelping him out by leaving
anonymous gifts of gardenproduce outside the kitchendoor.Tim said: “I guess the villageladies fell for my passion forlocal ingredients – and I’vebeen opening the door todiscover fantastic produceever since. I know it’s notexactly bunches of red roses –but I’m very flattered andgrateful all the same.”
PLANS to make 2010 a landmarkyear for Chatsworth have beenunveiled – with visitors beingallowed more access to the house.
After the completion of restorationwork, funded by the ChatsworthHouse Trust, a new visitor routeruns through the Derbyshire stately
home, including a completely new gallery for displaying art and treasures from the collection,new displays celebrating the legend-ary Duchess Georgiana and anexhibition celebrating the 90thbirthday of Deborah Devonshire, thepresent Dowager Duchess.
Keira Knightley played Georgiana in The Duchess, which was filmed atChatsworth.
2010: a landmark year
Show reports strong forward bookingsTHE organisers of the Group Leisureand Travel Trade Show have alreadyreported strong forward bookingsfor next year’s event.
It takes place on September 22and 23 at the NEC and althoughvisitors this year were down byabout five per cent, many exhibitors
reported a successful show.Sales manager Sharon Yandell
said: “We have already seen a 12per cent increase in renewal book-ings compared to the same periodlast year and we are already 25 percent booked, which is very positivefor both the show and the industry.”
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City’s £1mMOBO awardboosterBy Christina Eccles
THIS year’s MOBO awardsgenerated over £1m for Glasgow’seconomy, it has been revealed.
It was the first time the event hasbeen held outside London and themove proved to be a great success– attracting a sell out crowd of7,000 to the SECC and generatingplenty of positive feedback aboutthe show.
The awards were secured forScotland through a partnership ofEventScotland and Glasgow CityMarketing Bureau and were alsosupported by Scottish Enterpriseand the Scottish Government.
According to Event Scotland chiefexecutive Paul Bush, not only wasthe event a success in terms ofeconomic benefit and level ofcoverage, it has also raised theprofile of Glasgow as a destinationfor major events.
He told Destination UK that as adesignated UNESCO City of Music,Glasgow is the perfect choice tohost this sort of event and hehopes the success of the MOBOSwill encourage other organisers to
look at hosting their events inScotland.
He said: “The MOBO Awards willleave a significant legacy forScotland including over £1meconomic impact, immeasurablebenefit to the nation’s musicindustry as well as furtherreinforcing Scotland’s reputation asa modern and vibrant destination forbusiness and tourism.
“The event has clearly establishedin the minds of people whoattended that Glasgow is a goodplace to come to and they willhopefully return.”
CEO and founder of the awardsKanya King added: “Glasgow itselfhas such a huge thirst for musicand MOBO and everything it standsfor feels right at home in this greatcity.”
Artists who took part in the eventincluded Kelly Rowland and DavidGuetta, JLS, Tinchy Stryder andBritain’s Got Talent Winners,Diversity.
There was also a tribute toMichael Jackson who was honouredwith a lifetime achievement award.
Award winners JLS
Campaign sees‘staycationers’flock to LeicesterBy Mary FergusonA CAMPAIGN to bring morefamilies to Leicestershire hasresulted in a record number of‘staycationers’ visiting the area.
The Stay Play Explorecampaign allowed a family offour to visit three localattractions out of a choice offive, plus accommodation at oneof three family orientated hotels.
And according to LeicesterShire Promotions, the campaignincreased visitor numbers by over 160 per cent betweenJune and August compared to the same period last year.
Chief executive Martin Peterssaid: “The economic downturnhas given the domestic visitormarket one of the biggestboosts of the past couple ofdecades.
“Research has shown that the
reason for this is simple: Britswould rather spend less onthings like food and clothes thansacrifice their leisure time.
“Visitors are now demandinggood quality, dynamic UK visitor destinations that do not compromise on qualityand this is why the Stay Play Explore short breakcampaign is our most successfulever.
“As well as Stay Play Explore,we have developed a range ofyear-round short breakopportunities to reflect thearea’s diverse tourism offer andgood quality, value for moneyaccommodation, all available ata fraction of the cost of goingabroad.”
The participating attractionsincluded the National Space Centre and Twycross Zoo and accommodation choices included LeicesterMarriott and Holiday InnLeicester.
Exploring the outdoorsgrows in popularityHOLIDAYMAKERS are exploring theoutdoors as part of their‘staycations’ in Britain, researchhas claimed.
Research by the OutdoorIndustries Association has revealedthe demand for outdoor recreationis growing and an increasingnumber of people are swappingtheir holiday abroad for a UK break– complete with outdoor activities.
In the survey, more than half ofrespondents (53 per cent) saidthey were more likely to spendmore time in the UK this year.
And asked whether they weremore likely to increase the numberof outdoor breaks in the UK, 52 percent said yes.
Popular outdoor activitiesincluded walking, hiking, cyclingand mountain biking.
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DESTINATIONNEWS
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THE Tourism Society has a newexecutive director – Mark Miller.
In his new role, Mark will beresponsible for developing a newstrategy and business plan over thenext three years, looking atpotential collaborations with othertourism bodies and increasingmembership both in the UK and inoverseas markets.
Mark has recently returned fromoverseas, where he has worked forthe last 12 years in South East Asiaand the Middle East.
He said: “I am delighted to beback in the UK and to be working forsuch a prestigious organisation andam looking forward to thechallenges and opportunities tofurther develop and enhance thesociety’s activities, reputation and,most importantly, benefits tomembers.”
THE British Leisure Show hasannounced a new partnership forits Explore Britain Zone, withpublic transport giants First Group.
The show will be held from Friday19th to Sunday March 21 2010,at the Royal Windsor Racecourseand details will soon be launchedabout First Great Western's Combi-Ticket which has been createdespecially for the show.
The ticket will allow people totravel to Windsor's stations bytrain and then take a dedicatedbus to the show, helping them toreduce their carbon footprint.
Show managing director JamesBrooke said: “We are delighted tobe working with First Group as aheadline partner for our ‘ExploreBritain’ zone.
“This is a terrific opportunity forus to reach potential visitors forthe show via more than 200 trainstations in the region and provideFirstGroup customers with anexciting range of benefits includingcombi-tickets. We have been
overwhelmed by support for theshow and are looking forward toworking with all our partners tomake the launch show a greatsuccess.”
This new event is a unique showthat gives visitors a fantasticopportunity to experience a widerange of leisure options. Thededicated Explore Britain Zonefeatures a showcase of the verybest that Britain has to offer. Fromhotels, holidays and camp sites,walking, climbing and cycling,attractions and theme parks tofossil hunting, historic craft,heritage and coastal conservationand even sustainable living.
James added: “This is a fantasticnew opportunity for companieswithin the travel and tourismindustry to meet new customerscost effectively, and benefit fromcross-selling opportunities at amodern and diverse event.
“We're responding to highconsumer demand for value at atime when people are looking foraffordable ways to spend theirleisure time in the UK.
“We're committed to promotingtravel and tourism within the showand demonstrating how easy andfun it is to Explore Britain.”
First Group will also be bringingone of their Greyhound buses tothe show for visitors to enjoy ataste of the best in coach travel.
Exciting new journey for leisure show‘This new event is aunique show that givesvisitors a fantasticopportunity toexperience a wide rangeof leisure options’
Mark Miller
New executivedirector isappointed
England is back infashion with the BritsATTITUDES towards domestic travelare changing – with Brits wanting tolearn and experience more of theirown country.
Research by VisitEnglanddiscovered that respondents admitto often knowing more about foreigndestinations than those in theirhome country and claim to have agenuine yearning to experience andlearn more about the regions ofEngland.
The research also shows a ‘lostgeneration’ of young people whoconfess to feeling almost embarr-assed at the lack of knowledge oftheir own country. While oldergroups cited unfavourable exchangerates as the trigger for sparkinginterest in rediscovering classic
England hotspots, as well asseeking out ‘off the beaten track’lesser known regions.
Chief executive of VisitEnglandJames Berresford said: “England isback in fashion as Brits arerediscovering the diversity andappeal of the English holiday. It’s atrend that we’ve seen developingover the course of the last fewyears and one which we intend tonurture with the help of the tourismindustry.
“We know that people are lookingfor experiences tailored to theirinterests, be it a spiritual retreat,an adventure holiday or a chicweekend break – they are nowrealising that England can deliver allthat and more.”
VisitEngland's Enjoy Every Minute;Enjoy England television campaignhas been on air since Septemberto encourage more short breaksand day trips.
And within a month, the campaignhad already reached 61 per cent ofthe adult population in England.
James added: “Clearly there arebusinesses out there still suffering,particularly those in the conferenceand events market so we arecertainly not out of the woods. Asan industry this is the time to pulltogether and ensure that when theeconomic circumstances andexchange rates change, we have arobust strategy in place to ensurethat England destinations continueto attract new and repeat visitors.”
