One hundred coach tourism industry stakeholders attended the CTA AGM & Spring Networking event in Norwich this month. Drawing coach tour operators, wholesalers, and industry suppliers from across the UK and Europe, the weekend helped develop new trips and tours, with a particular focus on Norfolk. “We estimate the event will generate significant new business, [...]
CTA’s latest qualitative survey of coach operator and wholesaler members has reported an upturn for 2025. Insights also suggest strength in Continental tours and premium products. The latest survey of market conditions invited various industry stakeholders to report on current and future business prospects. Looking at the sector right now, Caroline Thorpe, Marketing Manager at [...]
CTA members will be attending the CTA Spring Networking this weekend, 17-19 May, at Kew Green Hotels’ Holiday Inn Norwich North. An extra late attraction has been added for Saturday night with a Eurovision evening on the big screen at the hotel. Hosted by Geoff Holt and Oli Williams from IOW Tours, the night will [...]
CTA is sad to learn that Alan Cartwright of A & P Travel passed away on 9 May. Alan founded A & P travel in 2006 with son Paul Cartwright, starting with one coach and growing to a five-coach operation. In a career in the industry spanning over 62 years, Alan remained a coach driver [...]
Strawberry Field, Liverpool’s Small Visitor Attraction of the Year, is marking the date of a headline event that turned heartache into new opportunity. 25 years ago on 11 May, the attraction, which celebrates John Lennon’s legacy of peace and kindness, hit the news following the theft of its iconic red gates. In broad daylight, thieves [...]
CTA member Nordkettenbahnen cable car of Innsbruck is attending CTA Spring Networking in Norwich to update members on tours to the area. Alex Ziwes from the Nordkette mountain cable car is inviting coach groups to come to Innsbruck to experience the spectacular journey, which travels from the city centre to Austria’s largest nature park. The [...]
New CTA member Pensthorpe comprises 700 acres of nature park, gardens, and outdoor adventure areas, and the Norfolk attraction is keen to welcome coach groups. Based in Fakenham, the attraction’s extensive gardens provide five different areas. A new manicured garden is staged alongside the Millennium Garden, focussing on shrubs, grasses and climbers, as well as [...]
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), the wildlife conservation charity behind Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park, has joined CTA. The organisation welcomes the opportunity to build new partnerships, connect with coach operators and tour planners, and offer memorable group days out at two of Scotland’s most unique attractions. This winter at Edinburgh Zoo [...]
The Ropewalks Hotel in Liverpool is a 127-room establishment based in Liverpool city centre’s fascinating Ropewalks area, offering food and drink on site. New to CTA, the hotel offers breakfast, as well as lunch and dinner in the on-site Dicey Riley’s Irish Sports Bar, as well as the Gin or Juice bar. Ropewalks Hotel is [...]
DFDS is celebrating three decades of its Newcastle-Amsterdam route. First launched in 1995, the service carries over 600,000 passengers every year. In 2024, DFDS invested €10million in the upgrade of cabins, plus an additional €2.8million enhancing public areas including restaurants, bars, and on-board shopping. The ferry operator is also currently working on the design and [...]
The Coronation Street Experience and Emmerdale Village Tour, operated by Continuum Attractions, are for the first time presenting Star Tours to groups. Star Tours allow guests to meet a mystery cast member at the culmination of their guided tour. While these special tours have been running for a number of years for individuals, this is [...]
Panoramart, situated within the 210m-high Paris Montparnasse Observatory, is a new attraction welcoming coach groups. The exhibition is a stunning visual experience that blends urban landscape with contemporary art. Created by French artist Aurélien Jeanney of Maison Tangible, this immersive installation turns the Observatory’s glass walls into a vibrant, interactive canvas. Through 10 colourful window [...]
