CTA members are reminded that the final booking deadline to attend the CTA Annual Workshop is midnight Friday 19 December. Over 150 members have already signed up for the event that will take place 6-10 February 2026 in Derry~Londonderry, sponsored by Tourism Ireland. The 19 December deadline is in place to arrange more than 1,200 [...]
115 Coach Tourism Association members attended CTA Winter Networking Perthshire, 21-24 November, sponsored by VisitScotland and Perth & Kinross Council and supported by Scotland’s Tay Country. Several operators have made requested bookings as a result of the event that presented new product development opportunities. Hosted primarily at the Crieff Hydro Hotel, the weekend visited various [...]
The CTA would like to thank Steve & Sue Rooney as they step down from the organisation after eight years’ service. Steve & Sue have successfully headed CTA’s membership operations and communications management since 2017. Their final day with the CTA will be 19 December. Overseeing management of CTA operations, including during the challenges of [...]
The CTA is happy to announce that membership rates and Partner rates will be frozen for 2026. Membership renewal applications will be distributed by e-mail from 15 December. Freezing the membership and partner rates at the same level as 2025, the annual membership rates are: Small coach operator (operating up to 5 coaches) – £285 [...]
Visitor registration is now open for the British Tourism and Travel Show 2026, taking place Thursday 19 March, Hall 8, NEC Birmingham. BTTS is the UK’s biggest event for group travel, showcasing the best of group tourism across the British Isles and beyond. Attendance to visit the event is free. The CTA will be present [...]
The Castle of Brecon Hotel, part of the Coaching Inn Group, has been fully restored inside and out as part of a £3m refurbishment for the Brecon landmark. The hotel is located within the remains of the original Brecon Castle and offers 42 guest bedrooms, a restaurant, bar, and social spaces, which blend modern comfort [...]
Perth Museum, the new £26.5m redevelopment of a historic building in the centre of Perth City, has released its travel trade rates and guide. A popular feature on the recent CTA Winter Networking event, The Perth Museum invites visitors to explore Scotland’s past and its connection to the wider world through its display of exceptional [...]
CTA members are invited to a networking evening followed by dinner and an overnight stay at the Hilton London Croydon on Tuesday 20 January. Hilton London Croydon offers an ideal location to explore London and its attractions, as well as a base to explore the South East counties including Surrey, Sussex, and Kent. The hotel [...]
The Museum of Royal Worcester, the famed porcelain brand, is inviting group travel organisers to step into a world of creativity, heritage, and craftsmanship spanning over 250 years. The museum is located by the regenerated Royal Porcelain Works factory site in the historic city of Worcester. Founded in 1751, Dr. Wall’s early porcelain factory began [...]
Scotland's Tay Country has published its new Coach Operator Toolkit, providing operators with full information to plan, promote, and deliver coach trips and tours across Scotland’s Tay Country. Tay Country comprises Angus, Fife, Perthshire, and the city of Dundee. The new toolkit provides insights to help operators understand the Tay Country offer, including suggestions for [...]
Cornwall Council has advised that Fairmantle Coach Park in Truro will be closed to coach operators from 5pm on Friday 20 February 2026 until Monday 23 March 2026. For coach drop off and pick up during this period, the council suggests using the bus stops on St Clement Street, which are not currently in use. [...]
The popular Stratford-upon-Avon attraction Shakespeare's Schoolroom & Guildhall, has published its new group rates covering 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028, including group tours. The 605-year-old building, built during the reign of Henry V, is the location where the young William Shakespeare was educated and inspired to become one of the world’s most famous [...]
Shuttleworth has added a Hawker Hurricane to its collection of historic aircraft, with the aircraft registration G-HURI flying in at the end of November. Hawker Hurricane G-HURI was one of the first civilian Hurricanes flying in 1989, and Shuttleworth’s addition has been added from the Historic Aircraft Collection. The airworthy Hurricane was part of the [...]
Over 100 CTA members have already signed up for the CTA Annual Workshop, sponsored by Tourism Ireland, taking place 6-10 February 2026 in Derry~Londonderry, with Early Bird Booking available until Friday 14 November. Limited places remain for the pre-event fam trips open to Buyer members, with accommodation provided by Tourism Northern Ireland, including options for [...]
CTA Winter Networking, taking place in Perthshire, 22-24 November, sponsored by VisitScotland and Perth & Kinross Council, has received 117 bookings from buyer and supplier members. A very limited number of final places are still available – e-mail Isabelle Sanzelle Kanaan if you require a late booking. Based at the Crieff Hydro Hotel, the weekend [...]
More than 60 CTA members attended the CTA Networking event at WTM 2025 last week, which took place on the opening morning of the global travel show at Excel London. With a significant increase of members attending the CTA event compared to last year, there was a good mix of buyers and suppliers and a [...]
Registration is now underway for VisitScotland Connect 2026, Scotland’s biggest travel trade event, which will take place 15-16 April at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC), Glasgow. The event presents tourism buyers from around the world with the opportunity to experience Scotland. The VisitScotland Connect format includes two days of pre-scheduled, one-to-one workshop appointments. The event is [...]
