Destination UK Spring 2019

Issue 76 Spring 2019 £2.75

Visits from Japan to the UK set to grow in 2019

JAPANESE tourism to the UK is expected to grow this year to its highest level since 2007, as the two countries continue to strengthen economic and cultural ties.

National tourism agency VisitBritain expects visit numbers from Japan to reach 270,000 in 2019 – a nine per cent increase on 2017.

Spending by Japanese visitors in the UK is expected to reach £285million this year, up from £250million in 2017.

Nationals from Japan will be able to use ePassport gates to enter the UK from summer 2019 as part of the government’s commitment to develop a new global immigration system as we leave the EU. ePassport gates, which are currently available for British and EU nationals, provide a faster route through the border as they allow eligible passengers to be processed quickly and securely.

Growing airline connectivity with a new direct, non-stop route from Osaka to London scheduled for April 2019 by British Airways is also expected to boost visitor numbers.

VisitBritain director Patricia Yates said: “Japan is an important market for VisitBritain and we want the UK to be the number one destination in Europe for Japanese visitors, so it is encouraging to see the expected growth this year.

“A passion for rugby is a strong

connection between our countries and the Rugby World Cup in Japan this year also provides us with a valuable opportunity to promote Britain internationally as the ‘home of rugby’ and our associated destinations and tourism experiences.

“Tourism is a fiercely competitive global industry and we continue to promote the message of welcome and value, working with partners to make it easier to travel here and promote the amazing experiences that Japanese travellers can only have in Britain.”

VisitBritain’s global campaign “I Travel For…” that launched in Japan last year is also shining the spotlight on unexpected experiences and less explored destinations across the UK alongside its globally renowned and iconic landmarks and attractions to drive tourism from Japan.

VisitBritain is working with travel trade and content partners to amplify its marketing reach in Japan and convert the inspiration to visit Britain into bookings.

Visitors from Japan spent, on average, £1,011 per visit in the UK in 2017, compared to the all market average of £625.

Culture is one of the key attractions for tourists from Japan who enjoy visiting the UK’s museums and art galleries, sightseeing at famous monuments and buildings and visiting castles or historic houses.

Finance director wins top accolade

Martine McCutcheon has joined Warner’s Star Break line-up and will perform at Bodelwyddan Castle in November. She became a household name as Tiffany Mitchell in ‘EastEnders’ for which she won an NTA Award for ‘Most Popular Actress’ and a TV Quick Award for ‘Best Actress’. Martine then shot to number one in the UK charts with her debut single ‘Perfect Moment’ and had top 10 hits with ‘I’ve Got You’ and ‘Talking In Your Sleep’ from her platinum selling album ‘You Me and Us’.

Her acting credits span both stage and screen and she won international acclaim in Richard Curtis’ ‘Love Actually’, as well as appearing on TV in ‘Spooks’, ‘Agatha Christie’s Marple’, ‘Midsomer Murders’ and ‘The Bromley Boys’, to name but a few.

SARA Bertin, finance director at Shorefield Holidays, has been recognised for her innovation and business acumen in a prestigious national award.

She was awarded runner-up in the Business Women of the Year (Large) at the National Business Women’s Awards which also honours qualities of vision, entrepreneurial drive, leadership and demonstration of commitment to gender diversity. Sara joined the family-run company specialising in holiday homes and holidays on the south coast in 1980, after qualifying as a chartered accountant with Grant Thornton, and is the daughter of Dr Robert Pollock, who founded the park in 1958.

At that time, Shorefield owned one park and over the years this has grown to eight.

Simon Pollock, chairman and managing director of Shorefield Holidays, said: “We are delighted that Sara’s drive, dedication and commitment to the company has been recognised with this award.

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Holiday park operator scoops two Beautiful South awards HOLIDAY park operator Away Resorts was a double winner at the prestigious Beautiful South Awards at The Grand Hotel, Brighton.

Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight and its woodland retreat of Sandy Balls Holiday Village in the New Forest scooped silver and bronze respectively in the Camping, Caravanning and Holiday Park/Village category at the glittering ceremony, organised by Tourism South East and Services for Tourism.

The awards aim to shine a spotlight on the whole host of quality and successful hospitality businesses throughout the region.

Away Resorts operations director Greg Lashley said: “Our staff at Whitecliff Bay and Sandy Balls work hard all year round to ensure we provide our guests with the best holiday experience.

“Away Resorts’ multi-million-pound investment in these parks over recent years ensure we can continue to offer the most memorable of holidays, as well as helping to shine a light on the Isle of Wight and the New Forest as spectacular holiday destinations, bringing a welcome financial boost to the local economies.”

As part of a £1m investment, Whitecliff Bay welcomed a new holiday home – the first of its type in the UK. Taking its inspiration from great British rock music, the Rockstar holiday home pays homage to the UK’s best and biggest rock legends with an interior décor that has more than a hint of country chic – and Whitecliff Bay was one of the first

Contacts EDITORIAL Judith Halkerston group editor jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Dominic Musgrave production editor dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

PRODUCTION Stewart Holt – studio manager – sth@scriptmedia.co.uk Ben Thornley – graphic designer bt@scriptmedia.co.uk ADVERTISING Tony Barry sales and marketing director 01226 734605 tb@scriptmedia.co.uk

holiday parks in the country to have this type of accommodation.

The investment has also led to the installation of 45 new holiday homes and lodges on the Crosswinds development at the holiday park, many of which have hot tubs.

Sandy Balls also benefitted from a £1m investment into new accommodation, in particular The Zen, which is exclusive accommodation to the site.

It is an innovative type of holiday home designed to be calm, relaxing and a perfect space to chill out with friends and family in the woodland retreat.

Away Resorts has also made significant investment in facilities at Sandy Balls, spending £400,000 on rebranding and re-launching Aubrey’s Forest Kitchen, giving it a new look inspired by its forest setting with restyled seating in the restaurant, a new bar area and outdoor dining space and a Starbucks coffee offering. The restaurant’s name

pays homage to one of the original founders of Sandy Balls, Aubrey Westlake.

The operator has also invested £300,000 on refurbishing some of the existing holiday village accommodation, £100,000 on improvements to the indoor pool and £240,000 on landscaping the village square.

This year Away Resorts is investing £10m into creating and landscaping a new development of 108 accommodation units in its woodland retreat at Sandy Balls.

The new accommodation will be a combination of cottage-style lodges and new treehouse-inspired accommodation, many of which will have car-charging points, and will be able to sleep up to eight guests.

The development will have landscaping that is native to the New Forest and will also feature new additions such as mini kitchen gardens that could be used for educational purposes.

CIRCULATION Kelly Tarff 01226 734695 kt@scriptmedia.co.uk Web: www.destination.uk.com

At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If you have a complaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, in the first instance, contact us by email: dm@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice as demanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. For details on the code and what to do should you be unsatisfied with the way we handle your complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk

Mountaineering legend features on new currency MOUNTAINEERING legend Sir Chris Bonington is one of the latest heroes to be immortalised on the Lake District’s new currency the Lake District Pound.

The 84-year-old adventurer, who lives near Caldbeck, in Cumbria, appears on the currency alongside three other legends of the Lakes – Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter, National Trust founder Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley and educational pioneer Charlotte Mason.

The four characters feature across the Lake District Pound’s new LD£1, LD£5, LD£10 and LD£20 designs for 2019, which include the unique work of local portrait artist Rebecca Gill as part of the compositions.

The Lake District Pound is a community currency designed to help locals and visitors enjoy Cumbrian culture, support local businesses and help look after the area’s landscapes and communities.

Launched on May 1, the Lake District Pound is a complementary currency, which can be used interchangeably alongside Sterling, but only spent at independent, local businesses.