The perfect break for cider drinkersCIDER fans can plan their perfect break thanks to a new guide launched by VisitSomerset.
The free guide can be downloadedand contains everything from ciderfarms to visit and places to stay inthe area.
New this year is the addition of acycle ride around the heart of
Somerset, which starts and ends in Langport, where visitors can hire bikes and takein villages, orchards and ciderfarms.
David McCubbin from theSomerset Tourism Partnership said:“There has always been a linkbetween Somerset and apples – infact 156 cider apple varieties are
specifically associated with thearea. Many of the orchards areattractions in their own right andthe aim of the guide is toencourage people to explore them– cycling around the countrysidethat produces the apples, tastingthe array of ciders on offer, andmeeting the people behind some ofthe top tipples.”
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By Tim Addison
LOOKING back at the headlines forUK tourism in 2009 they areunsurprisingly dominated by creditcrunch marketing and the nowubiquitous ‘staycation’.
However, I'm convinced there isan underlying development duringthe last 12 months that might endup being of more far-reachingsignificance.
In October, there was somepositive news from Enjoy Englandwhich revealed a 14 per centincrease in domestic trips duringthe first six months of the year,although chief executive, JamesBerresford was absolutely right tosound a note of caution inannouncing the news.
Research recorded a one percent fall in value together with thisinsight; “The research goes on tosuggest that a ‘lost generation’ ofyoung people confess to feelingalmost embarrassed at the lack ofknowledge of their own country.”
Coincidentally, at a TourismSociety event focused on ‘newmedia’, Andrew Pozniak, Google
marketing chief for the EMEAregion, surprised me by stating in2010 there will be moreGeneration Y consumers thanBaby Boomers (i.e. theirgrandparents) in the UK and thatover 90 per cent of this valuablemarket were registered to at leastone social media site (Facebook,Twitter, Travel, FlickR.orWikipedia.com – for a quickdefinition). Perhaps 2009 was theyear when digital marketingbecame essential for effective UKdestination promotion.
From my industry soundings,many businesses benefited fromEnjoy England's reported upliftand ended the year 10 per cent ormore up on 2008, whilst just asmany were down by similaramounts. Perhaps the differencelies in those that are now startingto understand the real culturalchanges in the market placecaused by social media. Thisimpacts destinations as much asindividual hotels, B&Bs, holidayparks and visitor attractions. Anyprofessional who works with abroad spectrum of the UK travel
trade can't fail to see thesedisparities in technical knowledgeand digital marketing confidence.
All indicators seem to pointtowards continued positive growthin domestic tourism next year andundoubtedly highlights such asLiverpool's success as ourEuropean Capital of Culture(Destination UK Oct 09) andmacro economic factors (currency,terrorism threats) have playedtheir part in this renaissanceopportunity for holidays at home.There's a real appetite in themarket that goes beyond savingcash to explore home as well asvisiting overseas and this seemsespecially true of younger people.
For a comprehensive overview ofthis year's ups and downs, as wellas a forecast for tourism in 2010,I'll be looking forward to theTourism Society's Prospects eventin January.
This provides an invaluableseries of balanced presentationsthat I hope will confirm thepromise of the first half of theyear. And, if you didn't get yourfair share of this mini boom, it
might also be a good idea toreview your digital marketing andsocial media plans.
Perhaps a short break bookingfrom one of Enjoy England's “lostgeneration” was just one Tweetaway? � Tim Addison is a member of theboard of directors at the TourismSociety
Tim Addison
The year digital marketing became essential?
Firm unveils£35m beachhuts planBy Christina EcclesA PILOT scheme to build 21 luxurybeach huts is to be rolled outacross the country at a cost of£35m.
The first development – which is being built by Beach Hut Resorts – will be in Whitley Bay,with the company also indiscussions to develop similar schemes up and down thecountry.
According to financial directorDarren Baker, the huts will providea different alternative for thoselooking for a ‘staycation’ break.
And as the accommodation is selfcatering, Darren believes it will alsoprovide a boost to local bars,restaurants and shops.
He said: “Over the past 20 years, cheaper, overseas package holidays have caused ahuge decline in demand for the domestic holiday and shortbreaks.
“We are aiming to re-brand the‘staycation’ holiday, to enhance allthat these exciting locations have tooffer.
“As all of our products will be selfcatering, the residents will be
encouraged to use local outlets to eat drink and beentertained.
“Beach Hut Resorts will workclosely with local businesses toensure their guests can enjoy thevery best shops, restaurants,entertainment and services thetown has to offer.
“This will promote spendmigration, encouraging positiveregeneration for coastal resorts andseaside towns.”
Each hut sleeps four to six peopleand facilities include separatebedroom, fitted kitchen, bathroom,sitting area and 24-hour conciergeservice.
Darren added: “It’s a tragedy thata large percentage of our generationare not aware of the fantasticcoastlines, culture and history wehave or the opportunity toexperience a relaxing vacation or anexhilarating break right here in theUK.
“We intend to create anopportunity for these locations to showcase themselves and toencourage families and visitors tore-visit again and again.”
Blackpool Zoo hosted a week of spine chilling fun to mark Halloween.Activities included pumpkin workshops – where visitors could carvepumpkins and fill them with treats for the animals to enjoy – spookyzoo trails and ghostly storytelling sessions.
Films bring city cash boomLIVERPOOL’S popularity as a filmingdestination is worth £14m to thelocal economy, according to newfigures.
Liverpool Film Office has revealedthat 106 film days were recorded inAugust – equalling the busiest evermonth in the city.
This puts Liverpool on course toeclipse the 700-day mark by the
end of the year, marking a 15 percent rise on 2008.
And the economic impact of these productions will be worth arecord £14m – £2m more than in2008.
Productions which have filmed inthe city include the next HarryPotter film, The Deathly Hallows andSherlock Holmes.
08 22/10/09 13:31 Page 1
Historic Royal Palaces really come into their own at Christmastime, as centuries of ceremony, merry-making and feasting are re-enacted and enjoyed by a whole new generation of people.
This Christmas is special as it takes place in the year of HenryVIII’s 500th anniversary of becoming king, so at Hampton CourtPalace you can be sure of being entertained by the best Tudor fes-tivities including games, dancing, music and feasting. Also, to addthat extra Christmas sparkle to your visit, you can enjoy a trulymemorable festive experience as you skate with the Tudor WestFront as a spectacular backdrop. See www.hamptoncourticerink.comfor details.
Henry’s Great Kitchens will also be a hive of activity as the TudorCooks prepare and present a Christmas feast fit for a King. To markthis special year, the Tudor Cookery will take place over a longerperiod than usual, from 27 December 2009 to the 3 January 2010.
Also special for Henry VIII’s anniversary year at Hampton Court isthe unique Tapestry Re-colouration display which offers visitors the
world’s first opportu-nity to see one ofHenry VIII’s tapestriesre-lit with its originalstunning vibrantcolours, from shininggold to bright blues.This display ends onthe 3 January 2010 somake sure you grabthe chance to see it.
As well as all this,the fabulously re-pre-sented Tudor Palacewill continue to wowvisitors and Henry VIIIwill be married everyday. Be part of Henry’scelebrations as hegets married to hissixth wife KaterynParr.
To get ready fortheir wedding, thepalace will be deco-rated with lavishlydressed roomsthroughout the Tudor route, including feasting in the Great Halland debates in the newly-opened Council Chamber. Whether see-ing the palace front decked out in splendour, passing warders intheir new Tudor inspired uniform, or taking part in a personalisedtour, you can revel in this moment of history that happened atHampton Court Palace in 1543.
To arrange your bespoke groups package and to take advantageof the many offers available, contact the Travel Trade Sales Officeon +44 (0) 20 3166 6311 or e-mail [email protected] visit the website at www.hrp.org.uk.
Hampton Court 19/8/09 10:29 Page 1
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TOURISM is Guernsey’s fifthlargest source of income andbrings 185,000 staying visitorsand 65,000 cruise passengers tothe island every year.
This year it has been making the most of its particular appealto UK holiday makers who want to get away from it allwithout the high costs of aEuropean break.
Chris Elliott, director ofmarketing and tourism forVisitGuernsey, said: “The islandhas great weather and is visiblydifferent from the UK thanks to itsdistinct French accent.
“But it is still less than an hour
from most of the big airports – soit is popular with people who wanta change, but don’t want to go farto get it.
“We are not part of the UK orthe EEC but we use sterlingcurrency, so when the exchangerate is putting people off travellingto Europe we have an advantage.
“We ran a very successfulmarketing campaign based on the£1 for £1 rate for visitors toGuernsey at just the right timeand although most resorts haveseen a drop in business thisseason, our occupancy has been up one per cent so far thisyear.