The first, new Mersey Ferry in more than 60 years has taken to the water in Liverpool where sea trials will begin next year. The Royal Daffodil, the new £26m Mersey Ferry, was moved to the River Mersey on 6 November for basin testing, where the vessel first touches the water to test propulsion, steering, [...]
Holiday wholesaler Ashley & Newey has presented its brand new 2027 portfolio, offering inspiring coach holiday experiences across the UK and Ireland. Specialising in coach holiday experiences, Ashley & Newey provides comprehensive tour management, including accommodation, itineraries, ferries, room requests, invoicing, marketing support, and driver notes. New featured tours for 2027 include Leeds Castle and [...]
CTA member Raby Castle in County Durham has created a festive package for groups featuring the new Raby Castle at Christmas experience. For the first time in fifty years, groups can visit the ground floor of the fourteenth century castle, which will be open to the public in the build up to Christmas. The new [...]
Westminster Abbey has launched a new groups booking portal, giving access to group tickets with guaranteed timed entry. Travel trade partners and Blue Badge Guides can now register for a groups booking portal account, which will become the standard booking route for all groups visiting Westminster Abbey. The registration form is live now on Westminster Abbey’s Groups [...]
CTA member Thwaites Hotels has won the AA Group of the Year prize at the AA Hospitality Awards 2025. The award category was for large hotel groups providing the best levels of service, food, and accommodation across the range of properties. The ceremony, hosted by TV and radio presenter Vernon Kay, was held at the [...]
Isle of Man DMC has launched a new collection of small-group sightseeing tours designed to help coach and group operators add the Isle of Man to their programmes. The new range available from the CTA member offers ready-to-sell, fully commissionable day tours that can be combined within wider touring itineraries or adapted for private groups. [...]
Cadw would like to remind coach operators about the advantages of its Tour Operator Scheme when making bookings to its historic properties in Wales. Cadw is the Welsh government’s historic environment service, presenting visitors with a range of special interest sites and buildings. For group visits, the Tour Operator Scheme provides preferential trade rates, two [...]
Ropewalks Hotel Liverpool is offering a three-night festive package including Christmas Day dinner. With check in on 23 December or Christmas Eve, the three-night package includes mince pies and mulled wine on arrival, three nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation, and a four-course Christmas Day dinner. The three-night package is available for £360 per person, and [...]
The fish and chip restaurant chain Trenchers is taking over The Boatman’s Café in Bowness-on-Windermere from late spring 2026, with plans to offer large group bookings for coach groups. The site is located adjacent to the Windermere Lake Cruises coach park, and Trenchers is said to be investing more than £1m in the redevelopment, which [...]
Bookings are now open for the CTA Annual Workshop which takes place in Derry/Londonderry on 6-10 February 2026. The event includes a new all-day Workshop on the Monday which has been scheduled in response to members’ requests to provide more time for the appointments. The Annual Workshop’s headline sponsor is CTA partner member Tourism Ireland [...]
The last call is being made for places at CTA Winter Networking, 22-24 November, and members are also invited to CTA Networking event at WTM 2025, 4 November. CTA Winter Networking, sponsored by VisitScotland and Perth & Kinross Council, will take place in Perthshire, including a programme of fam trips such as Forth Boat Tours [...]
The Port of Dover has launched a phased introduction of the new European Union Entry/Exit System (EES). The new system requires all coach passengers travelling through the Port of Dover to attend the new coach facility at the Western Docks for EES and border processing. Port of Dover advises that all coach drivers should arrive [...]
Zedwell, managed by Criterion Hospitality, has launched Zedwell Capsule Hotel Piccadilly Circus, said to be the largest capsule hotel in the world, offering group rates of £25 per person per night. Sitting directly above Piccadilly Circus Underground Station, the hotel includes nearly 1000 individual sleep capsules spanning five floors. Zedwell says that a capsule hotel [...]
Jamesway Travel based in Rugby has announced that it will be operating its final tours, bringing to a close 35 years of service. “After long consideration, it is with sadness and a heavy heart that we will be running our final holidays. Like many independent businesses in the leisure industry, we never fully recovered from [...]
Marriott franchisee Hotel Co 51, with hotels across the UK and Europe, has joined the Coach Tourism Association, underlining its commitment to work closely with coach operators. The hotel portfolio includes London, Edinburgh, Copenhagen, Berlin, Milan, and Paris. Hotel Co 51 says its properties are designed to meet the needs of groups, providing accessible locations, [...]
Brunel's SS Great Britain, the world's first great ocean liner, has joined the CTA. Today, the ship rests in dry dock in Bristol's vibrant harbourside as a leading attraction for the city. In an immersive and sensory experience, groups can discover how Isambard Kingdom Brunel revolutionised travel and set new standards in engineering. Aboard the [...]
Derbyshire’s award-winning visitor attraction, The Heights of Abraham, has announced that the 2025 Lights of Abraham event will shine from 21 November. The 2025 Lights of Abraham will feature new glittering archways, interactive stepping stones, a neon forest, and giant illuminated creatures including majestic swans, on a trail that can take over an hour to [...]
