VisitScotland has issued an update on the latest changes as Scotland begins a gradual move out of lockdown. First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, confirmed that all areas of Scotland will move to level zero from Monday 19 July. The next review is due on 9 August. See the latest issue of Scotland News for more details [...]
CTA has established its new consumer-focussed marketing campaign under the WeLoveCoaches brand. We are concentrating on social media for the campaign and aiming to drive traffic to the newly-established WeLoveCoaches website which includes a page for all CTA operator members with direct links to their websites and social channels. Initial reactions and responses to the [...]
Update 24/02/21: Road Map Questions Attached is a copy of the collated questions on the Roadmap that have been sent to DCMS by the Tourism Alliance including specific references to the Day Trips questions raised by CTA. We are awaiting a government response. There are still a number of questions on the details but the [...]
There was a great piece on The One Show, BBC1 (19 Feb) highlighting the desire for coach passengers to get back out there on holiday! Lovely to hear first hand from eager coach customers about the importance of having something to look forward to this year. The One Show reporter Kevin Duala commented: “There’s particular [...]
Historic Royal Palaces reports that it is facing a £98million shortfall in its finances this year, an income reduction of more than 85 per cent. However it remains strongly committed to working with the travel trade and is hard at work to provide opportunities to get clients enthused about future travel and to have something [...]
CTA members took part in an Open Zoom Session focused on exchanging practical information as tours and excursions get underway. The meeting was very positive with many operators reporting tours already delivered, including the first to Lake Garda in Italy as well as Wales, Northern Ireland and around the UK. The Open Zoom format will [...]
The listings below were originally compiled in summer/autumn 2020 to provide updates on procedures for those suppliers able to welcome groups at their hotels and attractions as well as booking procedures and direct contacts. We are currently in the process of inviting suppliers to review and update the information for the re-starting of coach tours [...]
CTA members have already been putting new social media techniques into practice following a series of training sessions delivered for us by Justine Perry of Cariad. The sessions on facebook and instagram were very well received and participants received all the guidance notes and their own playbook following the webinars. One member who attended, Geoff [...]
It is great to see some coach tours and excursions getting under way again. Parry’s International had two trips running on the first weekend in August and the passengers loved it! Following the trip, Dave Parry received the following message from a satisfied customer: “We have just returned from our one night Mystery Weekend and [...]
Liverpool Football Club stadium tour and museum has launched a new tour, The Anfield Origins. This is an historical walking tour which takes in the external surroundings of the stadium learning about the hidden history and architecture surrounding the club from the late 19th century to the present day. The Anfield Origins Tour is around the perimeter of Anfield [...]
CTA member Wrightsure has launched a new Covid-19 travel insurance for coach tour operators. The insurance, which covers Covid-related cancellation and medical expenses, forms part of Wrightsure’s existing holiday travel insurance. The product has been designed for coach tour operators looking to offer added reassurance for their clients. It offers protection should a coach tour [...]
Mersey Ferries is now very much looking forward to the 2021 season with its Manchester Ship Canal Cruise and Liverpool Bay Cruise programmes now available for group bookings and reservations. The Manchester Ship Canal Cruise offers a fascinating full-day cruise between Liverpool and Manchester and the new Liverpool Bay Cruise offers a unique view of [...]
CTA operator members were out in force during the Honk for Hope event in London on 20 July. The campaign has aimed to highlight the plight of operators with a large majority having been unable to get access to any of the Covid rate support grants and now facing challenging finance repayments for vehicles that [...]
VisitScotland has launched a £3million marketing campaign with an emotive film welcoming back Scottish tourism and reminding us what a beautiful country we have right on our doorsteps. The film, which is covered on TV and radio stations across Scotland has the clear message that ‘Only in Scotland can travelling so little make such a [...]
Strathmore Hotels is reporting it is coach-ready and all eight of its hotels are open and have rooms available for August, September and October 2020, BB or DBB at great rates. There are Festive packages available in November and December too. Strathmore hotels: Alexandra Hotel- Fort William; Ben Nevis Hotel & Leisure Club - Fort William; Ben [...]