The aim is to drive more footfall to unique retailers, shops, cafes, attractions and other businesses in

the area.

Ken Royall, founder and director of the Lakes Currency Project, said: “It’s been an amazing year for the project and we’re so happy that tens of thousands of LD£ are now in circulation.

“It’s great to be able to reveal the next set of designs, which will be valid through to January 2020.

“We cannot wait to carry on pushing the project forward, growing the number of businesses and

places you can use the Lake District Pound and supporting more and more of our local businesses.

Since launch, around LD£140,000 has gone into circulation, with more than 350 businesses accepting the currency.

The Lake District Pound is designed locally, with the help of talented local artists and designers.

Lakes Currency Project creative director, Sophie Crewdson, said: “With exciting new designs every

year, the Lake District Pound is an amazing creative platform not only to celebrate the endless inspiring people and stories associated with the Lake District and Cumbria, but also to showcase the creative talent that exists in our region.

“In 2018, Holly Acland’s wonderful portrait elements and watercolours helped to give our first set of currency a really magical appeal.

“For 2019, in this new set of notes, we wanted to delight people with a new and exciting style, and so chose to work with up-and-coming local artist Rebecca Gill, whose bold and colourful portrait elements give an amazing vibrancy to the notes and the characters featured on them.

“Rebecca worked closely with myself and our Kendal-based designer, Debbie Vayanos to bring together all the many exciting elements and design features that you’ll discover in your 2019 LD£.

“Our vision is for each year’s set of designs to tell different stories, while also creating unique and collectable art as our ideas evolve and as we work with different artists over the years.

“At the same time, we make sure our notes are easy to recognise.”

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DESTINATIONNEWS

Tourism Society honours Robin at special lunch

Fundraising at Haven’s 36 parks has raised more than £115,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute.

Charity partnership raises more than £115k in first year HAVEN is celebrating the first year of its national charity partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution after raising more than £115,000 to help save lives at sea.

Having supported RNLI’s lifesaving work since the partnership launched in March, fundraising activity has taken place across Haven’s network of 36 parks.

Jane Bentall, managing director at Haven, said: ‘We are so proud of our partnership with the RNLI and what a fantastic year it has been.

“In 2018, Haven welcomed 2.9 million guests to the coast, so it is so important that we have the opportunity to share vital water safety advice with them.”

Haven teams, holiday home owners and holidaymakers have thrown themselves into events and challenges for the RNLI’s flagship fundraising campaign Mayday and seafood-themed Fish Supper event.

They include Strictly-inspired dance contests, a yellow welly relay between parks, family festivals,

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donkey rides, football tournaments, open water swimming, leg-waxing and ‘gungeing’.

Haven and the RNLI’s cuddly mascots, Rory the Tiger and lifeboatman Stormy Stan, also got involved in the family fun on parks, together with the other members of Haven’s Seaside Squad.

Even more importantly, the partners have had the opportunity to share the RNLI’s water safety advice with guests at Haven holiday parks.

More than 3,000 children took part in RNLI Coastal Explorer, a co-created family activity led by Haven’s Park Rangers that helps kids enjoy the coast while learning how to stay safe beside the seaside.

The partnership has also seen the RNLI gain new supporters, with 83 people signing up at one park in Devon alone.

Looking ahead, Haven and the RNLI are planning to develop their relationship to promote water safety through fun events on and around their parks.

AMBA Hotel Charing Cross, part of the glh Hotels portfolio, has been awarded the TripAdvisor 2018 Travellers’ Choice Award and has been ranked number 23 of the best hotels in the United Kingdom.

The award is achieved by hotels who consistently receive five-star reviews from guests and is based on feedback left by TripAdvisor travellers during the past year.

ROBIN Sheppard, chairman of the Institute of Hospitality and of the Bespoke Hotels Group was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Tourism Society in recognition of his innovative contribution to the UK’s hospitality industry.

