VisitBlackpool is asking coach operators to respond to a short, five-question survey to improve the town’s coach facilities. To shape improved facilities around the planned Blackpool Central leisure development, VisitBlackpool is asking coach operators to respond to the survey on their use of coach parking facilities at this link. “Coaches have been an integral part [...]
UKinbound has awarded Blenheim Palace the accolade of Individual Attraction of the Year at its Awards for Excellence event at Belfast City Hall on 21 September. The winners were decided by a panel of independent judges from across the tourism industry. Heather Carter, Managing Director at Blenheim Palace, said: “Winning this award truly means a [...]
Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust has received the esteemed Sandford Award for high achievement in heritage education. The award reflects the excellence of the sessions delivered by the team, which includes work with schools, colleges and universities as well as families, community and special interest groups. The Sandford Award has been running since 1978 and is [...]
An extremely rare silvery gibbon has been born at the Curraghs Wildlife Park on the Isle of Man. Silvery gibbons are classed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with as few as 2,000 adults left in the wild, where they are native to the Indonesian island of Java. It is [...]
The Isle of Wight has been named Best UK Destination of the Year at The Group Leisure & Travel Awards. Hosed by America’s Got Talent winner, ventriloquist Paul Zerdin, guests from all corners of the group travel sector came together to celebrate the winners at the DoubleTree by Hilton at Stadium MK, Milton Keynes. “It [...]
Offer your guests something different this Christmas with a visit to Bodmin Jail. CTA member Bodmin Jail is a landmark historical site in the heart of Cornwall, built in 1779. Showcasing the rich and darkly fascinating legacy of Georgian and Victorian crime and punishment, the jail is an immersive experience. This festive season, Bodmin Jail [...]
The Royal Mint Experience at Ynysmaerdy, near Cardiff, has a temporary exhibition in celebration of His Majesty King Charles III’s Coronation Day. The Coronation-themed exhibition features a range of unique objects from The Royal Mint Museum’s collection, hands-on interactives, and a special photo opportunity. ‘Crowned: The Making of a Monarch’ exhibition will run for 12 [...]
The Auckland Project in Bishop Auckland has launched a new group offer, including exclusive packages and discounts for groups, plus free familiarisation visits. The project is a collection of heritage attractions, galleries, gardens and parkland in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, blending art, history and nature. The Auckland Project is centred around the magnificent Auckland Castle, [...]
CTA tour operator members are invited to a special Groups Trade Night hosted by Disney Tickets on Wed 27 September which includes hospitality, a presentation on how Disney can help your business, and a performance of The Lion King. The invitation is for tour operators only with two tickets per company. Please contact Josh.Behn@disney.com for [...]
St Mary’s Guildhall, Coventry is hosting a travel trade fam trip on Thursday 12 October, 11am-1pm. The event follows renovation including a 2 year, £6million major restoration. St Mary’s Guildhall, located in the city’s historic Cathedral Quarter, escaped bombing raids during the Second World War and is one of the city’s only remaining medieval buildings. [...]
The Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London, is offering coach groups a variety of new packages for the upcoming festive period. A series of Christmas carol concerts will take place in the chapel, regarded as one of the world’s finest neo-classical interiors. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served in the Queen Mary Undercroft, [...]
The new Forth Valley Pass, from Edinburgh’s Forth Boat Tours, includes four of Scotland’s top visitor attractions: The Falkirk Wheel, Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway, Stirling Old Town Jail, and a Three Bridges Cruise with Forth Boat Tours. Travel trade rates are available. “We are delighted to introduce this new ticket to the market,” says Alastair [...]
In celebration of the reopening and extensive refurbishment of The Loch Ness Centre, operators and wholesalers are being offered a special fam trip, taking place on 27 and 28 September. The exciting fam trip starts with refreshments at the Drum Hotel, and after a brief introduction talk, fam attendees will be escorted to The Loch [...]
Strawberry Field, the award-winning heritage attraction forever linked to John Lennon, is offering groups a Christmas lunch or Seasonal afternoon tea to complement a visit to the exhibition and authentic gardens. The accessible interactive exhibition tells the history of the children’s home, the Salvation Army, John Lennon’s childhood and the writing/recording of Strawberry Fields Forever. [...]
Derbyshire’s The Great British Car Journey, an interactive museum and journey through the car industry and society, from the 1920s onwards, has unveiled an exciting new car exhibit. A custom-built Middlebridge Scimitar No 5, which was previously owned by HRH Princess Anne for 35 years, has gone on display at the museum, located in Ambergate, [...]
People of all physical abilities can now explore the Isle of Man’s National Glens from the comfort of their homes, thanks to a new immersive virtual experience launched at the Royal Manx Agricultural Show. The Isle of Man is home to 18 mountain and coastal National Glens. However, the rugged terrain can be a barrier [...]