In 2026, Oxford’s Bodleian Library will stage daytime group tours in peak season for the first time. The Bodleian Library is one of the oldest libraries in Europe and is a group of 23 libraries that serve the University of Oxford. In 2026, group tours will continue in July and August, and the library has [...]
Hovertravel Ltd, the world’s longest-running passenger hovercraft service, is celebrating after being named Ferry Operator of the Year at the National Transport Awards 2025. The awards were held at the start of October and took place at the Westminster Park Plaza in London, hosted by broadcaster, Jeremy Vine. This is the first time Hovertravel, now [...]
A Very Austen Christmas at the Royal Pavilion Brighton will celebrate 250 years since the birth of Jane Austen as the historic building is decked out in Regency splendour. Between 22 November to 4 January, the event transforms the Royal Pavilion for a Regency-style celebration with an Austen-inspired set. Characters from Austin’s novels will come [...]
Shuttleworth has announced its 2026 ‘Events & More’ season, with occasions ranging from a comedy night, to music performances, and a Christmas lights trail. The Biggleswade, Bedfordshire estate is home to a famous collection of aircraft, presenting the fleet in amazing air shows, plus a range of motor vehicles from over the years. Now, Shuttleworth’s [...]
Kents Cavern Prehistoric Caves in Devon has joined the CTA. As one of the most significant Stone Age sites in Europe and part of the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark, the caves have been welcoming visitors for over 120 years and are one of Devon’s leading attractions. A guided tour takes visitors through an extensive [...]
Limited places are available for the CTA Winter Networking, with the pre-event overnight at Peebles now full. Taking place in Perthshire between 22-24 November, the event is sponsored by VisitScotland and Perth & Kinross Council. In a packed weekend, fam trips include Forth Boat Tours, Scone Palace, the Perth Museum, and Black Watch Museum, plus a visit to [...]
CTA is inviting members to the annual CTA Networking event at WTM 2025 on the opening morning of the World Travel Market exhibition, Tuesday 4 November, 9am-11am. The event will take place in the main bar area of The Fox pub at Excel. There’s no booking required for the CTA event, however members must book [...]
Tiroler Abend, The Tyrolean Folk Show with the Gundolf Family, based in Innsbruck, has released 2026 group rates and an itinerary suggestion for UK coach tour operators. Taking place in Alpensaal in Innsbruck’s city centre, the Gundolf Family presents an evening of traditional Tyrolean entertainment including yodelling, music, and dancing. The team of highly skilled [...]
Belvoir Castle, the fairytale Leicestershire home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, will be dressing its Regency State rooms in festive finery this year as its Christmas event reopens. From Saturday 29 November to Tuesday 30 December, A Magical Night Before Christmas at Belvoir Castle will invite visitors to tour the early nineteenth century [...]
Worldwide Attractions is offering CTA members a fam trip to Rotterdam in December on a visit that showcases what the city has to offer coach groups. Between 10–12 December 2025, plus an optional extension to 13 December, the Rotterdam experience includes an overnight ferry with P&O from Hull to Rotterdam. Worldwide Attractions will confirm the [...]
UK hotel management company Providence Hotels has announced the lease acquisition of four Mercure properties, including Mercure Exeter Southgate, Mercure Daventry Court, Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh, and Mercure Haydock. The expansion strengthens Providence Hotels’ footprint in key UK destinations, with the company now operating 14 hotels across the UK including the South West, the Midlands, the [...]
Coach groups are being invited to St Paul’s Cathedral, London, to experience one of England’s most iconic landmarks and over 1,400 years of history. Visiting coach groups can explore the Cathedral Floor and Crypt, along with the intricate mosaics and historic monuments. The dome was an iconic scene during The Battle of Britain, where today’s [...]
The Maison des Landes accessible hotel in Jersey is welcoming groups, combining the atmosphere of a modern hotel with the latest facilities for people with disabilities, and their carers. Set in tranquil grounds overlooking Jersey's National Park, the hotel includes a restaurant and a daily schedule of activities. Maison des Landes comprises 15 ground-floor rooms, all [...]
Cornwall’s The Lost Gardens of Heligan, near Mevagissey, is launching a new programme, ‘Homecoming Presents’, that will welcome authors, musicians, poets, horticulturalists, chefs, and artists to Cornwall this Autumn for inspiring evenings and important conversations. The first event takes place on 17 September with Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, founder of The Thousand Year Trust, who will talk [...]
Caerphilly Castle, the second largest castle in Britain and the largest in Wales, has reopened to visitors, with its refurbishment including state-of-the art digital exhibits. Managed by Cadw, refurbishment includes the Great Hall, decorated to reflect the grandeur of how it might have appeared in its medieval heyday. With digital enhancements, visitors are transported back [...]
LeShuttle, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, has increased coach capacity with the reopening of the refurbished UK Coach Exit Check Hall inside the main terminal building at Folkestone. The change increases capacity from two coaches up to six coaches per hour, which LeShuttle says gives operators greater scheduling flexibility, reduced waiting times, and the [...]
