Sarum Lights – Renaissance is running from 8 to 12 November at Salisbury Cathedral. The show features light projections and soundscapes including installations based on the Italian Renaissance masters. The show begins at 5.30pm each day, with images projected onto the cathedral’s west front, in the cloisters, as well as the main cathedral building, accompanied [...]
Manx National Heritage has 12 sites which will remain open until 29 November, including tours of one of the world’s best preserved medieval castles at Castletown, as well as The Great Laxey Wheel, the largest working waterwheel in the world. The Isle of Man Steam Railway will run a full schedule throughout October, additional weekend [...]
11 Arches Park in Bishop Auckland has announced 2023 dates for Kynren, the outdoor theatre show about the past 2,000 years of history in the British Isles. Seven performances will take place on Saturdays from 29th July until 9th September 2023. The 90-minute family-friendly performance includes choreography, stunts, equestrianism, and special effects including pyrotechnics. 11 [...]
Themed with a big, bright and bold celebration of the Great British pantomime, the mansion state rooms at Tatton Park will take you on a journey through panto-land…. ‘Oh yes they will!’. Visitors will experience sensational sets and colourful characters - look out for the Panto Dame in the Staircase Hall and fly away to [...]
Following the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, Windsor Castle has unsurprisingly become much in demand. It is now essential for groups to pre-book their visit in advance of arriving at the Castle. Group visits to Windsor Castle for 2023 can be reserved and booked on the Royal Collection Trust website from 7 November 2022.
Encore has provided an update of the latest West End theatre shows for coach groups. Best of Enemies at the Noël Coward Theatre from 14 November 2022 to 18 February 2023, focuses on 1968 – a year of protest that divided America. As two men fight to become the next President, all eyes are on [...]
See below updates we have received from members regarding opening on Mon 19 September: Historic Royal Palaces Historic Royal Palaces joins millions of people throughout the world in mourning the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the II. As a mark of respect all palaces will be closed on Monday 19 September 2022, the day [...]
BOOKING DETAILS HERE Our next CTA Networking event takes place in Bournemouth on 20-21 November hosted by the Marsham Court Hotel. It promises to be another great event with a fabulous Fam trip on Sunday afternoon (20 November) which includes lunch at Henning’s and a Christmas Harbour Cruise with City Cruises followed by a visit [...]
CTA Operator and Wholesaler members are invited to Save the Date for a great Fam trip on 11-13 December which will travel via DFDS to France and enjoy visits to Arras Christmas market and Louvre Lens museum. Full details and booking link to follow
Visit Herts is inviting CTA operator and wholesaler members to Save the Date for a Fam trip on Sunday 23 October showcasing the incredible variety of film experiences Hertfordshire has to offer. The county has been gracing the silver screen for many years, providing locations for some of the most recognisable scenes from cinematic history, but [...]
New CTA member Yeadon Town Hall Theatre offers a fabulous dinner-show experience. From the moment you step into our theatre, your group is guaranteed a wonderful afternoon, or evening of excellent food and drink complimented with top quality entertainment from one of our many theatre shows presented throughout the year. The dinner shows all revolve around [...]
Located in the picturesque South Downs, a few miles from Arundel, West Sussex, Amberley Museum is perfect for regional and national coach tours near the south coast. It is keen to welcome coach groups and has recently joined CTA as a new member. The Museum is suitable for stand-alone visits and tours taking in Portsmouth, [...]
BA i360 which has recently joined CTA is an ideal attraction for coach groups of all sizes and ages visiting Brighton. The i360 pod can accommodate up to 175 people with plenty of room to move around and admire the stunning views. While on board, visitors can enjoy a range of locally-sourced alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks [...]
CTA member Bodmin Jail is a unique visitor attraction and museum in central Cornwall which has recently benefited from an £8.5million investment, turning it into a truly world-class attraction. It is very keen for as many tour operators as possible to include it in their itineraries. Since Cornwall is a long trek for many to [...]
Tourism South East’s group travel show Excursions takes place on 28 January 2023 and will be held at Twickenham for a second year. As the longest running group travel show, Excursions has established itself as a must-attend event in the group travel calendar and has inspired and connected the group travel market for almost half a [...]
Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, who provided some fantastic gin refreshments to CTA members at the recent Summer Networking in Glasgow, has been recognised as the Family Business of the Year for Scotland by Family Business United. The collection of hotels includes Crieff Hydro Hotel, Peebles Hydro Hotel, and Ballachulish Hotel and Isles of Glencoe [...]
You don’t have to be an ardent fan of motor racing to enjoy the Silverstone Interactive Museum, it’s a terrific day out. The Museum is housed in a restored WW2 RAF hangar right next to part of the original Grand Prix circuit. If you step outside the rear of the museum you can walk the [...]