“The advertising push also ledto brochure demand going up by90 per cent and website hitsgoing up 40 per cent.”
The marketing also aims tomake the most of the island’sother attributes, including thescenery, friendly atmosphere andthat fact that, as the area is acomplete and busy communityrather than simply a purpose builtresort, there is always a widevariety of things to do.
Many tourists are also attractedto Guernsey’s food culture,demonstrated by the island’s 200restaurants, and its history,stretching back to before theNorman conquests.
This means that the traditionalJuly and August peak season hasbeen expanding in both directionsfor many years.
This is helped by the fact that
the average Guernsey tourists arecouples aged 50 plus, who areable to travel in the shoulderseasons – helping localbusinesses spread out the busytimes.
However, Chris pointed out thatthe island also faces somegeographic challenges.
He added: “Because we are anisland people need to fly here ortravel over in a boat, which meansthat there will always be costsinvolved.
“We also only have a smallairport which cannotaccommodate some of thebiggest planes – so it makes airtravel comparatively expensivecompared to some ‘low-cost’destinations.
“It will never be cheap, but wedo believe that we provide valuefor money.”
GUERNSEY is the second largest ofthe Channel Islands and is situated75 miles south of mainland Britainand 27 miles from the north coastof France.
Guernsey issues its own banknotes while using the sterling
currency.The island covers 24 square miles
and is home to approximately60,000 residents.
Direct flights operate fromGatwick and Stansted, plus eight UK regional airports and
regular car ferry services toGuernsey run from the south coastof England and from north-westFrance.
The island has 27 bays and 28miles of cliff top walks and offersfishing, windsurfing, snorkelling
and surfing. There are over 50 hotels
on the island with two, three, four star and boutique properties,guest houses, self-catering cottages and holidayapartments.
A well-timedmarketingcampaign hashelped Guernseybeat the recessionand increasevisitor numbers -–Destination UKfound out more
Channel island with over250,000 visitors a year
What Guernsey has to offer ...
Chris Elliott
Top: View of Cobo Bay Above: Le Petit Port
10 22/10/09 13:32 Page 1
Sound effectsfor RadioDrama
The Dr Who Tardis at Television Centre
Photoopportunity
with thePrank Patrol
vehicle
People have been welcomed behind the scenesat BBC Television Centre in London for over tenyears. The award winning Tours of bothTelevision Centre and Broadcasting House are agreat way for visitors to learn about the diverseroles within the organisation and have a handson interactive experience along the way too.There is even a CBBC Interactive Tour forchildren aged 7 -12 years also based atTelevision Centre where they can have fun inour very own Raven challenge or in the ‘DiddyDick and Dom’ theatre.
This year BBC has now opened the doors tothe public in Birmingham, Manchester andNorwich. Visitors can explore the intriguingworld of BBC Birmingham or BBC Manchesterand even take part in special recordings of aradio drama, complete with sound effects andmusic. At BBC Norwich visitors will be able tofind out how it feels to be part of a news
broadcast or even present the weather!All over the country BBC News is watched on
screen by thousands and now there is thisexciting opportunity to discover how the largestnews gathering operation works.
BBC Tour guides will give an insight into themany programmes originating from these citiesand the level of work it takes to get them fromscript to screen. During the tours there is alwaysthe chance of bumping into a favourite presenter,actor or radio DJ or hearing some trade secrets!
Please note, all BBC Tours take place in workingbuildings so we cannot guarantee what or whoyou will see on the day of your visit.
Look out for more BBC Tours opening on ourwebsite www.bbc.co.uk/tours or by calling thebooking line: 0370 901 1227*
All tours must be booked in advance and agerestrictions apply.
*UK- wide rate charged at no more than 01/02geographic numbers. Callsmay be recorded for training.
DESTINATIONLONDON
12
Cities agree tourism strategyA TWO-YEAR tourism strategy hasbeen agreed between London andNew York, which is designed toboost travel between the twocities.
The cities will provide each otherwith outdoor media advertisingspace and NYC and Company andVisit London – their respectivetourism arms – will share bestpractices as a way to maximisetravel between the twodestinations.
The two agencies will also assisteach other with at least one
publicity event in each city andadvertising will be displayed inprominent places such as theLondon Underground.
Visit London has also launchedits £1m ‘Only in London’marketing campaign in America,which celebrates the sights,sounds and experiences that areunique to the British capital’shistory, heritage and culture.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson– who launched the agreementwith New York Mayor Michael R.Bloomberg – said: “London and
New York City share manysimilarities, including a strongsense of optimism anddetermination, along with a greatappreciation for diversity andinnovation.
“Our common cultural ties, notleast absolute dedication toproviding world-class services andexperiences for both residentsand visitors, make the two citiesexceptionally well poised tocombine knowledge as well asresources to impact theeconomies and future of the
cities.”Visit London CEO Sally
Chatterjee added: “As well asbeing large sources of overseastravel for each market, New YorkCity and London are also bigsupporters of each other. We lookforward to working with NYC andCompany and see both ourorganizations continuing to strivefor best practice in our role asworld-leading destinations. This isan exciting first step in what weexpect to be a very fruitfulpartnership.”
A London food festival allowed diners toexperience the best of the capital’s cuisineon board one of its biggest attractions.As part of the London Restaurant Festival,the London Eye was transformed into arevolving ‘pop up’ restaurant, where eachnight over the course of the six-day festival,a different chef cooked for 10 lucky dinerswho ate in a capsule converted into adining room. Chefs taking part includedGordon Ramsay (pictured).
Tourists can make friendsbefore arriving in capitalTOURISTS visiting London will beable to enjoy their own personaltour guides thanks to a new websitewhich allows travellers to makefriends with Londoners before theyarrive.
Friday Night Sucks lets usersmake friends to accompany them onnights out in London – often atextremely short notice – and hasproved a hit with people across theUK planning visits to London andwith those overseas who are comingto the capital and want to meet realLondoners.
The site was the brainchild of VickiJenkins who created it as a way ofmatching like minded individualswho were struggling to makeconnections in the capital.
Members simply register, write ashort biography about theirinterests and the type of person
they would like to socialise with andthen arrange to meet for nights out.
Vicki said: “It seems foreignvisitors are a bit sick of doing thesame boring tourist activities whenthey visit London.
“I wanted to help lonely peoplemeet people and make friends.
“I am delighted that thanks to mysite visitors to London are able tosettle in a lot quicker, somethingwhich can be difficult, especiallywhen travelling alone.
“It’s great because not only do the visitors to London get tomeet people who know the city like the back of their hand but ourUK members get to meet peoplefrom all over the world and learn a little about their culture, making the whole experience greatfun.”
LONDON landmark Trafalgar Square has beenvoted the top attraction for international touristsvisiting the UK.
In a survey by First Rate Exchange Services, itbeat off competition from rivals including TowerBridge, Buckingham Palace and Oxford Street toland the top spot.
The top 10 attractions were: 1.Trafalgar Square (pictured above)2.Tower Bridge3. London Museums
4. Buckingham Palace5. Oxford Street 6. London Eye7. Windsor Castle8. Edinburgh Castle9. Stonehenge10. Globe Theatre, London
The poll questioned visitors to the UK from theUSA, Ireland, Spain, France and Germany onwhich attraction they most wanted to visit duringtheir time in the country.
Square wins attraction battle
A new hotel set to open in thecapital early next year is leadingthe way in sustainability with anumber of new ideas.The Park Plaza WestminsterBridge is trialling energy andwater saving initiatives includinginstalling a BioMass Boiler that uses woodpellets to generate heat, then
used to provide guest roomheating and heat water. An estimated 25,000 energy-saving LED light bulbs will alsobe used in the hotel to light tensof thousands of metres of space.By using these energy savingbulbs, the hotel will reducecarbon dioxide emissions by anestimated 606 tonnes per year.
12 22/10/09 13:33 Page 1
At the Tower of London, medieval merry-making will reign with ourMedieval Christmas event, so join Edward I and his Court as theyenjoy festive music and dancing in the Palace and Upper WakefieldTower. Also, the colourful ceremony of the Christmas State Paradewill take place on 20 December and will be one of the first ceremo-nial duties of the Tower of London’s new Constable, General SirRichard Dannatt, who took up his post on 1 August 2009. And ofcourse, the Tower ice rink will return again this year as it becomesthe place to skate in 2009. See more atwww.toweroflondonicerink.com.
This year you can get ahead of the crowd and book your group towitness the opening ceremony of this famous fortress. Arrive at 8.45Tuesday-Saturday, as pre-booked groups can watch the militaryguard open the Tower of London for the day and be the first to seethe many attractions that lie within.
Enter the iconic White Tower through the Royal Gallery, where theroyal armours of Henry VIII, Edward VI and the Stuart Kings are ondisplay. The royal swords from the Hanoverian to House of Windsorperiod are also on show here.