Liverpool FC Stadium Tour has been recognised by Tripadvisor as a 2023 Travellers’ Choice award winner for its placing in the top 10% of worldwide attractions. This is the second year running that the Stadium Tour has received the award, which celebrates attractions that have consistently received excellent reviews on Tripadvisor over the last 12 [...]
Penderyn Distillery has opened its third whisky distillery in Wales, a unique distillery and bottling plant part of a landmark £1 billion transformation program launched by Swansea city council. Penderyn Swansea Copperworks Distillery, which joins the Brecon and Llandudno sites, runs daily tours and will hold masterclasses. There is a shop on-site which opens seven [...]
Llancaiach Fawr Manor is celebrating two prestigious awards from Visit Wales. The historic visitor attraction in Caerphilly borough recently won both the Visit Wales ‘Best Told Story 2023-24’ and the new category ‘Quality Food and Drink 2023-24' accolades, awarded by VAQAS (Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Service) following a mystery shopper visit by representatives of the [...]
The quality of food and drink produced on the Isle of Man has once again been recognised by experts at the annual Great Taste Awards. The organisers use more than 500 chefs, food writers and retailers to judge thousands of products from all over the world. 11 products from four Manx producers were awarded the [...]
The Royal Horticultural Society’s magical RHS Glow experience returns this festive season across all five of its garden locations. Illuminated trails guide a journey as dusk falls, and sparkling hi-tech colours fill all five RHS Gardens: Bridgewater – Greater Manchester, Harlow Carr – North Yorkshire, Hyde Hall - Essex, Rosemoor – North Devon and Wisley [...]
Thames and Medway river cruise operator, Jetstream Tours, has launched a new vessel, Cruiser, which can take up to 200 people. Jetstream says the vessel is the largest passenger boat to ply the Thames Estuary. The boat can cruise anywhere along the River Thames, Medway, and Swale. Cruise options include Tower Bridge to Whitstable, and [...]
Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, is welcoming coach groups, with highlights year-round. Situated in the Sussex High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Wakehurst features over 500 acres of nature reserve, woodlands, and gardens. Wakehurst includes diverse natural attractions, including the Millennium Seed Bank that hides a collection of over 2.4 billion seeds [...]
Continuum Attractions is promoting The Coronation Street Experience Exhibition & Tour to coach groups. Your guests will be able to ‘step onto the street’ and join one of the expert tour guides for a 90-minute award-winning tour around the biggest TV production set of its kind. Visitors will be able to jump into their favourite [...]
Visitors to Blenheim Palace can walk in the footsteps of movie and television stars and experience the silver-screen on a new Lights, Camera, Action trail which includes behind the scenes of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Blenheim Palace was the filming location for the hit Netflix series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The six-episode series [...]
Old Royal Naval College in the heart of Maritime Greenwich has a new travel trade team who have been carrying out a fresh review of everything on offer for coach operators. Gillian Bell is the travel trade manager, and is supported by Ales Kosejk, alongside Joanna who heads up the box office. They are all [...]
Salisbury Cathedral and Magna Carta admission prices for groups and individuals have been confirmed for 2024-25. The new prices come into force from 1 April 2024. Travel Trade/Group rates apply to pre-booked groups only and pre-booked groups are fast-tracked when they arrive. A premium is charged for walk-ups. Groups can also enjoy specialist tours which take [...]
A recent survey by the Tourism Alliance has reported that the number of school children brought to the UK from the EU by 145 surveyed businesses declined by 81% between 2019 and 2022. Over the same period, a lower figure was reported for school children going to the EU, which declined by 53%, according to [...]
Merlin Entertainment has produced coach arrival information sheets for each of the brand’s resort theme parks, as well as Warwick Castle. The information sheets include details on accessibility, food & drink outlets, as well as where to collect ride access passes and fast track tickets. Useful information for coach drivers is also included. Merlin says [...]
South Western Railway has named Stratford-upon-Avon’s Shakespeare Distillery as one of the country’s top gin distilleries according to a recent survey. The rail operator’s survey included Google Reviews, where Shakespeare Distillery achieved 96% five-star reviews. This high ranking placed the distillery in eighth place in the UK-wide survey. This adds to other recent awards for [...]
Salisbury Cathedral reported a four-fold increase in group bookings in April, coinciding with the spring season and new exhibitions on display. A new exhibition, To be free: art and liberty, is exploring human rights and freedom, and includes works by internationally renowned artists. The cathedral is also home to the best-preserved remaining Magna Carta, the [...]
Waddesdon House & Gardens, Buckinghamshire, has announced details of its 2023 Christmas events. Waddesdon manor and grounds will transform into a wonderland inspired by classic British tales. Inside the house, groups can explore the Mad Hatters tea party, travel to the Ice Queen’s lair, and discover Captain Hook’s treasure cave. Outside, the manor’s façade will [...]
Yorkshire-based coach operators, Acklams Holidays and Welsh’s Holidays, have enjoyed recent successful tours to Scotland.Taking in the Highlands, Acklam’s coach can be seen on the Nevis Range Gondola trip to the base station on Aonach Mòr, 2200ft, the highest cafe in Scotland. Meanwhile, Welsh’s Holidays took in the southern counties of Scotland including a trip [...]