The award was presented at a lunch organised by the Tourism Society’s Tourism Consultants Network held in his honour at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington.

A tribute to Robin’s lifetime achievements was delivered by Mike Jones, managing director of Delta Squared, Fellow and Board Member of the Tourism Society and former vice-president of global distribution for Hilton International, InterContinental and the Forte Group.

Under Robin’s chairmanship, Bespoke Hotels has grown to become one of the UK’s largest privately owned hotel groups with over 200 boutique, country house, romantic, family and business hotel properties in the UK and across 18 overseas countries.

He has also been elected

recently to the prestigious post of chairman of the Institute of Hospitality, a global organisation that has members in more than 100 countries worldwide and leads the way in promoting quality standards across the industry through award schemes and innovative training programmes.

Robin’s earlier career spans general manager roles in some of England’s finest and most distinctive properties, such as the Lygon Arms in Broadway, the Royal Berkshire in Ascot and the Bath Spa Hotel.

This is the eighth Honorary Fellowship awarded at the initiative of the Tourism Consultants Network, Europe’s leading professional association of tourism consultants.

Previous honorees have been Taleb Rifai, outgoing secretary-general of UNWTO, Christopher Rodrigues, past chairman of VisitBritain, Chris Brown, COO of Easyjet, Clive Jacobs, founder of Holiday Autos, the travel journalist and broadcaster Simon Calder, Liz Terry MBE, CEO of Leisure Media, and Peter Long, former CEO of the Tui Group.

Loganair expands into Europe with new route LOGANAIR is adding Germany to its destination map for the first time, as the airline announces the commencement of daily flights from March 31 to Düsseldorf using its newly-acquired Embraer 145 Regional Jet aircraft.

Loganair – recently awarded the prestigious European Regional Airline of the Year award – is stepping in to protect the route, which supports important cultural and business links between the west of Scotland and the North Rhine – Westphalia region of Germany. Current operator Eurowings has elected to discontinue its service, which will end on the previous day.

With incoming visitors from Germany proving increasingly important to the west of Scotland, Loganair’s decision to secure the route’s future ahead of the busy Easter and summer visitor seasons has been warmly welcomed by the tourism industry.

Business and trading links between the regions – across a wide range

of sectors including aerospace, food and drink, telecoms and the energy industry – will similarly be safeguarded by Loganair’s move.

Jonathan Hinkles, Loganair’s managing director said: “Our new Dusseldorf route is Loganair’s first foray into Germany, heralding another significant milestone for the airline as our reach extends into continental Europe. We’re now able to carry passengers further and faster since adding Embraer 145 jets into the fleet, an important development for international travel.”

“The coming months are set to be an exciting period for Loganair, as we continue to provide excellent service to customers in our Scottish heartlands while setting our sights into Europe.”

The new Loganair schedule departs Glasgow at 10.20am, arriving in Dusseldorf one hour and 50 minutes later at 1.10pm local time, before returning to Scotland at 1.50pm and touching down again in Glasgow at 2.40pm.

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Jennifer Cormack elected onto UK Inbound board of directors THE sales and marketing director of Windermere Lake Cruises has been voted on to the board of directors at one of the country’s most wellrespected trade associations.

Jennifer Cormack is one of three new directors to join UK Inbound after six nominees were considered ahead of a members’ vote, the results of which were announced at the Winter General Meeting.

The body represents the interests of the UK’s inbound tourism and works to ensure the sector is recognised as one of the country’s leading economic and employment drivers.

In addition, UK Inbound lobbies the Government on vital issues that affect the tourism industry on behalf of its 400-plus member businesses, which includes Windermere Lake Cruises among its membership.

Jennifer, who assumed office at the close of the Annual General Meeting on February 6, said: “It’s

Jennifer Cormack is one of three new directors to join UK Inbound. such a privilege and an honour to be voted on to the UK Inbound board of directors.

“Collaboration is key, and I will bring to the role a great network of

contacts and relationships that are already in place.”