Insurance provider Towergate is offering CTA members a pensions and financial wellbeing consultancy to support employee wellbeing. Offering pensions broking and consultancy, Towergate is able to provide companies with services including a pension health check to review scheme performance, benchmark management charges, identify cost-savings, and ensure compliance with regulations. Providing independent pensions broking to ensure [...]
One of the country’s best preserved medieval castles, Bolton Castle in North Yorkshire, has joined CTA, offering a great day out for groups. Located near Leyburn with stunning views across Wensleydale, a visit includes the opportunity to see the castle’s five floors, including a dungeon, as well the gardens. Much of the gardens are accessible, [...]
Holiday Inn Bristol Filton is inviting CTA operators and wholesalers to a fam trip on 12 and 13 June. The hotel has recently completed a refurbishment and is giving CTA members the chance to experience the revamped accommodation and service. Holiday Inn Bristol Filton is ideally located for group leisure tours of the Cotswolds, Bath, [...]
Hemswell Antique Centres, renowned as the largest antiques centre in Europe, has joined the CTA. Located just a few miles from the historic city of Lincoln, with four buildings and two coffee shops on site, the site hosts thousands of antiques and collectables. The antique centres house a large variety of high-quality antique furniture from [...]
The CTA is calling on members to book now for the CTA Spring Networking & AGM event, taking place on 17-19 May in Norwich. Holkham hosts Sunday afternoon’s fam trip with its impressive hall taking centre stage, replete with artworks by the likes of Rubens, Van Dyck, and Gainsborough. Members will enjoy lunch and a [...]
VisitScotland Connect, Scotland’s flagship travel trade event which aims to grow Scotland's share of global travel in a sustainable way, took place on 9 and 10 April at P&J Live, Aberdeen. Across two days, 240 Scottish tourism businesses met with 250 tour operators and travel agents from 20 markets around the world to do business [...]
Royal Museums Greenwich, home to four historic attractions in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Maritime Greenwich, is hosting a fam trip for CTA members on 29 April. The day will include guided tours of the Queen's House and Cutty Sark, followed by an afternoon tea beneath the ship’s hull in the dry berth. Later, [...]
Castlebridge Hospitality has joined the CTA, presenting a range of large, group-friendly boutique hotels in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Bath, Chester, Coventry and Winchester. From north to south, Hotel Indigo Chester is in the centre of the historic city with 75 bedrooms. To the Midlands, Hotel Indigo Coventry is situated in the city centre with 101 rooms, while [...]
English Heritage properties Kenwood and Kenilworth Castle are hosting celebrations of women in history in 2025. Kenwood has launched an exhibition of art by John Singer Sargent, looking at the fascinating lives of American heiresses and their roles in Britian, while Kenilworth focuses on Elizabeth I, one of Britain’s most formidable monarchs. Kenwood, on the [...]
Newly opened in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, the Flaxmill Maltings is celebrated as the grandparent of modern skyscrapers and the attraction is now open this year for group tours. Opening in 1797 as a purpose-built mill to process flax, commonly used in the manufacture of linen, Shrewsbury’s flaxmill was the first multifloored iron-framed building in the world. [...]
This Spring and Summer, the Medieval Palace at the Tower of London will explore the stories of the kings and queens who lived at the Tower, as well as the households who served them, and the fascinating world they lived in. The Medieval Palace at the Tower of London re-opens 23 May, and the royal [...]
CofGâr, the Carmarthenshire County Council museums and arts service, has announced a vibrant and diverse lineup of exhibitions and events for 2025 to early 2026. The programme will take place at Carmarthenshire Museum, Dylan Thomas Boathouse, the Museum of Land Speed, and Parc Howard Museum. At the Carmarthenshire Museum, Exploring Ancient Egypt: The Story of [...]
CTA-member coach tour operator Bakers Dolphin has supported its home-town’s campaign for automated external defibrillators (AEDs) by providing discounted travel for the project’s visit to parliament. The Weston-super-Mare operator is supporting the town’s Donate for Defib project, which travelled to Westminster to meet local MP Daniel Albridge to discuss the importance of publicly accessible AEDs [...]
