More than 140 CTA and CPT members attended the first of a series of Live Sessions on 30 March with the focus on The Road to Recovery. The event was the first in a series of three online events which will coincide with the proposed key dates for the reopening of tourism in England.

A presentation by CPT’s Mark Purchase outlined the target dates for restarting in England and Scotland with the Wales government announcement pending. English Heritage’s Mercedes Picard then set out the steps that the organisation had implemented to ensure a safe reopening for visits and stressed the continued important role that coach group visits played at the properties. New facilities are available at a number of sites including Stonehenge and Boscobel House. [See further details here.]

The presentations were followed by a lively Q&A session hosted by CTA chair Robert Shaw and Duncan Aspinall, CPT Coach Commission chair with members discussing their plans for getting restarted once the lockdown rules begin to ease. There was some debate about different approaches to dates for restarting and some members, including Bakers Dolphin’s Amanda Harrington expressing the view that it was important to get back out on the road as soon as possible to help build consumer confidence.

A question raised at the session on vaccines reflected a point some operators are being asked about whether operators might decide to adopt a ‘vaccinated-only’ policy, but in response, CTA’s Robert Shaw thought that this was not really a viable policy given the data protection implications, and Amanda Harrington pointed out that it might exclude younger family members accompanying their parents on trips which was a common occurrence among their customers.

The next two events in the series are as follows:

Session 2 –Tuesday 27 April, 10.30

Ahead of the overnight stay relaxation on 17 May (allowing tours)

Session 3 – Tuesday 1 June, 10.00

Ahead of the fuller opening on 21 June (normal business may resume)  

Please make a note of the dates in your diary. Registration links for these will be circulated nearer the time.