It will not affect Jennifer’s current role at Windermere Lake Cruises though, as she continues to work to

maintain the company’s position as one of the most popular ‘paid for’ attractions in England.

Jennifer added: “It’s great to be given the opportunity to represent northern destinations and I’ll be using the position as best I can to keep the Lake District prominently in the board’s mind as we work together to raise the profile of inbound tourism and highlight its importance to the UK economy.”

Since joining Windermere Lake Cruises in 2014, Jennifer has participated in seven overseas sales missions to Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea – and most recently, China. Jennifer is also a director of Cumbria Tourism and is chair of the Lake District China Forum.

Also working on the management board of the Lake District Hotels Association, Jennifer has a vast amount of travel and leisure experience having worked within the tourism industry for 18 years.

Arundel Castle reveals Oxford hotel unveils its its events calendar ... £100,000 ballroom

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ARUNDEL Castle in West Sussex has announced a bumper calendar of events full of historically-themed fun for its open season, with key dates falling on bank holidays, school half terms and the summer holiday break.

With 16 events throughout the season – featuring dazzling displays of flowers, a week-long jousting tournament, al-fresco performances of Shakespeare’s The Tempest and a variety of historical events from the esteemed Raven Tor Living History Group – there’s something for everyone.

Castle manager Stephen Manion said: “We are looking forward to an exciting and busy open season next year. Arundel Castle is a must-see attraction with our expert guides and thrilling events throughout our open season, catered to families, history buffs, gardening fans and everyone in between.

“There really is something for all types of interests coming up in 2019.”

Kicking off its open season will be a new event, Combat at the Castle,

on April 6 and 7.

For the first time, visitors will be able to meet the garrison of the then Earl of Arundel, Robert de Belleme, as the troops train in preparation to receive the forces of King Henry I. The longest jousting tournament of its kind in the world will make a triumphant return to the Castle from July 23 to 28.

The highlight of the open season, Medieval Jousting Week promises nothing less than a true clash of the titans with plenty of fierce rivalries along the way.

Green-fingered folk should also take the time to visit the stunning seasonal displays in the gardens.

Spring is welcomed by the annual tulip festival, with tens of thousands of the flowers bursting into bloom.

The tulips give way to thousands of pom-pom headed Alliums which take over in May and June for the unmissable Allium Extravaganza.

Arundel Castle will be open from April 2 to November 3. The Castle and Gardens are open Tuesdays to Sundays inclusive, May Bank Holiday Mondays and Mondays in August.

OXFORD’S leading five-star hotel, Macdonald Randolph Hotel, has transformed its grand ballroom after a £100,000 investment.

The extensive remodel, which took just three months to complete, saw the spacious function suite undergo a complete refurbishment, including customised carpets and wallpaper using the Acanthus leaf, the plant which inspired the name of the hotel’s restaurant.

Lit by three exquisite chandeliers, exact replicas of those on the Titanic, the event suite can accommodate up to 400 people, making it the largest ballroom in Oxford, and it provides a dazzling setting for drinks receptions, weddings or conferences. The suite also boasts its own private bar, offering guests the elegance and style expected from this university city.

In addition to the main ballroom, the venue has a further four function suites, and is a popular choice for weddings, corporate events, private dining, exhibitions

and conferences.

General manager of the Macdonald Randolph Hotel, Simon Drake, said: “The refurbishment of the ballroom has provided an extra dose of sophistication and style to our meeting and event facilities.

“It will be our pleasure to welcome guests old and new as we continue to focus on driving our corporate, conference and leisure opportunities forward. As a team, we are united in our aim to deliver the highest standard of service to all of our guests, ensuring we remain the top choice for those hosting events within the city.”

In the heart of Oxford, the elegant Macdonald Randolph Hotel is home to the renowned Morse Bar, 151 individually decorated bedrooms, a luxurious spa, and is a stone’s throw away from Oxford’s best shopping and sight-seeing destinations.