Over recent weeks Historic Royal Palaces has successfully opened some of its sites and welcomed positive reviews from visitors enjoying the palaces in a safe and secure environment once again. The organisation has now confirmed its plans to travel trade partners and group organisers, giving them the confidence and enabling them to include palace visits [...]
Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust is reopening The Historic Dockyard Chatham to visitors on Saturday 25 July. The attraction has been closed to the public since March as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst the government took the decision to allow tourism businesses to reopen from the start of July, the Trust has taken [...]
Following CTA contact with Sheringham Chamber of Trade, we have now had a positive response from North Norfolk District Council regarding future arrangements for coach parking in Cromer and Sheringham. The council has confirmed that its amendments to parking spaces is just a temporary arrangement and it will be monitoring demand for coach facilities on [...]
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Tourism has officially signalled the launch of the summer season with a new ‘We Are Tourism’ campaign. Using social media channels, and working with local businesses, the destination is heralding a new dawn for visitors after the disruption triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. The new campaign emphasises the measures implemented by [...]
Liverpool FC’s stadium tour and museum are now open and ready to welcome groups for the first time since March. Following the Government’s announcement that visitor attractions are able to reopen, the stadium tour and museum team have been working hard to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all guests in line with social [...]
The Scottish Government has confirmed that it has now moved to Phase 3 of its route map out of the Covid crisis, and accommodation and attractions (who are able to and who are following hygiene and distancing guidance) will re-open from 15 July. Over 3,000 Scottish businesses have signed up to the ‘Good to Go’ scheme [...]
Dalata has introduced a new Keep Safe Programme across its 44 hotels which includes a revised cleaning regime in each guest room, and a ‘fogging’ sanitisation treatment using Anolyte to provide an extra level of sterilisation. This is used in ‘Clean Room Technology’ throughout the pharmaceutical sector and some hospitals. Anolyte is electro-chemically activated water which [...]
New CTA member Staycity has re-opened properties to leisure and business guests across its European estate with a new ‘Stay with Confidence’ message backed up by a comprehensive set of health and safety protocols designed to minimise the risk of Covid-19 and deliver high standards of hygiene to both staff and guests. “We have systematically [...]
Historic Royal Palaces are testing operations in the first few weeks of opening, and are planning to re-open their website to group bookings within the Government guidelines of group gatherings, in the coming weeks. Further details will be available soon.
Sheringham Chamber of Trade in North Norfolk wants to hear from coach operators to establish how many coach tour companies are planning to operate excursions to the area in the coming three months. This relates to a recent decision to change coach parking bays in the main car park into car parking bays, as the [...]
Johnsons Coach Travel has been actively surveying its customers to find out their responses to the re-starting of tours and excursions, having published a new set of operating procedures to account for new Covid safety measures. John Johnson is happy for other members to see the results in case it helps them in their planning [...]
Hospitality Line is looking forward to welcoming back customers and has been working closely with its supplier partners to ensure all the required hygiene and social distancing measures are in place to ensure the health and well-being of all its guests. One positive piece of news is that Warner Bros. Studios tickets are now on [...]
The Old Royal Naval College, part of Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site, is reopening from Monday 13 July. This stunning London landmark will once again offer public access to its buildings and expansive grounds with visitor and staff safety measures in place. Groups are welcome to visit, but will be limited to a maximum [...]
Windermere Lake Cruises is operating some services again with a circular (non landing) 60-minute cruise from its three main piers, Bowness (up to every 15 mins), Ambleside (up to every 45 minutes), and Lakeside (every 90 minutes). These trips can include the steam train with a combined ticket available. Windermere Lake Cruises’ Jennifer Cormack says: [...]
The Silverstone Experience will reopen its doors on 20 July, giving motorsport fans the chance to get their racing fix after months of lockdown. Visitors will be able to get close to cars and bikes from seven decades of motorsport history and experience the Ultimate Lap – an immersive cinema show. The Silverstone Experience will [...]
Royal Collection Trust is re-opening Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace and The Queen’s Galleries in London and Edinburgh on Thursday 23 July. They will be open five days a week, from Thursday to Monday but only for direct booking individuals and 1-Year-Pass holders. Royal Collection Trust says that it would [...]