The first floor will display special items from the Royal Armouriescollection, highlighting the craftsmanship and reflecting how the
Ordnance collections have been displayed around the Tower overthe centuries. We will also feature Tower ‘personalities’ and theirpossessions.
The top floor will look at the prisoners of the Tower and highlightmaterials like the chair that the Second World War German sergeantJosef Jakobs was sat on when he was shot in the last execution totake place at the Tower in 1941.
You can also make an historic assault on the Tower of London andtake part in the Fortress experience throughout the Tower and in themoat. Groups can now immerse themselves in an often overlookedaspect of this historic attraction by exploring the story of the Toweras a fortress. You can attempt to fire one of the full size workingsiege weapons in the moat, whilst being watched over from the bat-tlements by a metalwork garrison of six full sized steel soldiers thatare stationed at key defensive locations around the Tower.
To arrange your bespoke groups package and to take advantage ofthe many packages on offer, contact the Travel Trade Sales Office on+44 (0) 20 3166 6311 or e-mail [email protected] orvisit the website at www.hrp.org.uk.
Tower of London 19/8/09 10:30 Page 1
DESTINATIONNEWS
14
New offer toencouragelongerbreaksSCOTLAND’S largest hostellingassociation has launched arecession-busting offer to encouragethose on a budget to enjoy longerbreaks.
SYHA Hostelling Scotlandintroduced a third night free offer aspart of a marketing drive to appealto wider audiences and cash in onthe boom in staycations.
The drive has also included a newmarketing team, improved websiteand an STV commercial which sawonline bookings soar by almost 60per cent the week after it first aired.
Head of sales and marketingLouise Nowell said: “Winter is anexciting season in Scotland, withincredible winter sports action atAviemore, stunning walking at BenNevis and fantastic Christmasshopping and nightlife in Glasgowand Edinburgh – to name but a few.
“With the option of private rooms,en-suites and cooked breakfasts atmany hostels, hostelling is suited toeveryone from couples to groups offriends to families.”
The three nights for the price oftwo packages run until the end ofFebruary, excluding New Year.
A SOMERSET hotel owner took on a new challenge when he agreed to organise a star-studded concert to raise money forcharity.
Kevin Newton – who owns theSwan Hotel in Wells – decided toorganise The Big Gig to raise fundsfor a local performing arts school
after being inspired by listening tothe Boyzone hit ‘When the GoingGets Tough.’
He revealed to Destination UK thathe thought there was enough doomand gloom about and that a concertwas just the thing to put a smileback on the faces of local people.
Kevin managed to secure Boyzone
as one of the headline acts, alongwith James Morrison and opera starKatherine Jenkins.
Katherine was also given the WellsCathedral suite in the hotel for herstay and was treated to five starluxury including rose petals in thegold bath, chocolates andchampagne.
Katherine Jenkins The Swan Hotel in Wells’ Cathedral Suite
How Kevin drew the stars
Travelodge turns to Twitter ...TRAVELODGE has become thefirst British budget hotel brand tocommunicate with its customersthrough Twitter.
The company will use Twitter tointeract with consumers and toinform them of new offers, hotelopenings and job opportunities.
E-Commerce director CharlieHerbert said: “Over 85 per centof Travelodge reservations areconducted via the web and withsuch a strong online following, itmakes sense to interact with ourcustomers via Twitter.
“This will enable us to instantly
tell our followers of latest offers, inform them on newTravelodge openings and keep them updated on generalcompany news.
“Its an instant, efficient andmodern way of interacting withour customers."
14 22/10/09 13:34 Page 1
15 Les mis 22/10/09 13:37 Page 1
DESTINATIONCENTRESTAGE
16
NOW approaching its 25th year inLondon, Les Misérables is theworld's longest-running musical,surpassing the record created byCats in the West End.
This international award-winningmusical sweeps its audiencethrough an epic tale of passion anddestruction, against the backdropof a nation in the grip of revolution.
Seen by over 56 million peopleworldwide in 42 countries and in21 languages, Les Misérables isundisputedly one of the world’smost popular musicals ever written,with new productions continuallyopening around the globe.
There have been 34 castrecordings of Les Misérables,including the multi-platinum Londoncast recording and the GrammyAward-winning Broadway cast andcomplete symphonic albums.
The video of the 10th AnniversaryRoyal Albert Hall Gala Concert hassold nearly two million copiesworldwide, making it one of thebest-selling musical videos ever inthe UK.
By the end of July 2009 therewere over 2,400 productions of theLes Misérables Schools Editionscheduled or being performed byover 122,000 school children inthe US, UK and Australia, making itthe most successful school editionof a musical ever.
The magnificent score of Les
Misérables includes the songs, IDreamed a Dream’, On My Own,Stars, Bring Him Home, Do YouHear the People Sing?, One DayMore, Empty Chairs at EmptyTables, Master Of The House andmany more.
Les Misérables originally openedin London at the Barbican Theatreon October 8 1985, transferred tothe Palace Theatre on December 41985 and moved to its currenthome at the Queen’s Theatre onApril 3 2004 where it continues toplay to packed houses.
Cameron Mackintosh’s productionof Les Misérables is written byAlain Boublil and Claude-MichelSchönberg and is based on thenovel by Victor Hugo. It has musicby Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyricsby Herbert Kretzmer and originalFrench text by Alain Boublil andJean-Marc Natel and additionalmaterial by James Fenton.
The original London production ofLes Misérables was adapted anddirected by Trevor Nunn and JohnCaird.
Les Misérables is at the Queen’sTheatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, W1.Monday – Saturday eveningperformances at 7.30pm.Wednesday and Saturday matineesat 2.30pm.
Now booking until February 2011.
Still going strong ... 25 years on
FANS of Mamma Mia! will be able toget greater access to tickets afterEncore TIckets snapped up£800,000 worth of weekend stock.
Combined with existing seats, thismove offers trade buyers access toover 60,000 tickets for the showuntil March 2011.
Encore managing director John
Wales said: “Mamma Mia! hasalways been a huge success for ourtravel trade clients. As we comeinto our 10th year we feel it isimportant that we secure a majoradditional allocation of tickets forour trade clients offering themguaranteed allocations for weekendperformances.”
Mamma Mia! stars Sally Ann Triplett, Melissa Jacques and KatySecombe receiving a cheque for over £800,000 worth of weekendtickets from Encore Tickets managing director John Wales.
Mamma Mia! How many tickets?THE search for stars to play Dorothyand Toto in a West End productionof The Wizard of Oz will be followedin a new BBC show.
Following the success of How DoYou Solve A Problem Like Maria?,I'd Do Anything and Any Dream WillDo, the BBC has commissioned the
show. It will reunite judge AndrewLloyd Webber with host GrahamNorton, pictured above, and a panelof judges who will choose a star toperform in the West End.
The search for Dorothy will beginwith auditions in several UK cities inearly 2010.
TV search for Toto
Ticketing agent Applausesecured early birddiscounted rates forgroups wanting to seenew West End musicalLegally Blonde.The show opens at theSavoy Theatre onDecember 5 and willfeature a cast includingSheridan Smith, Duncan
James, Gill Halfpenny andPeter Davison.Groups could benefit fromrates starting from£29.50 per person.Pictured are Ian Dulsonand Adam Stott Everettfrom Applause withSheridan Smith who plays Elle Woods in theshow.
16 22/10/09 13:41 Page 1
DESTINATIONCENTRESTAGE
17
Bumper timesahead for theWest End?By Christina Eccles
2010 could be a bumper year forWest End theatre thanks to animproving economy and the launchof new sell-out shows.
Industry expert Nick Blackburnhas claimed that the launch of bigname productions like LegallyBlonde in December and Love NeverDies in March will attract morevisitors then ever.
The SEE Tickets chairman said:“There haven’t really been any bigopenings in the West End this year– probably the two biggest havebeen Sister Act and Priscilla.
“But going into 2010 we have acouple of huge, hyped shows thatare going to be very popular.
“People are very excited about thenew Andrew Lloyd Webber musical,which is based on what happens tothe characters from Phantom of theOpera – I have heard some of themusic and believe it will be a hugeshow.”
Nick pointed out that whileattendances have been generallygood throughout 2009, there hasbeen some discounting of tickets,especially for the smaller shows,which has driven the average ticketprice down more than usual.
He added: “I think that ticketprices will continue to reflect thestate of the economy, and as thingsimprove in that area there will befewer reductions in price.
“However, if a show is reallypopular then there will never be theneed to discount – two examplesthis year have been Mamma Miaand Billy Elliot, where there hasbeen so much demand that theshows are constantly selling out.”
Nick believes that the theatrescan also predict what the biggestshows will be, so that even if fullprice is charged for all the seatsthen they will get snapped up –because the performance is worthit. For example, tickets for LoveNever Dies have already gone onsale and it took over £5m in thebox office in just a week.