The hotel’s four function suites can accommodate between six and 400 delegates, and are a popular choice with business guests, politicians and wedding parties.

DESTINATIONNEWS

Airport expecting busiest year ever

Madness’ House of Fun weekend set to return THE ‘House of Fun’ returns to Butlin’s Minehead, offering guests the opportunity to enjoy classic tracks from British music legends Madness, performed live on stage.

‘The Madness House of Fun Weekender’ will offer guests another adult-only music packed weekend extravaganza.

Performing two live sets at the 5,000-capacity indoor arena, the original ‘nutty boys’ will also curate their own amazing line up of live

acts, DJs and comedy performances.

This unmissable weekend runs from November 29 to December 2 and will see guests singing and dancing along to Madness favourites including ‘Our House’, ‘It Must Be Love’ and ‘Baggy Trousers’.

Throughout the weekend guests can also take advantage of unlimited use of Butlin’s Splash Waterworld, sports sessions and Minehead’s seaside location.

ARIA Resorts is opening a new luxury coastal resort on the Isle of Wight in May. St Helens Coastal Resort will offer a unique collection of lodges and modern caravans, a laidback licensed eatery, a pool, and easy access to the iconic beauty spots, Priory Bay beach and The Duver.

This secluded retreat will feature some of the best accommodation on the island including new sophisticated three bedroom Premium Lodges with hot tubs and a private roof terrace, ideal for spending summer nights sipping a drink and enjoying the stunning sea views.

Elegant French doors bring the outside in with a light and airy lounge and on-trend furnishings fit with the open-plan living space, making it perfect for a special family escape.

The two and three bedroom Superior Lodges also come with extra touches such as stylish interiors, vibrant open plan living spaces and patio doors leading to decking, offering families a comfortable home from home.

Complementing the lodge range, there are contemporary two and three bedroom Superior Caravans designed for spending quality time with loved ones. Some offer the option of a hot tub and all have a spacious open plan living area with a comfortable corner sofa and flame effect fireplace.

A quiet, luxurious retreat, St Helens Coastal Resort will be a world away from other island holiday resorts, with private beach access and sea views from select lodges, it’s a great base for exploring the island.

Prices start at £135 for a four-night midweek break with up to six guests in a Superior Caravan and £234 for a two bedroom Superior Lodge.

Aria Resorts’ head of commercial operations, Les Robertson, said: “The new luxury lodges and caravans at St Helens Coastal Resort will offer a beautiful space to unwind and spend quality time together, either as a family or a couple. Its excellent location, just three hours from London, makes it ideal for anyone who wants to replace the busy cityscape with secluded countryside luxury.

“With so many things happening on The Isle of Wight, we are delighted to be opening this resort, and to be adding to the quickly growing Aria family. This is the perfect opportunity for anyone in the South East and further afield to enjoy an eye-catching, stylish yet comfortable staycation not too far away from home.”

The new lodges and caravans are available to book for holidays from May 3.

Holiday homes including lodges with roof terrace and stunning sea views are also available to purchase, with prices ranging from £49,950 to £250,000.

DONCASTER Sheffield Airport is forecasting its busiest year ever for passengers with almost 1.5m set to fly from the airport in 2019.

This follows the launch of a number of new routes with Wizz Air, TUI and Flybe in 2018.

Chris Harcombe, aviation development director at DSA, said: “We are very much looking forward to what we are confident will be a record-breaking year for us. With a significant increase in our seat capacity, with just over half being low cost, we are expecting in the region of 1.45m passengers in the year ahead.

“We’re delighted with the way airlines have responded to strong customer demand and our easy, friendly, relaxed experience for passengers.

“TUI has added seven new routes in the last year (Pula in Croatia, Hurghada in Egypt, Kos in Greece, Enfidha, Tunisia and Bodrum in Turkey), including two long-haul destinations of Florida and Mexico.