The newly imagined Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit near Inverness has reopened following significant investment, creating a new immersive experience. Reopened on Saturday 10 June following takeover by Continuum Attractions earlier this year, £1.5m has been invested in a full upgrade to enhance the visitor experience, including trips aboard the attraction’s research vessel, Deepscan. This [...]
At Buckingham Palace this summer The Royal Trust Collection is displaying the outfits worn by Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the Coronation. The display will present the Robe of Estate worn by The King, which was also worn by his grandfather King George VI for his Coronation in 1937, and will [...]
Visit Kent has held a joint reception at The House of Commons with The Port of Dover and LeShuttle to celebrate Kent’s tourism industry and launch a new sustainability plan. The new sustainability plan for the visitor economy in Kent has been developed over a number of months by The Act for Impact Group which [...]
For the Summer Solstice 2023 at Stonehenge, English Heritage would like to remind operators that all coaches and minibuses must be pre-booked and pre-paid. The organisation says that display passes should also be clearly displayed on the dashboard. This year, Summer Solstice will celebrated at Stonehenge from 19:00 on Tuesday 20 June to 08:00 on [...]
Providing a range of more than 20 brewpubs across England and Wales, Brewhouse & Kitchen has opened a new location in Chelmsford. Like all Brewhouse & Kitchen venues, the Chelmsford pub brews its own beer on site and offers a range of dining options. Groups can enjoy a tour, tasting, and meal package, with a [...]
A new exhibition at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, reveals life in the eighteenth century through fashions of the day. Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians aims to explain life in Britain during a revolutionary era of industry, trade, travel, and technological innovation. On display until 8 October 2023, the exhibition reveals how the Georgians [...]
This year, groups attending Christmas at Blenheim Palace are invited to book directly with the Blenheim Palace groups booking team. Enabling operators to book direct for the popular Christmas events is aimed at further improving the service by offering the expertise of the in-house Blenheim Palace team. To book the date and time to visit [...]
Liverpool’s Strawberry Field has revealed images of a new mosaic that will feature in the bandstand opening later this year. Meanwhile, groups can enjoy the updated garden tour, featuring soundscapes intended to help visitors explore mindfulness and reconnect with nature. Strawberry Field is an interactive experience that tells stories of the Victorian house, its transition [...]
Stage set designs by Paul McCartney are going on display at the Liverpool Beatles Museum. The designs were commissioned by Beatles manager Brian Epstein as potential backdrops to a concert by The Four Tops at The Saville Theatre. The Liverpool Beatles Museum is revealing the designs on Thursday 27 May before opening viewing to the [...]
Chatham Historic Dockyard relaunched its popular Call The Midwife Official Location Tour and unveiled a brand new gallery at an event with the cast on 27 April. Many of the outside scenes from the BBC series are filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent. The new gallery hosts costumes and items from the popular [...]
Aylesbury’s Waddesdon Manor is presenting tours of the little seen, cultivated four-acre walled garden for groups of up to 30 people. Eythrope is the Rothschild's private walled garden at Waddesdon Manor, renowned for its gardening excellence and haven for traditional techniques. A visit to Eythrope includes a garden tour from one of Waddesdon’s specialist guides, [...]
Abba Voyage is lending the hand-made ‘Phoenix Collection’ outfits from the recent ‘virtual Abba’ show for public display at the British Music Experience. The display is part of the museum’s celebration of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. The Abba Voyage show features digital versions of the band members created with motion capture and performance techniques. [...]
Booking is now open for group visits to Waddesdon in 2023 with so much to discover throughout the year. In the formal gardens, over 50,000 tulips will bloom in spring before beautiful bedding inspired by the coronation is planted. In the House, fine art and incredible treasures await visitors who will also see some incredible [...]
CTA member Blenheim Palace would like to welcome CTA operator members for a complimentary day visit for two people at their convenience. Availability for the visit will be subject to availability avoiding some events and Christmas. If you would like to take up this offer, just email partnerships@blenheimpalace.com to get your tickets.
Historic Royal Palaces has an array of incredible events and exhibitions this year across its sites. At the Tower of London, the Crown Jewels will be an integral part of the historic coronation of King Charles III. The Tower will continue to showcase these awe-inspiring objects and explore their stories in a permanent exhibition. And from [...]
Brend Hotels is restyling itself as the Brend Collection with a new website and updated social media channels. The rebrand highlights the collection of hotels, restaurants, bars and spas that the group now operates. “Our mission is to be the company of choice for guests, customers and talent,” says Brend Collection. “Whenever a customer is [...]
Matilda The Musical is the perfect musical for a group visit to London. The award-winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, inspired by the beloved book by Roald Dahl is brought to life with original songs by Tim Minchin, and tells the story of an extraordinary little girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and [...]