He added: “I think even whenpeople are short of money theydon’t want life to stop completely –they still want to go out and haveexperiences, and ticket pricesaren’t a huge expense in the greatscheme of things. The biggest thingthat draws people to the theatre isthe quality of the shows, so as longas that stays high then theaudiences will be there.”
Anna Friel in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
NEW West End shows such asBreakfast at Tiffany’s and theforthcoming Legally Blonde aredriving demand for Superbreak’sLondon packages.
Sales of London breaks throughagents are up by 39 per centcompared with the same period lastyear (May-September).
And although average bookingvalues are down slightly, they arestill over £350 per booking.
Sales director Ian Mounser said:“The market for London hotel
breaks from UK residents ismassive, certainly as big as the topfive European cities put together.Any agent who’s not permanentlypushing London breaks to theircustomer base right now is missinga big trick. With elements such asrail travel, theatres, concerts,attractions and tours all bookableand fully commissionable to agents,in addition to the hotel, theopportunities to dynamicallypackage a London break areendless.”
Capital demand soars
MATTHEW Bourne’s Swan Lake is toreturn to London’s Sadler’s Wellsthis Christmas.
The show returns to the theatrefrom December 10 – January 24,followed by a national UK touropening in Woking. Casting for the
2009 revival includes a mix ofestablished performers andnewcomers.
Richard Winsor and JonathanOllivier will both be making theirdebuts in the coveted role of TheSwan.
Swan Lake in Christmas return
KEIRA Knightley, Damian Lewisand Tara Fitzgerald will appearin a new version of Molière'scomedy, The Misanthrope,directed by Thea Sharrock.
Transported from 17th centuryParis to modern-day London,Alceste (Damian Lewis) is afamous British playwrightdisillusioned and angry with thehypocrisy, shallowness andvanity of the contemporaryworld. Vowing to reject society,Alceste’s plans are derailedwhen he falls madly in love withJennifer (Keira Knightley). Anambitious American film starand darling of the social scene,she may prove to be his biggestchallenge yet.
The play opens at the ComedyTheatre on December 17.Keira Knightley
Star-studdedcomedy cast
SUPERBREAK has put packages on salefor eagerly-awaited new musical, LoveNever Dies.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new showcontinues the stories of the principalcharacters of The Phantom of the Opera,The Phantom, Christine Daae and Raoulten years after The Phantom’s mysteriousdisappearance from the Paris OperaHouse.
The show will have its World Premiere atLondon’s Adelphi Theatre on March 92010 and its first booking period runs toOctober 23 2010.
Sales director Ian Mounser said: “This isLondon’s greatest love story continuedand is set to be one of the biggest shows
to hit the West End in a long time.
“It is the sequel to The Phantom of theOpera, which is still one of the mostsought after show 21 years after itlaunched – so we expect this to followsuit.
“It will undoubtedly also stimulateadditional bookings for Phantom. Many willeither want to see it again before seeingLove Never Dies or, for those who haven’tseen Phantom, they will feel they need tosee it first before the sequel.
“Agents have sold over £12m worth ofpackages for Phantom through Superbreakover the years and I expect them togenerate at least £2m for Love Never Diesin its first year.’’
Phantom sequel promises to beone of the big shows of 2010
17 22/10/09 13:42 Page 1
WTM PREVIEW
18
MAYOR of London Boris Johnson will openthis year’s World Travel Market, takingplace at ExCel.
The show is celebrating its 30th eventthis year and the mayor will welcomenearly 50,000 UK and overseas visitorsthrough the doors.
Chairman of World Travel Market FionaJeffery said: “Boris Johnson has becomethe face of London. He became known tomillions on television when he invited theworld in Beijing to come to London for the2012 Olympics.
“In the build-up to the next Olympics, theinternational travel industry is playing animportant role in helping people fromacross the world to visit the UK for theworld’s greatest sporting event
“It‘s particularly appropriate that Boriswill help the industry to celebrate 30years of World Travel Market, which hasnot only helped bring industryprofessionals together to conductbusiness across the world, but has alsoserved as a spotlight on the latest trendsand developments.”
� World Travel Market is this year celebratingits 30th event.� The show has been hosted in three Londonvenues, Olympia, Earl’s Court and ExCeL –London. � WTM has been opened by six royals, fourBritish Government Ministers, seven industryfigures, four explorers, an opera singer, twoLondon Mayors and a Miss World.� Over the last 29 years WTM has heldalmost 11,000 conference sessions. � During the last seven years of WTM more
than 180,000 glasses of champagne havebeen toasted in celebration, 9,030 bottles ofhouse wine and 875,000 cups of coffee havebeen drunk.� The exhibition has played host to almosthalf a million exhibitors over the past 29years, with 198 countries and regionsrepresented. � Last year WTM smashed its participantrecord with almost 50,000 exhibitors, visitors and international media attending the event.
ENCORE Tickets’ annual WTM party will featurethe cast of West End hit Priscilla Queen of theDesert – who will take partygoers through asession of the show’s classic disco hits.
Almost a year after it first went on sale,Priscilla has become a favourite in many marketsand has been one of the products included in the1.5m tickets Encore has sold in the last 12months.
Managing director John Wales said: “We’redelighted to have the cast of Priscilla join us tocelebrate another successful year at this year’sparty.
“Our aim for 2010 is to break the two million tickets barrier and I know we are going todo that with the help of our partners in the tradeand more great shows like Priscilla opening forsale.”
Priscilla cast taking partyguests through the moves
World Travel Market Facts:
Boris toopen event
Mayor of London Boris Johnson
THE best of the East Midlandstourism industry are celebratingafter winning awards at the EastMidlands Tourism Enjoy EnglandExcellence Awards.
Open to tourism businesses fromacross the region, a total of 16awards were presented at theAthena in Leicester to thosebusinesses that have excelled inproviding a first class experience forvisitors.
BBC One Show host Des Colemanwas on hand to oversee the night’sfestivities and to present all of thegold, silver and bronze awardwinners with their accolades.
The winners included: � Bed and Breakfast/ GuestAccommodation – UnderleighHouse, Hope, Derbyshire� Caravan Holiday Park and HolidayVillage – Callow Top Holiday Park,Buxton, Derbyshire
� Large Visitor Attraction – TheNational Space Centre, Leicester,Leicestershire� Small Visitor Attraction –Bosworth Battlefield HeritageCentre, Sutton Cheney,Leicestershire� Tourism Experience – Go Ape,Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire� Tourism Information Service –Nottingham Tourism Centre,Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Tourism director at East MidlandsDevelopment Agency Ruth Hydesaid: “I would like to congratulateall of the 2009 tourism awardwinners. We had a record numberof businesses entering this yearand the competition was extremelyhigh so it’s a great achievement tohave reached this stage of thecompetition.
“In the current climate it is moreimportant than ever to give
customers good quality and goodvalue, and these awards are aboutrecognising those tourismbusinesses in the East Midlandsthat are prepared to go that little bitfurther, and really work to create afirst class experience.”
Many of the regional gold awardwinners will now go forward to thenational final next April, where theywill compete against other regionalwinners from across England for thechance to be crowned England’sbest.
East Midlands businesses celebrate success
18 26/10/09 10:34 Page 1
VisitScotland gets itright with Winter WhiteVISITSCOTLAND will have a signifi-cant presence at the 30th WorldTravel Market as part of its ongoingwork to sell the country to potentialbuyers from around the world.
Attending events such as WTM –particularly in the current economicclimate – is important in terms ofpositioning Scotland as a qualitydestination with world-class creden-tials and enabling it to compete onthe global market.
Over the last year or so, Visit-Scotland has refocused its market-ing efforts in response to the inter-national economic situation, inc-reasingly targeting emerging mar-kets such as Russia and India, anda presence at WTM is a crucial partof this. Tourism remains one of themost important sectors in Scotlandand every year contributes over £4
billion to the country’s economy,providing more than 200,000 peo-ple with jobs. In the Highlands,around 13 per cent of the workingpopulation is employed in tourismor tourism-related business.Tourism growth is therefore criticalto the future of Scotland.
This year, Scotland’s nationaltourism organisation, which hasbeen at every WTM since its incep-tion in 1979, is attending the showwith 15 Scottish partners, includinghoteliers, visitor attractions, in-bound operators and destinationpromotions, all brought together ona high-profile bespoke exhibitionstand.
Highlighting VisitScotland’s hugely-successful Winter White campaign,an award-winning UK marketing andPR campaign focusing on winter
activity in Scotland, which last yeargenerated an additional £63.5m forthe Scottish economy, the Scotlandstand this year will be themed withwinter white brand messages.