“Flybe’s routes continue to prove really popular for customers seeking

Chris Harcombe a European city-break or leisure destinations such as Belfast, Paris, Malaga and Faro. Wizz Air has started new routes to Budapest and Debrecen, Hungary, with new flights for Krakow, Poland taking off in May this year.”

The airport is keen to build on the success of 2018 which saw the airport collect a number of awards, including the best airport in the UK

by Which? Magazine for the second year running, and the UK’s favourite Airport as voted by SAGA members.

Both of these prestigious awards are based on customer scores and customer feedback.

Luxurious new coastal resort on the Isle of Wight to open in May

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The Princess Theatre in Torquay will present Sing-a-long-a The Greatest Showman on May 31 – the unique interactive event from the producers of Sing-along-a Sound of Music and Grease. After its chart busting success, this smash hit new film comes to The Princess Theatre at 2pm and 7pm complete with onscreen lyrics, a live host and an interactive fun pack so everyone can join in. Cheer on Hugh Jackman, lust after Zach Efron and hiss Rebecca Ferguson (…or maybe not) as you experience The Greatest Showman in the greatest way possible – with lyrics on the screen so you can join in as loud as proud as you want.

Festival to light up forest THE award-winning Timber festival will light up the National Forest from July 5-7.

Timber is a celebration of music, literature, art and ideas, tucked away in the Midlands at Feanedock, a 70-acre woodland site at the heart of the National Forest.

Last year’s festival saw more than 4,000 people come together in glorious weather to connect with the natural environment through music, talks, workshops and allround outdoor playfulness.

A weekend of carefully curated music, spoken word, food, drink, wellness workshops and

family-friendly camping, Timber is the independent antithesis to the modern corporate festival experience.

It offers festival-goers of all ages the rare opportunity to connect with the forest and the arts in natural surroundings across nine distinct areas taking in yoga, Tai chi, woodland games, spoken word, live music, DJs, food kitchens, talks and story-telling.

Timber is a collaboration between the National Forest and Wild Rumpus, an award-winning arts organisation specialising in showcasing arts and culture in the natural environment.

DESTINATIONNEWS

The ultimate celebration of travel trade returns to NEC Birmingham

BACK with more inspirational exhibitors, fresh content, and exciting show features, British Tourism & Travel Show returns to the NEC Birmingham o March 20 and 21.

The 270+ leading visitor attractions, venues, destinations, hotels, transport providers, associations and DMOs there to meet them include: Albatross Travel, Best Western Hotels, Bournemouth & Poole, Carden Park Hotel, Belvoir Castle, Gwilli Railway, Beatles Story, Continuum Leading Attractions, Devon’s Top Attractions, Encore Tickets, Eurotunnel, Marketing Liverpool, Advantage Now, Visit Coventry & Warwickshire, Marketing Manchester, and West Midland Safari & Leisure Park.

Beaufort Park Hotel, Bewl Water, Chiswick House and Gardens Trust, Dalata Hotel Group, Gretna Green, Johnsons Coaches, Chatsworth House, The Ticket Factory, Harewood House, Longleat, Peak District National Park Trust, Jewellery Quarter, Museum of Timekeeping, Parkway Hotel & Spa, Portmeirion Village, and Visit Richmond are just

Appealing to key decision makers who plan and book itineraries for both international and British tourists, the area will feature a number of diverse attractions, destinations and hotels across Europe and beyond.

European exhibitors confirmed so far include: Dutch Cruise Line, ITO Tours, Eurotours, Europlan, Augustus Tours, Acrona Hotels, CroisiEurope, Worldwide Attractions, Lovers Canal Cruises, Amsterdam Canal Cruises, Henri Willig Cheese Farms, Zaanse Schans, Keukenhof, City Circle Berlin, Swarovski Tourism Services (Austria), The Berlin TV Tower, The Memorial de Caen (Normandy), and The Montparnasse Tower Observation Deck Park.