South of Scotland Destination alliance has produced a new Scotland Starts Here Travel Trade Section which includes a lots of information in general and seasonal brochures, itinerary section and a travel trade directory. There is also a sign-up link to a media library which gives operators free access to images and videos to use in marketing [...]
CTA operators can receive a National Trust Travel Trade Pass, which is valid for 12 months from point of issue. This pass allows you and a friend or colleague to gain free entry to over 300 of our places throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland for those 12 months. There’s nothing quite like seeing or [...]
A special four-day Christmas Markets itinerary for coach operators has been prepared by Hauts-de-France. The itinerary takes in Christmas markets at Lille, Arras and Amiens as well as a suggestion for a dinner at a typical Flemish estaminet as well as a a gourmet walk in the heart of Old Lille with a guide from [...]
Visit Aberdeen has highlighted a new Aberdeen Pub and History tour which is a private walking tour suitable for groups where your clients will learn about the history of Aberdeen through its liquids - water, beer, whisky and oil! The tour includes: • Guided walking tour telling the story of Aberdeen • Visits to two [...]
CTA attraction member in Liverpool The Floating Grace, which is Liverpool's only floating restaurant and bar boat and provides lunch or dinner cruises, has recently been awarded the Gold Armed Forces Covenant. The covenant aims to tighten the ties between Defence and employers and recognises employers who proactively demonstrate their forces-friendly credentials as part of [...]
Travel Agenda has now been working with tour operators for more than 17 years providing a full range of services for groups. It would love to work with coach operators for arranging attraction visits as it deals with most key partners in the UK & Ireland, including Merlin, London Eye, Madame Tussauds, Sea Life Aquarium, as [...]
Continuum has launched new group rates for 2023 for all its attractions - Spinnaker Tower, Mary King’s Close, I’m a celebrity Jungle Challenge, Green Wood, Emmerdale The Village Tour, York’s Chocolate Story, Coronation Street The Tour and Oxford Castle & Prison. Group rates include discounted admission prices (subject to terms and conditions); Free pre-visit familiarisation trip for [...]
Shakespeare Distillery is expanding its business and opening a brand-new experiences space in Stratford-upon-Avon. The independent artisan spirit producer is taking on a long-term lease at No 1 High Street which houses its retail shop on the ground floor. Initially seen as a pop-up shop, Shakespeare Distillery is converting two additional floors above the retail [...]
CTA member Big Heritage is offering half price tours for operators at Deva Roman Discovery Centre in Chester for August/October/November/December. Places may be limited, and some dates will be restricted. Discounted multi-tickets are also available for Big Heritage’s town visitor attractions in Chester city centre, Deva and Sick to Death. Email georgia@bigheritage.co.uk for booking enquiries.
CTA member Bodmin Jail is keen to work with tour operators to grow its visitor numbers. The Bodmin Jail museum is fully accessible and there is parking about 15 minutes away (Priory Park), with visitors dropped on Berrycombe Road. It offers a range of seasonal tours on a specific theme. Forthcoming tours include; Walking with [...]
Earlier this year, Arena di Verona Opera Festival became a member of the CTA and is keen to encourage tour operators to celebrate the event’s centenary by putting it on their programmes for the 2023 season. For 100 years, the festival has offered an unprecedented programme with eight opera titles, four gala evenings and an extraordinary concert by the orchestra [...]
The Heights of Abraham has been recognised by Tripadvisor as a 2022 Travellers' Choice award winner for visitor attractions. The award celebrates businesses that have received great reviews from visitors around the globe on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months. “We're so pleased to receive this award once again,” says David Thornton, head of marketing [...]
The raffle held at the Liverpool Conference in February raised an amazing total of £1,725 which was donated to a prominent local centre which supports thousands of people in the city who are experiencing homelessness. The donation was acknowledged by the centre in a letter to CTA: “On behalf of The Whitechapel Centre I would [...]
The Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust has appointed Deirdre Wells OBE, chief executive Go To Places, to its board of trustees. Deirdre has been Chief Executive of Go To Places, encompassing destination management organisation Visit Kent, since September 2018. Prior to this she was chief executive of UKinbound and head of tourism at the Department of [...]
Visit Hull has launched a new website dedicated to tour operators and group travel organisers. The site Includes information for day visitors, visitors looking for overnight stays, and online bookable products including coach parking, inclusive packages (Shop Ahoy) and meet-and-greet services. In addition, the B2B pages provide suggested copy, image requests, press releases, and bespoke [...]
A major new exhibition that showcases reproductions of period costumes as worn by the Georgian, Regency, Victorian and Edwardian guests between 1787 and 1910, is now open at the Heights of Abraham. Modern day visitors will be able to walk back through time and come face to face with visitors of the past, whilst learning [...]