This theme will be further developed at the Scottish networking evening, hosted byVisitScotland and partners, whichwill build on the success of theinaugural networking event held atlast year’s show. This year’s eventwill be at the Waterfront Café inExCeL after the show closes onMonday 9th November and promis-es to be even bigger and betterthan last year. Kicking off with apiper welcoming guests, the eveningwill encompass Scottish food, drinkand live entertainment from risingScottish traditional music star,Emily Smith. Emily Smith
THE chief executive of VisitScot-land Philip Riddle is looking for-ward to WTM, insisting it is a gold-en opportunity to showcase what ithas to offer.
He said: “We are delighted to usethis opportunity to promote Scot-land’s tourism product as well assome of our major campaigns,including Winter White, and cele-brations that are coming up nextyear such as Perth 800, an excit-
ing and ambitious programme ofevents in the Perth and Kinrossarea.
“There are so many things to seeand do in Scotland at any time ofthe year and our stand partnersare fantastic examples of whatScotland has to offer visitors fromaround the world.
“In the current climate it is cru-cial that we work together to gettourism growth back on track and
we are very proud to be exhibitingwith all our partners.
“We will also be encouragingtourism professionals and busi-nesses to come to VisitScotland’sExpo – our flagship business tobusiness event, to be held at theSECC in Glasgow on April 14th and15th 2010.
“Buyers at WTM will be able toregister for Expo online at theScotland stand.”
A golden opportunity to showcase Scotland
Philip Riddle
in conjunction with
19 26/10/09 10:29 Page 1
20
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau welcomescity’s newest five-star hotelGLASGOW City Marketing Bureauhas welcomed the recent openingof the £26m Blythswood Square,Glasgow’s newest luxury five-starhotel.
The 100-bedroom hotel, whichalso includes seven suites, hasbeen developed by the TownHouse Company and is situated inone of Glasgow's most famoushistorical landmarks.
Previously home to the RoyalScottish Automobile Club (RSAC),the building dates from 1823 andcontains some of the finestGeorgian features in the cityincluding extensive wood panell-ing; feature staircases and marble
flooring as well as numerous ArtDeco fittings and fixtures.
Blythswood Square also boastsone of Glasgow’s few penthousesuites located on an exclusivefloor and complete with private lift,hot tub and spectacular viewsacross the city.
The hotel is home to a 10,000square foot Urban Day Spa, thefirst of its kind in Glasgow’s citycentre. There are ten treatmentrooms specialising in the use oforganic products, many of whichinclude ingredients sourced inScotland.
Energy sustainability has beenboth a key focus and challenge for
Blythswood Square in order tointegrate environmental goalswithout compromising any of thehotel needs and objectives whilststill retaining the classicalelegance of such a beautifulbuilding.
Blythswood Square will be thefirst time that the Town Housecollection has ventured outsideEdinburgh.
GCMB is the official destinationmarketing organisation forGlasgow, engaged in national andinternational activity comprisingthe development and implementation of the citybranding campaign: Glasgow:
SCOTLAND’S newest incomingtour operator, Abbey ToursScotland, will attend World TravelMarket for the first time this year.Set up in 2008, Abbey ToursScotland is owned and operatedby a team of experienced travelprofessionals, and enjoys the fullsupport and backing of AbbeyTours, Ireland's largest inboundtour operator.
Services include leisure grouptravel, FIT and online services,and conference and corporatetravel. Abbey Tours has multi-lingual staff that enables aworldwide client base to dobusiness with the company in thelanguage of their choice, includ-ing German, French, Italian,Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish,Dutch and Polish, and of courseEnglish. Representing AbbeyTours Scotland at World TravelMarket will be Julie Morris, man-aging director, and Teresa Gam-bino, business developmentmanager. Meet with Abbey ToursScotland on the VisitScotlandstand – UKI 1900.
WITH over 30 hotels throughoutScotland and over 50 hotels inthe UK, Oxford Hotels and Innsoffer 2, 3 and 4 star properties including castles,country houses and hotels inhoney-pot leisure destinationsbe it for touring, golfing or justrelaxation for both individuals
SIMPLY The Best offers a superbselection of visitor centres inpicturesque locations throughout theUK. Each site has first classshopping facilities with the finestwoollens, gifts and souvenirs – all atexceptional value for money prices.
With 32 locations across the UK,The Edinburgh Woollen Mill hasinvested millions of pounds over thelast five years upgrading its facilitiesto match the expectations of today’svisitors, and in particular coachdrivers and their passengers. Freeparking, good driver facilities andincentives and an improved look andlayout of the stores offer the bestpossible shopping experience forpassengers.
Several of the stores have been re-vamped to offer a shop within a shopexperience with devoted concessionareas featuring leading designerbrands, and Costa Coffee has beenintroduced to the entire network. Keyelements that set the Simply theBest store network apart from otherpotential stopping places are the factthat many of the sites are located inhistoric buildings or have an addedvisitor attraction element, such aswildlife parks or craft demonstrations
and exhibitions. The retail mix withinthe stores has been expertlydeveloped, building on EdinburghWoollen Mill’s many years ofexperience to offer a range of gifts,quality fashions (including luxurycashmere and woollen goods) localproduct and traditional Scottish iconssuch as shortbread, tartan andwhisky. The 'Spirit of Scotland' – agroup of large whisky shops – can befound in a number of Simply The Beststores. A unique concept, the 'Spiritof Scotland' Whisky Shops arededicated to the art of true maltwhisky, from the smoothest singlemalts to quality blends, and stockover 150 brands, some of which arenot available outside Scotland.
Everyone from the whisky novice tothe connoisseur will be impressedwith the product range and unrivalledprices – and popular free whiskytastings give everyone to chance toexperience Scotland's ‘Water of Life’.Staff are specially trained by expertsat local distilleries to ensure that thebest advice on brands can be given.
Simply the Best – TheEdinburgh Woollen Mill
A PAIR of Asian Short-clawed ottersarrived at one of Simply the Best’stop outlets, The Scottish DeerCentre in Cupar, Fife, earlier thisyear.
The otters live in one of thelargest, specially-designedenclosures in Scotland, created toreplicate the animals’ naturalhabitat and equipped with heatedaccommodation, a waterfall,stream, log piles and bridges. Thereis a large pool for foraging and asmaller one for teaching youngstersto swim. The animals join animpressive list of wildlife at TheScottish Deer Centre includingEuropean wolves, native red foxes,red squirrels, rare breed sheep,capercaille, birds of prey and tenspecies of deer from around theworld, including reindeer. TheScottish Deer Centre is open sevendays a week from 10am until 5pm. The Edinburgh Woollen Mills Ltd,Waverley Mills, Langholm DG13
STRATHMOREHotels is anestablishedgroup of 8 hotels of individualcharacter. Our hotels are situated inScotland: Perth, Speyside, Oban,Glasgow, Fort William and NorthEngland: Harrogate and Cumbria.Our sister company, StrathmoreTravel, provides coach inclusiveholiday packages for groups andindividuals to all of our hotels
Strathmore Hotels Ltd, 116Strathmore House, East Kilbride
Visitor numbers upfor Historic ScotlandEARLY figures indicate that visitornumbers are up at many HistoricScotland attractions.
The figures suggest that HistoricScotland has had a higher numberof visitors than last year despite thecurrent economic situation, with thedomestic and European markets inparticular showing growth.
As the country’s largest operatorof paid-for visitor attractions, Hist-oric Scotland looks after many of itsmost famous sites including Edin-burgh, Stirling and Urquhart castles.
Donna Laidlaw, travel trade salesmanager, said: “Despite therecession we have enjoyed a goodyear with visitor numbers up atmany of our 78 staffed properties,and it’s the travel trade we have tothank for that. We have all workedtogether to build on theopportunities presented by theScottish Government’s Year ofHomecoming initiative and theweakness of the pound to try to pull
in as many visitors as possible.“The results have been very good
with preliminary figures indicatingthat we have reached our targetsfor Homecoming Pass sales. Our jobnow is to build on this success andcontinue to offer a top-qualityexperience for visitors next seasonand in 2011.”
Historic Scotland’s Explorer pass-es, which offer great savings forindividuals and groups, are excell-ent value. The 10-day Explorer passis now exclusively available to thetravel trade.
To find out more visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/places/traveltrade/explorer.htm. Suggested toursare also included on the website.
Aimed at thepremier end of thetravel trademarket, Jewelsof Scotlandprovidestailor-madeitinerariesfordiscerningtravellersseeking authenticexperiences inScotland. This issuited for individualtravellers, small groups,golfing parties and thecorporate market.
The activities andsightseeing options on offer areas varied as the landscape itself:
seaplane orluxury yachttrips to theislands, fly-fishing ordeerstalking,quad bikingor riverbugging,
playing world famous golfcourses, sampling fine cuisine
or blending whisky in one ofScotland’s many distilleries.
Accommodation optionsrange from prestigious
five starestablishments to
charming boutiquehotels, traditional
country housesto castles.