Group Travel Organiser Day – March 21

a few names exhibiting for the first time.

First speakers confirmed

The show will also feature a free unmissable speaker line-up, covering everything from trends, tips, technology, research and opportunities facing the travel trade.

With digital becoming the forefront of business, Meredith Almond, senior strategist at Sparkloft Media, will be sharing her ‘tech tips’ about the importance of social data and analytics in building a comprehensive and effective social media campaign.

And Adam Millbank, director of independent video production company JonesMillbank, will provide an exclusive session on video

marketing, discussing strategies to help organisations create engaging, original video content that is on-brand, honest and relatable.

Previous speakers to grace the stage have included: Angela Rippon CBE, Ruairidh Roberts (Google), Justin Easy (Merlin Entertainments), MP Michael Portillo, TripAdvisor, Euromonitor International, and panel sessions from TravelGBI, The Tourism Society, and Hudson’s Heritage.

The full seminar line-up will be announced in the near future.

Destination Europe Area returns

As well as a whole raft of leading tourist companies in the UK, visitors can also discover further afield in the Destination Europe area.

The show will once again coincide with ‘Group Travel Organiser Day’ celebrating group travel organisers from across the UK and Ireland.

Group travel organisers can experience free parking, a free lunch, a free meeting planner, free coach transfers, and a raft of dedicated seminars, where GTO’s can form new business relationships and share knowledge and best practices with peers.

The show will also see the return of the successful Food & Drink Trail.

From Cornish fudge to Scottish whisky, the trail is an exciting way to meet the exhibitors and sample classic cuisines from around the country. A map will be provided in the printed show guide, highlighting which relevant stands to visit.

Suffolk hotel chain rebrands

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TA Hotel Collection, which owns and runs six distinctive hotels and event venues across Suffolk, has rebranded under The Hotel Folk banner.

The new identity focuses on the group’s planned investment in people, both its own Folk members and its guests.

Independently owned, the hotels include the 15th century Swan at Lavenham Hotel and Spa; The Brudenell and White Lion in Aldeburgh; The Crown at Woodbridge; Crown and Castle in Orford; Thorpeness Golf Club and Hotel and the Thorpeness Country Club. £500,000 has been invested in IT and dynamic new marketing systems including redesigned websites for the group and each individual hotel.

A new EPOS booking system has been introduced across all properties including a move to ResDiary to centralise room and restaurant reservations, plus central food and liquor procurement.

The new ‘Folklore’ team training system with rewards and recognition for the Hotel Folk will be fully integrated by Easter.

This will allow the Folk to spend more time in front of hotel guests

Jenny Hill enhancing their experience with new and greater values. Improvements and upgrades to the various properties are also ongoing.

Jenny Hill, chief operating officer of The Hotel Folk, said: “The hospitality industry is all about people.

“Our aim is to ensure we have the very best teams across all sectors of the industry from bed makers to baristas and chefs to sommeliers, each carefully trained to be an expert in their own sphere.

“We believe our guests’ experience should exceed expectations every time they visit one of our hotels.”

The View from The Shard is a must for London visitors SITUATED at the top of the tallest building in London, and voted Best Attraction for Group visits to the capital at the 2018 Group Travel Awards, The View from The Shard is a must do for all London visitors.

Located 800ft above the ground, The View from The Shard is the highest viewing platform in the city and is the only place to see London all at once.

The viewing galleries on Level 69 and the open-air Skydeck on Level 72 provide spectacular 360° views of London and beyond. In fact, on a clear day, visitors can see for 40 miles.

Friendly and knowledgeable guest ambassadors are on hand to answer questions about this iconic building and the breath-taking views.

Fall in love with the iconic skyline and spot famous sites including The Houses of Parliament, The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, the Olympic Park and Wembley Stadium. Ideal for London’s culture seekers as well as those on their first trip to the capital.

Visit www.theviewfromtheshard. com to find out more about our group discounts.