The latest VisitAberdeenshire travel trade product update features Haddo House and Greyhope Bay - Dolphins at the Battery. Haddo House is a striking mansion house set in 80 hectares of Aberdeenshire countryside. Home to the Gordon family for over 200 years, it regularly played host to royalty and dignitaries across the centuries and later was [...]
The latest ‘Reveal’ event at Liverpool Beatles Museum was a special “War is Over” card from John and Yoko which was presented to the then UK prime minister Harold Wilson. The Lennons had started their peace movement during their honeymoon in March 1969, having decided to use their fame and influence to promote peace in [...]
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London has announced it is switching to a new zero emission electric bus service. The buses replace an existing route that operates between the Studio Tour in Leavesden and Watford Junction train station. The move to e-buses means more than 264 tonnes of CO2 a year will be saved from entering [...]
The Royal Collection has confirmed that the Palace of Holyroodhouse and The Queen's Gallery, Edinburgh, will reopen on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in July and August this year. Both the Palace and Gallery will then return to a five-day opening (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) from September onwards. Click the link below for tickets. More information
Operator and wholesaler members enjoyed the first CTA Fam trip held since the pandemic which went to the Isle of Wight. The fam trip was inspired by the success of an earlier Johnsons Coaches’ ‘VIP Experience tour’ which Barry Cobb put together with Hovertravel, in 2019 following a successful auction bid at the CTA conference [...]
Visit Scotland has some live familiarisation events coming up with two dates in early May and three in September. There are a couple of spaces on the May fam trips available at the moment which are based in the North of Scotland. There is information here and below on the May showcases, including dates and [...]
The Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich is relaunching the Nelson Room after a major conservation project to renovate and reinterpret this fascinating room off the Painted Hall which boasts a rich history as part of Nelson and the Old Royal Naval College’s story. The Nelson Room restoration follows the award-winning conservation of the Baroque Painted [...]
Edinburgh attraction Forth Boat Tours has introduced a new Three Bridges Cruise & Lunch ticket that is exclusive to the travel trade. Group visitors can relax onboard a 90-minute sightseeing cruise of this UNESCO World Heritage site and listen to the guided commentary on board while they enjoy a four-course buffet to include a choice [...]
VisitAberdeenshire’s latest travel trade product update highlights Walking Tours in Aberdeen which can allow your clients to discover a different side to Aberdeen on a range of street art walking tours.Turs are led by local, expert guides who will introduce your clients to some of the city's most beautiful pieces of art. Daily scheduled tours [...]
CTA member Coldharbour Mill in Uffculme is continuing its Culm Valley Rural Skills Training Programme which creates opportunities for people in the community to gain new skills and will, in turn help to regenerate part of the Coldharbour Mill Estate. The scheme encourages those who are unemployed or inactive and are looking to acquire new [...]
Award-winning attraction, World of James Herriot in Thirsk celebrated its 10th anniversary as a private business in April. Ian Ashton, managing director of the attraction said: “It’s been a fantastic ten years developing the World of James Herriot into a world-class visitor attraction that welcomes people from all over the world. And it is all [...]
New CTA member Big Heritage is offering a discounted ticket for members for its Chester city centre attractions. The new Deva Roman Discovery Centre is an interactive, fully refurbished attraction behind The Rows on Bridge St which opens on 23 July this year. Big Heritage’s other attraction in the city is Sick to Death - a [...]
Everything Changed: new photographic exhibition to commemorate the Falklands conflict, 40 years on. A new exhibition to mark the 40th anniversary of the outbreak of the Falklands War has opened at Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust. Falklands 40: Everything Changed is a new exhibition by photographer and journalist Graham Bound which showcases a unique photographic journey [...]
Visitors to the Heights of Abraham this spring are invited to hold a conversation with the past, as live actors, depicting characters from the estate’s 233-year history have been added to the summit team until Jubilee weekend (4 June). Former Victorian owner of the Heights Benjamin Bryan explains: “In my day, visitors had to climb [...]
A newly-completed £5million conservation project has seen the installation of a protective free-standing timber structure at Clifford’s Tower in York, one of English Heritage’s iconic landmarks which now provides stunning views across the York skyline from a new ring-shaped roof deck that partially covers the 800-year-old ruin. English Heritage has added dramatic aerial walkways and [...]
The Royal Collection Trust’s latest group update includes details of the reopening of The Royal Mews which is home to the royal collection of historic coaches, carriages and The Queen's horses. The Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace is open from 19 May - 2 October. One of the finest working stables in existence, it offers a [...]
A new member of CTA, Kynren - An Epic Tale of England, brings history to life with a blockbuster open-air performance at 11 Arches Park, County Durham. Two thousand years of history, myth and legend rush by in 90 minutes as we see young Arthur on his epic quest. Rebellions, wars, magic, majesty, celebration, and [...]