Kynren, the outdoor theatre performance covering 2,000 years of English history, is taking place again this summer, between 19 July and 13 September in Bishop Auckland. This year, the spectacle has a new focus on the Victorian era. Kynren is enhancing the overall scene for its audiences with new props and costumes, projections, innovative choreography, [...]
Zip World Llechwedd in Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales, has enhanced its Deep Mine Tour with new and improved interactive elements, audio visuals and light show. Visitors descend 500ft below ground on Europe’s steepest cable railway where a guide leads a tour of one of the world’s most renowned slate mines. The tour features 10 slate [...]
Coventry’s historic St Mary’s Guildhall claimed a trio of awards at the West Midlands Tourism Awards 2025, taking place on 18 March at Edgbaston Stadium. The 700-year-old Grade I listed building won the Gold award for International Tourism, as well as the top honour for Accessible & Inclusive Tourism, and the Silver award for Small [...]
A new exhibition staged by the Royal Collection Trust has opened at The King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, exploring the opulence and glamour of the Edwardian age through the lives and tastes of two of Britain’s most fashionable royal couples. Focussing on King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and King George V and Queen Mary, this [...]
The Severn Valley Railway, which follows the River Severn in Shropshire and Worcestershire, is hosting its Spring Steam Gala between 18 and 21 April. The SVR is currently operating along the 12-mile stretch of its line between Kidderminster and Hampton Loade following a major landslip that occurred near Bridgnorth in January. Repairs will begin in [...]
CTA is encouraging members to book now for CTA Spring Networking to guarantee their places. Taking place in Norwich, 17-19 May, booking is well under way for the event which includes the CTA AGM alongside opportunities to plan new product. A Sunday morning fam trip with Broads Tours will take delegates on a cruise of [...]
The British Tourism and Travel Show 2025 at the NEC, 19-20 March, received a high number of visitors including many CTA members, with CTA also hosting a stand at the exhibition. Many show attendees attended the drinks reception co-hosted by the CTA and the event organisers at the end of the show’s opening day. Thanks [...]
The latest edition of the CTA members handbook was also presented at the BTTS Show. The Handbook will be posted out to all CTA members shortly. The Handbook includes a full member listing including contact details, enabling any operator, wholesaler, or supplier member to get directly in contact with the fellow CTA member of their [...]
Excursions, heralded as the UK’s longest-running one-day group travel show, took place on Saturday 1 February at Wembley Stadium’s Great Hall. Now in its 51st year, the event attracted over 600 exhibitors and visitors, according to event organiser Tourism South East. Excursions aims to connect group travel organisers, coach operators, tour planners, and itinerary experts [...]
BBC Tours, taking place at BBC Cymru Wales in Central Square, Cardiff, has received a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice award for the second year in a row, and a 2025 Visit Wales Gold award for the quality of the experience. The only BBC site currently open to the public, at BBC Cymru Wales, groups can join [...]
Marsham Court Hotel has won two gold awards at the annual Dorset Tourism Awards. The hotel won prizes for Accessible and Inclusive Tourism as well as Business Events Venue of the Year at the Bournemouth event, taking place on 5 February.The Dorset Tourism Awards, celebrating the best in tourism across the county, was this year [...]
The World of Wedgwood, the tourist attraction that celebrates the work of the world-famed manufacturer of china and ceramic tableware and artistic items, has joined the CTA. The Stoke-on-Trent attraction is keen to welcome coach groups and can offer bespoke itineraries. Now with seven-day opening, 10am-5pm, groups can join a tour of the Wedgwood Factory [...]
Lighthouse Hotel Management is a new CTA member that manages eight hotels, including several city-centre locations ideal for groups. Included in the portfolio is the Halyard at Ropewalks Liverpool, Vignette Collection, a 132-bedroom hotel that opened in March 2024. The hotel features a restaurant and bar, plus a gym. Also in the same Liverpool area [...]