Jewels ofScotland staff
are dedicateddestination
experts, adept athelping plan and
arrange original andcreative programmes.
The team is fluent in mostEuropean languages with
specialists in both Russianand Japanese.JAC Travel Scotland is
Scotland's premier incoming touroperator offering city breaks forgroups and FIT, coach and cartouring programmes, scheduledtours and online hotel bookings.
JAC Travel Scotland launchesJewels of Scotland service
NorthLink Ferries launches 2010Group Tour Guides at WTMNORTHLINK Ferries will launch its2010 Group Tours Guide at WorldTravel Market.
NorthLink Ferries, which operates‘cruise quality’ ferry servicesbetween Orkney and Shetland andthe Scottish mainland, sails out ofAberdeen and Scrabster withNorthern Isles’ destination ports ofStromness, Kirkwall and Lerwick.NorthLink has, once again, chosenWTM as the global launchpad for itsGroup Tours Guide and the companywill have a designated presence onthe VisitScotland stand at the show.
The popularity of Orkney andShetland as world tourismdestinations continues to grow andNorthLink has played a significantrole in the tourism boomexperienced since the company
tookover theferrycontractin 2002.
Thestate-of-the-artships provide a comfortablecruising experience, offering wellappointed en-suite cabins, self-service and a la carte restaurants,bars, cinema and lounges. Easy andaffordable group tour optionsavailable on all routes.
THE Atholl Palace Hotel is exhibitingat WTM for the first time this yearas part of ongoing efforts to raisethe hotel’s profile in new markets inEurope and throughout the world.
The hotel is a Scottish baronialcastle located in the picturesquetown of Pitlochry and overlookingthe stunning surrounding Highlands.Only an hour’s drive away fromEdinburgh Airport and on the mainLondon to Inverness rail route, theimpressive hotel is currently midwaythrough an extensive refurbishmentprogramme that has seen itsproduct diversify with roomupgrades, newly opened luxury
lodges, and garden apartments duefor completion in early 2010.
With careful consideration of thehotel’s unique history, which wasbuilt nearly 130 years ago as ahydropathic establishment beforebeing converted to a hotel, theowners have restored many of theoriginal features and character totheir former grandeur whilst stilloffering all of the modernconveniences for both the leisureand business tourism markets.
The grounds of the hotel have alsobeen developed with the addition ofa Japanese Zen Garden completewith a pagoda and babbling brook.
Recreating the glorious gardens thatwere part of the original vision forthe Atholl Palace has been anintegral part of the work carried outon the hotel in recent years and thehard work and imaginative plantinghas been rewarded with severalprizes. The gardens have beendeveloped with walkways and seatsto encourage hotel guests and dayvisitors to relax and enjoy theabundant wildlife, and theremarkable specimen trees, plantedas the hotel was being built from1874, have been described as "anundiscovered arboretum” and arepart of Perthshire's Big Tree
Country. The grounds also boasttennis courts, putting green golfcourses and an outdoor pool.
Visit Atholl Palace Hotel on theScotland stand – UKI 1900
Atholl Palace Hotel exhibits at WTM for the first time
EDINBURGH-based Festival Hotelshas recently opened a newextension to The Murrayfield Hotel,which now boasts 49 bedrooms.
In addition to the 34 recentlyupgraded rooms in the existinghotel and lodge, the newdevelopment – which has seen theexpansion of the hotel bedroomsand restaurant and the constructionof a new purpose-built annexecomplete with sedum-clad Eco-Roof– now offers a further 15 elegantlyappointed bedrooms.
The aim of the project, which costin excess of £1.5 million, is tomeet the requirements of groupbookings and incentive travel, whilst at the same time meeting the desires of a clientele thatrealises that quality and style donot always need to come at a highprice.
Taking full advantage of theavailable space, the Executivebedrooms come with a bed andalso a sofa bed, making them ideal
for families or groups travellingtogether.
The Superior bedrooms, havebeen designed with comfort in mindand feature generously-sized bedsand double-sized showers, and areideal for large group bookings.
The hotel’s dining facilities havebeen boosted tenfold by itsexpansion into the new building.Almost doubling in size andbenefiting from a stylish makeover,the restaurant is ideal for bothintimate dinners and groupbookings. Inspired by the quality ofthe locally-sourced produce providedby the acclaimed Buccleuch Estateand the hotel’s very own kitchen-garden, the restaurant menu offersa refined and affordable diningexperience.
Festival Hotels, Links Hotel, 4Alvanley Terrace, Whitehouse
£1.5m extension for FestivalHotels’ Murrayfield Hotel
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A MAJOR focus of the environmentalpolicy at Apex Hotels is to reduce,reuse and recycle - whether this isat the design stage of newdevelopments, duringrefurbishments or as part of day-to-day activities.
During the recent refurbishment ofthe bathrooms at Apex Hotels’ twoproperties in Edinburgh, a great dealof work went into ensuring that whatcould be reused was, with theorganisation donating to localcharities and businesses, andinstalling the latest technology to
reduce energy and waterconsumption.
A number of energy savinginitiatives were also introduced suchas replacing lamps to low energyLEDs and upgrading the existingpipe-work with thermal insulation toreduce heat loss. Every fitting wasanalysed to see if it could beretained and re-used, contributing toless waste.
Apex Hotels has won numerousenvironmental awards and isconsidered within the tourismindustry to be a leader in
environmental best practice. TheLondon Hotel produces less carbonemissions than a typical hotel of itssize and many similar environmentalinitiatives were also installed intothe new Apex Waterloo Place Hotelin Edinburgh, such as insulating thewalls and roves, renovating theoriginal sash and case windows,installing a new energy efficientboiler and heating system which islinked with a Building ManagementSystem (BMS) that enables ApexHotels to have full control of energyconsumption and monitor it daily,
implementingmeasures to furtherreduce the carbonemissions ifnecessary.
THE islands around Scotland’s westcoast are rightly renowned the worldover for outstanding natural beautyand centuries-old culture andtraditions, and there is no betterway to visit them than withCaledonian MacBrayne, whichoperates the UK’s largest and mostdistinctive ferry fleet.
Each year CalMac, as it isaffectionately known, carries aroundfive million passengers and amillion cars on 26 routes to andfrom Scotland’s best known islandsincluding Arran, Islay, Mull, Iona,Skye and Lewis and Harris withmany more in between.
The company itself has roots goingback to 1851 and its distinctiveblack and white ships with redfunnels are almost as much part ofthe scenery as the lochs andmountains.The vessels and the
islands they serve frequentlyfeature in TV programmes,appearing recently in Coast, Oz andJames Drink to Britain, and Islandsof Britain with Martin Clunes.
Caledonian MacBrayne is wellaccustomed to dealing with therequirements of all travellers,whether independent or with groupsand can tailor many features toensure their experience ofScotland’s islands is an enjoyableand memorable one. Visit us onstand UKI 1900 at World TravelMarket or at www.calmac.co.uk
COSMOPOLITANHotels, whichoperates TheNormandy Hoteland The ErskineBridge Hotel on the outskirts ofGlasgow, has recently completed amajor £2 million refurbishment ofThe Erskine Bridge Hotel.
The refurbishment has included all177 bedrooms, and new foyer and
bar areas. The stunning views ofthe Clyde that all the rooms enjoyare now complemented by thecontemporary design of the roomsand bathrooms.
Close to beautiful Loch Lomondand still just minutes away fromGlasgow city centre, both the hotelsoffer an ideal stopover for groups.Edinburgh is also easily accessibleat a little over an hour from the
hotels. Nestled in the heart of
Renfrewshire, believed by many tobe the birthlace of William Wallace,both hotels are also convenient forlocal attractions such as theBraehead shopping centre, Xscapeand its famous SNO!zone, andPaisley Abbey.
Throughout the summer in 2010,The Erskine Bridge Hotel will once
again be hosting its popularScottish evenings, featuring greattraditional music and dancing, andproviding a great taste of Scotlandfor guests to enjoy.
Cosmopolitan Hotels completes £2m refurbishment of The Erskine Bridge Hotel
THE Royal Highland Hotel is one ofthe first in Inverness to have itsmenus in both English and Gaelic.
The new menus were introduced tohelp increase the popularity of thetraditional Highland language. Thehotel is also planning to introducemulti-lingual signs around thepremises.
With 86 luxury guest rooms, theRoyal Highland Hotel in Inverness isthe flagship of The RennieMackintosh Group, and caters forleisure and business guests as wellas tours. £850,000 is beinginvested in the hotel to increasebedroom capacity to 101 rooms andon refurbishment of public areassuch as the ballroom.
The RMG also has other proper-ties in Glasgow and Central Scot-
land, all offering a traditionalScottish welcome. The AlexanderThomson Hotel in Glasgow hasundergone a complete renovation ofits 80 rooms and public areas, withan additional 40 new rooms takingthe total to 120 in this prestigiouscity centre location.
