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 [...]
Tourism Ireland, on behalf of the Lisburn and Castlereagh Council is inviting operators to attend a Westminster Business Showcase on Wednesday 21 September 2022 The aim of the event is to shine a major focus on tourism and hospitality that plans to: Showcase the Royal Hillsborough product to new markets; Create commercial opportunities for local companies to [...]
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 operators and wholesalers are invited by VisitFlanders to a fully-hosted trip to the Flanders Travel Forum in Bruges from 25-28 September 2022. It’s a great opportunity for those wanting to reacquaint themselves with the region and get to know the city of Bruges again. It includes pre- and post-tours, and the main workshop supplier [...]
CTA members were treated to some legendary Scottish hospitality at the Summer Networking event in Glasgow. Delegates were hosted at the well-located Crowne Plaza and a series of visits and a Workshop were arranged with support from our Partner member VisitScotland along with National Trust for Scotland, Glasgow Life and local attractions. The Riverside Museum [...]
Visit Wales’ new Travel Trade website is now live and is a great reference source with lots of information and links to new group products in Wales including: Newly qualified guides join WOTGA Taste of Wales’ evenings with Loving Welsh Food Woolly North Wales tours Coin, Coal and Cheers experience at 3 South Wales attractions – The [...]
Valor Hospitality is delighted to be the hosts for the Coach Tourism Association Summer Networking Event, taking place at one of its largest properties, Crowne Plaza Glasgow, in July. Valor looks forward to welcoming CTA buyers and suppliers to Crowne Plaza Glasgow. Valor Hospitality is an multi-award-winning hotel management company, operating a global hotel portfolio [...]
Ambassador Cruise Line will be offering six sailings from Dundee from April 2023 offering various voyages until June 2023. In addition, Ambassador’s latest edition to the fleet, Ambition, will set sail on her inaugural season on 4 March 2023 with capacity for 1,200 guests. Ambassador’s two ships will be sailing to six continents and 58 countries, calling [...]
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.
Bakers Dolphin provided eight coaches to support Weston Hospicecare’s Mendip Challenge, which is now in its 31st year. The event involves hundreds of people walking across the Mendips to support the charity, which provides palliative care for people living with life-limiting illnesses in and around Weston-super-Mare. The challenge raises tens of thousands of pounds every year. [...]
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 [...]
Gary Toshack is the new trade representative for the UK outbound leisure market for Visit Brussels Tourist Board which has recently joined CTA. “I am delighted to be taking on the exciting role of driving more UK trade awareness to Brussels, a great city break destination with many hidden gems,” says Toshack. “My approach will [...]
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 [...]
We have a spectacular Summer Networking event planned in Glasgow including some great trips to local attractions, a civic reception and Scotland Workshop for buyers. We are very grateful to our Partner member VisitScotland who are supporting the event for operator and wholesaler members. Book via this link The event starts on Sunday afternoon (24 [...]
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 [...]
CTA operators are invited to attend the Hilton Customer Showcase at the London Hilton Park Lane on Wednesday 6 July 2022. The event will run from 12.30pm – 8.30pm, so you are able to attend at a time that suits you. Refreshments will be served throughout the day and there will be lots of hotel prizes to win [...]
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
Welsh tourism organisations and local authorities provided a very warm welcome to Coach Tourism Association delegates for their Spring Networking event which is likely to lead to a strong boost for tours and excursions to the area. The CTA event was sponsored by Visit Wales with strong support from Southern Wales Tourism who organised a [...]
There may be contingency road closures in London over the Platinum Jubilee: Thursday 2 June 2022 - Trooping the Colour Due to the potential high number of attendees at the event, when the event finishes, it may be possible that the police will also close Parliament Square to assist with the egress of the crowds. [...]
CTA delegates will enjoy a very warm welcome in Southern Wales for the 2022 Spring Networking event which is based at the brand new Mercure Newport hotel and generously sponsored by Visit Wales, supported by Tourism South Wales and Newport County Council. The event kicks off with a reception at the Riverfront Theatre from midday [...]
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 [...]
Group Line is exclusively offering tickets for Pretty Woman: The Musical through to 2 April 2023. Pretty Woman: The Musical in the West End gives visitors the chance to experience one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories of all time live on stage at its glamorous new home - the Savoy Theatre. Get ready to fall [...]
Castle Howard promises another exciting season with an annual events programme that includes the likes of Duran Duran, The Chemical Brothers, and an iconic Proms weekend in August. The Estate will also host a range of added-value events for visitors, including the annual Festival of Dogs in May, Jubilee celebrations and new exhibitions. More than [...]
Group bookings are now open for 2022 at Waddesdon which offer a chance to find a little bit of France in the Chilterns with a beautiful French-style châteaux and tranquil landscaped gardens. Visitors can explore beautiful floral displays, see rare birds in the aviary and step inside the Manor to discover the Rothschild's extensive art [...]
CTA’s Spring Networking event will take place in Southern Wales on 22-23 May. We will be based at the brand new Mercure Newport Hotel and the event includes a half-day Fam trip on Sunday with our AGM and a showcase and seminar on Monday morning. The half-day familiarisation visit around Southern Wales will be a [...]
An Isle of Wight Experience Fam trip for CTA operators and wholesalers will take place on Fri 25 to Sun 27 March. It includes visits to a range of attractions that could form the basis of some great coach tours of the island. Please book now via this link. The Fam is hosted by Hovertravel, [...]
We have so many wonderful photos from the CTA Conference & Workshop held in Liverpool on 6-8 Feb. Many thanks to Stuart Render for photography. Here is a video slideshow of the photos And here is a gallery of the images: [...]