The Three Counties Food and Drink Festival returns for its third year on 26 and 27 July at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern, Worcestershire, with attendance from a lineup of TV's celebrated chefs. Coming on the Saturday, the show features a schedule of expert demonstrations from chefs including Simon Rimmer, Co-Presenter of C4’s Sunday [...]
Shuttleworth, the mansion and gardens which hosts a collection of vintage vehicles and aircraft, has announced the acquisition of a special 1905 Wolseley ‘Baby’ X-type 5hp two-seater Phaeton. Once belonging to Dorothy Shuttleworth, the X22 vehicle is considered one of the rarest of all surviving Wolseley light cars. First purchased by the Shuttleworth family around [...]
Plymouth is targeting groups in 2025 with a new guide, ‘Plymouth Groups and Travel Trade’, which features a range of attractions in the city, from historic landmarks to scenic cruises. Situated on Plymouth’s waterfront, the Grade II listed Tinside Lido is an Art Deco saltwater pool that offers breathtaking panoramic views, spacious sunbathing areas, and [...]
Seism!c, a new sound and light installation, has been added to Derbyshire’s Heights of Abraham, known for its scenic cable car journeys. The new experience is included in a guided tour through the Great Masson Cavern, which has been enhanced by state-of-the-art projectors. The installation tells the story of key moments in Earth’s history, along [...]
Neath Port Talbot Council is celebrating the birth centenary of Hollywood legend Richard Burton, opening a new trail that marks significant locations as the area celebrates ‘RB100’. Born 10 November 1925 in Pontrhydyfen in Glamorgan’s Afan Valley, Richard Jenkins went on to be famously known as Richard Burton. Following celebrated performances in the theatre, Burton’s [...]
Bookings are now open for the CTA AGM & Spring Networking event in Norwich from 17-19 May. We will be based at Kew Green Hotels’ Holiday Inn Norwich North and the event includes some great Fam trips to Broad Tours and Holkham Hall. Hotel details - Holiday Inn Norwich North Cromer Road, Norwich NR6 6JA Tel: 03333 209 344 [...]
CTA is very sad to hear of the death of Mike Whitehead, founder and managing director of Distinctive Systems. Mike was well known across the coach sector, having established Distinctive Systems which was a pioneer in the computerisation of many operators’ processes. He was a regular attendee at industry events over the years and will [...]
The next CTA event is at BTTS, which takes place at the NEC on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 March. Come and see us on stand A38 at the show. The event will give members the opportunity to discuss their needs and develop new product, with buyers and suppliers from across the UK coming together. [...]
Coach operators have been reminded to use the approved parking and set down/pick up bays in the Aldwych area. Westminster City Council advises that the area has a set down/pick up area on Russell Street, plus parking bays on Kingsway and Victoria Embankment. More information is available from www.westminster.gov.uk/parking/coach-parking The reminder follows reports of obstructions [...]
New CTA member Gardense Viaggi is a wholesaler providing coach operators with complete tour programmes around Italy. The team offers classic packages to major musical, theatrical, and sporting events, and can also create tailor-made programmes. Gardense Viaggi’s services include ticketing, hotels, restaurants, as well as travel transfers. Set up in 2022 in Costermano sul Garda, [...]
Kynren – The Storied Lands is a new theme park for Bishop Auckland, set to open in summer 2026. The experience will transport visitors through history, myth, and legend, bringing the past to life through live-action performances. Phase one of the park will feature five shows and immersive experiences set against landscaped historical backdrops. Unlike [...]
This summer at Shakespeare's Globe theatre, groups are welcomed to watch Shakespeare with a twist, alongside classic productions from other noted playwrights. Summer in the Globe Theatre begins in the dangerous world of the American West with an exciting new production of Romeo and Juliet. As a Globe first, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible also premieres [...]