Royal Highland Hotel Inverness(A Rennie Mackintosh Group
The Royal Highland Hotel one of firstto offer menus in Gaelic and English
Scotland Stand UKI 1900 – list ofScottish Exhibitors:Abbey Tours Scotland Apex Hotels Atholl Palace Hotel
Caledonian MacBrayne Cosmopolitan Hotels Festival Hotels Glasgow City Marketing Bureau Historic Scotland
JAC Travel Scotland Ltd NorthLink Ferries LTD Oxford Hotels and Inns Royal Highland Hotel Inverness (ARennie Mackintosh Group Hotel)
Strathmore Hotels Ltd The Edinburgh Dungeon, The LochLomond Aquarium & The Scottish SeaLife Sanctuary The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Ltd
The Edinburgh Dungeon unveils the city’s firstever drop ride – Extremis: Drop Ride to DoomTHIS year the Edinburgh Dungeonlaunches the city’s first ever dropride, the adrenaline chargedExtremis: Drop Ride to Doom.
Based on the hangings thattook place at Edinburgh’sGrassmarket during the 17th and18th centuries, the three storyride will plunge visitors intooblivion within a second.
With the Edinburgh Dungeonalready host to a damp, chillingboat ride, the installation ofExtremis signifies a majorinvestment into the Dungeon,which now boasts two rides aspart of its fearsome dark tour ofEdinburgh’s darkest, mosthorrible history.
The investment sees theEdinburgh landmark cement itsplace as one of the mostambitious tourist attractions in
the Scottish capital.Extremis will provide a perfectly
horrific addition to the actor-ledshows and interactive featuresthe Dungeon is infamous for.
NESTLING amidst the pine trees on theshores of picturesque Loch Creran, theScottish Sea Life Sanctuary combinesa spectacular aquarium with a busyseal rescue and rehabilitation facility,otter enclosure, woodland trails,restaurant and shop.
Since 1984, 180 common and greyseals have been rescued, and thesanctuary has welcomed more thanthree million visitors.
Originally the idea of John Mace, aveterinary consultant to the fishfarming industry, it was opened by hisson David, and quickly became theleading visitor attraction in the westhighlands. A nationwide network of SeaLife centres developed, and theSanctuary is now operated by MerlinEntertainments Group, the secondbiggest attractions operator in theworld after Disney. Merlin currently
operates more than 50 attractions intwelve different countries in threedifferent continent.
The EdinburghDungeon, The Loch
Lomond Aquarium &The Scottish Sea Life
Sanctuary HeadOffice Dolphin House
3 Market Close PooleBH15 1NQ
www.merlinentertainments.biz Emily Roy 01202 440 022
Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary at Obancelebrates its 30th anniversary
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The Heritage Motor Centre – home to the world’s largest collection ofBritish cars – has organised a number of activities to encourage morefamilies to the attraction. The centre, at Gaydon in Warwickshire,hosted events including a large model aircraft show, go karting and aHalloween quiz to tempt visitors through the doors.
MARKETING Birmingham hadfurther reason to celebrate afterscooping the Best UK City awardat the Group Leisure Awards.
The awards were handed out atthe Hilton Birmingham MetropoleHotel, in front of 400 guests fromthe travel and tourism industry.
Birmingham was one of fourfinalists, beating off stiffcompetition from Leeds, Londonand Manchester to win the prize.
Marketing director Dave Hodgson
said: “We’re delighted thatBirmingham has been named BestUK City at the Group LeisureAwards.
“This is a particularly prestigiousaward as it is voted for by thepublic.
“It’s also great recognition for acity that continues to put leisuretourism high on its agenda withexciting new ventures in thepipeline to add to the range andquality currently on offer.”
Best city accoladefor Birmingham
PACKAGE tours can be arranged to suit your specific requirements. Start with the ultimate big brumwelcome to Birmingham bonanzawalk or panoramic coach tour to geta snapshot of the city.
Either tour can be used for anyevent and are totally flexible.Combine them with whateverinterests your group – you will findthe answer in Birmingham.
Providing friendly qualified guideswe cater for large or small groupsoffering themed walks or bus tours,birthday parties, Easter orChristmas present, childrens’ walksand more. For more information contact:0121 427 2555Email: [email protected]
Days out in Birmingham
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
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ONE of Marketing Birmingham’sbiggest assets is its website,something which the team havebeen concentrating on improvingthis year.
This has included adding anevent calendar so visitors are ableto see what is on in and aroundthe city and help them to buildtheir weekend itineraries.
With one of Birmingham’sstrongest sectors being theweekend break market,attractions, hotels and restaurantsare encouraged to work togetherto offer visitors plenty toexperience during their visit andencourage them to stay as long aspossible.
Dave explained: “Ourconcentration has been aroundour website and getting morepeople onto it and website traffichas almost tripled in the last 18months.
“We have a team of people whoare dedicated to managing thewebsite content and looking atnews and offers.
“We are also starting to lookmore at social media such as
Twitter and email has always beena popular tool.
“People look to do their researchon the web and we want to makeitinerary building as easy aspossible. We introduced the eventcalendar to help visitors make thebest of their 48 hours in the city.”
Particular areas of growth in2009 have been the day visitorand ‘staycationers’ who use thecity as a hub to explore otherparts of the Heart of England.
The Christmas period is also animportant time for Birmingham,bringing visitors into the city whoare then able to give its retailsector a boost.
Successful campaigns haveincluded utilising Birmingham’sstrong transport links by tappinginto the Irish market andencouraging Irish visitors that thecity is easy to get to and now is agood time to exchange theirEuros.
Another upcoming campaign is totarget potential visitors fromAmsterdam with a campaign whichcompares the similarities – suchas canals, diamonds and football
– which both cities are famous for.Dave also revealed his
predictions for next year and whyhe thinks Birmingham will be ableto continue its success.
He added: “The recession ishitting everyone hard but ourhotels are holding up andattractions are doing well.
“Attractions, hotels andrestaurants need to come togetherand built itineraries so that theweekend market can continue to
grow“I predict a good year for
Birmingham next year but it isgoing to be tough. It is all abouttargeting. Instead of a blanketcampaign we are doing a series ofmini campaigns targeting specificaudiences
“Perceptions are definitelychanging.
“We used to market Birminghamas the best kept secret. Now theword is out.”
Marketing Birmingham is celebrating a successful year, which included being crownedBest UK City at the Group Leisure Awards. Christina Eccles spoke to marketing directorDave Hodgson who revealed the city’s latest campaigns and plans for 2010.
Now the word is out ...
Dave Hodgson
Birmingham city centre providedthe backdrop for Style in the City– an event which highlightedfashion and style in the area.Highlights of the event includedStyle Sessions in the Bullring,presented by Myleene Klass(pictured) and a catwalk show inThe Mailbox hosted by EmmaWillis.
Tourismholds upwell inrecessionTOURISM in Birmingham isperforming well despite therecession, new figures haverevealed.
Last year, the city attracted almostquarter of a million more touristswho, between them, spent almostquarter of a billion pounds moreand helped create an additional1,500 jobs.
The STEAM Report, compiled byresearch group Global TourismSolutions, found that during 2008Birmingham’s visitor economybucked the recession as more than32.2m leisure and business touristscame to the city, up 216,000 and apercentage point increase on theprevious year’s total.
Marketing Birmingham’s chairmanPaul Kehoe said: “These are strongfigures.
“The STEAM report underlines justhow important the visitor economyis to Birmingham.
“The sector holding up well and Ibelieve it is well placed to growsignificantly once the economicclimate improves.”
BLUE Badge tourist guide Roger Bailey will have a new guided tour ofCoventry ready for 2010 – which explores its medieval heritage, visitingplaces not normallyavailable to visitors.
Involved in both the Warof the Roses and theEnglish Civil War, being awalled city and capital ofEngland – there is muchto discover including theTime Team site, the storyof Lady Godiva, why youare ‘Sent to Coventry’and the George Eliottrail.
Coach and walkingtours are still offered ofStratford upon Avon,Oxford, Royal LeamingtonSpa, plus Warwick andits castle.
Also Ironbridge whichhas seen a majorinvestment, the BlackCountry, Black and WhiteVillage Trail, Elgar tour,links to the Olympics inthe Midlands at MuchWenlock and much more.
The Cotswolds continueto be popular, exploring parts not found on your average coach tour andaway from the crowds.
Roger offers advice on coffee and lunch breaks, plus support forconference delegates and VIPs, hotel and airport transfers.
Based in Coventry, near the NEC and Birmingham Airport, a short distancefrom Stratford upon Avon and Birmingham, he has over 14 years’experience and is available seven days a week. Contact: 024 7669 1212 Email [email protected]
