Issue 70 Summer 2017 £2.75
Britons choosing ‘Bed and Brexit’ – analysis claims By Christina Eccles A COMBINATION of a low pound, the Brexit vote and the triggering of Article 50 has delivered a surge in bookings at Britain’s Bed and Breakfasts, according to research. Analysis of booking data from more than 5,000 Bed and Breakfasts carried out by eviivo – an online booking specialist for independent hotels and B&Bs – indicates that forward bookings are up 19.2 per cent year on year compared with the same pre-Brexit-vote period. CMO of eviivo Thomas Messett said: “There’s no doubt that the Brexit vote and subsequent invoking of Article 50 has had a measurable positive impact on bookings at Britain’s B&Bs. There is no gloom at the Inn. “Our B&B customers are seeing two benefits from a lower pound. First, more bookings from UK consumers concerned about their reduced spending power abroad. Second, an increase in bookings from international customers, keen to take the opportunity to enjoy a British break at a favourable exchange rate.” Areas of the country benefiting the most from the upswing in bookings are Central England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Thomas added: “It’s great to see such a strong performance from Central England, dispelling the myth that the B&B is all about the seaside. Country pursuits are a huge part of British leisure time and this performance demonstrates that. “It’s also encouraging to see Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales doing so well. The strong performance is a truly national trend.” According to the research, seaside destinations have also benefited from a boom in bookings. Thomas added: “It’s great to see some of the smaller seaside locations performing so well against names that we would think of first when we think of the British seaside. “The British seaside offers incredible variety, as our owners in the top-performing Penzance and Scarborough will testify. “Today’s B&Bs are colourful, quirky and often luxurious and are far more memorable than bland chain hotel rooms. “British B&Bs offer a glimpse of real Britain and unique comfort and hospitality that you just can’t get in impersonal hotels. The lower pound will bring a surge of new tourists to B&Bs which is great news for British tourism.”
Family package launches at Pier
Strictly Come Dancing finalist Danny Mac will star as Joe Gillis in the upcoming touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s awardwinning musical Sunset Boulevard. The show will open at Curve in Leicester on September 16 before touring the UK and Ireland; calling at venues including Edinburgh Playhouse, Newcastle Theatre Royal and Manchester Palace. * For more theatre news, see our Centre Stage section, starting on page 11.
WESTON-super-Mare’s Grand Pier has launched a new all-inclusive package for a value for money family day out. The new Mega Deal package costs less than £60 and includes entry to the pier for four, two Unlimited Rides Wristbands for adults, two Kiddies Wristbands (valid for children up to age 10), and meals for two children and two adults. Co-owner Michelle Michael said: “When you look at the costs of a family day out at other attractions and theme parks, our new Mega Deal really does represent exceptional value, especially since it includes food and drink for a family of four, which most others don’t. “The Mega Deal is something new we are doing as a trial to see if customers would prefer the convenience and the savings that they can enjoy by booking a package online before they visit the Pier. “We know families come in other sizes, and if this trial proves popular we will look to develop other options in the future.”
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A new floating restaurant at Windsor has added an extra service to its schedule to make the most of summer Sundays. Bateaux Windsor’s vessel, The Melody, which launched in April, operates lunch, dinner and Sunday lunch cruises along the Thames at Royal Windsor. Now visitors can also enjoy weekly Sunday Supper cruises; a three-course meal prepared and served as The Melody makes her way along one of the prettiest stretches of the river. Director of sales and marketing at Bateaux Windsor, Samantha Hart, said: “Our Sunday lunches have proved extremely popular so it makes perfect sense to add an additional Sunday cruise to our schedule. There’s something quite special about a late Sunday afternoon at summertime – time almost seems to stand still – so where better to enjoy lunch and just let your cares float downstream.”
Increase in US visits to London after a year of cultural events US visits to London have grown rapidly as tourists flock to the capital to enjoy the city’s rich cultural experiences and hidden gems, research has revealed. According to new figures released by the Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey, 2.3m US visitors came to London in 2016, an eight per cent increase compared to 2015. The figures also reveal spending by US visitors reached a record £1.98b ($2.6b), an increase of nine per cent when compared to 2015. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am delighted that more people than ever before are choosing to visit London, immersing themselves in all that our great city has to offer including an unbeatable
array of restaurants, museums, shops and theatres. This is further evidence that London is Open and has an appeal that clearly extends across the globe.” In total, all overseas tourists made a record 19.1m visits to the city in 2016, an increase of 2.6 per cent compared to 2015. Visitors also spent £1.9b on hotels, restaurants and attractions, which is an increase of nine per cent compared to 2015. The last three months of the year were especially strong as overseas tourists took of advantage of London offering better value for money than ever before. A record 5m visitors came during the last quarter of 2016, up eight per cent when compared to the same period in 2015. During this
period spend increased by 3.7 per cent compared to the same period in 2015. London’s packed calendar of events and exhibitions proved especially popular with visitors, with highlights including Great Fire 350, which saw tourists lining the River Thames to see the burning of a replica City of London from 1666 to commemorate the anniversary of the Great Fire of London. Also popular were blockbuster exhibitions such as David Hockney at the Royal Academy, and the highly anticipated EXHIBTIONISM at the Saatchi Gallery; the first retrospective of the Rolling Stones life and career, giving fans the opportunity to immerse themselves in the lives of their idols.
App is key to open Lancaster Castle A NEW app, which brings to life the history and characters of Lancaster Castle, has had a marked impact on the county’s official visitor information website, with unique visits for April to May up 26 per cent, compared to the same time last year. Lancaster is one of 12 of England’s historic cities which have collaborated to develop an innovative augmented reality product. It consists of an app and videos that transport the user back in time to unveil the hidden lives of some of
history’s most fascinating characters at Lancaster Castle, including John Higgin Snr, Governor of Lancaster Castle from 1783 to 1833. Head of multi-channel marketing at Marketing Lancashire, Emma Walton, said: “The new app has unlocked some of the most fascinating characters and stories linked to Lancaster Castle. “Since the app launched, at the end of March, we’ve had over 3,000 page views of the information on our website, which has undoubtedly contributed to the record-breaking
start to the year on visitlancashire. com. Most of our online visitors now view our site on mobile devices so having all that valuable insight and instant information about the castle at your fingertips, is extremely attractive to this widening audience and makes for a very positive and rewarding visitor experience in the destination. “This is cutting-edge technology, one of the most exciting tourism products on the market and we’re delighted its already creating new interest in Lancaster Castle.”
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Full steam ahead for bookings A NEW campaign from Visit Kent has been designed to increase the number of group bookings on the county’s trains. Visit Kent and Southeastern have joined forces to showcase the historic attractions, including group-specific tours, offers and facilities, in partnership with Kent’s five heritage railways. The Visit Kent Heritage Railways project follows a successful bid for £75,000 from the Department for Transport’s Heritage and Community Rail Tourism Innovation Fund. The campaign links ‘the old and the new’, forging closer links between the heritage and modern rail operators. Key elements of the project include an updated digital presence for the heritage railways and dedicated pages on Visit Kent and Southeastern’s websites that highlight travel options and days out. Group booking options include a range of private hire and catering packages, as well as coach parking facilities and discounts on fares for groups of 20 or more people. Visit Kent chief executive, Sandra Matthews-Marsh MBE said: “We are lucky to have so many beautiful heritage railways in Kent – each offering a great day out and a fascinating insight in to the county’s history for both group and individual travellers.”
Contacts EDITORIAL Judith Halkerston group editor jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Christina Eccles reporter 01226 734463 ce@scriptmedia. co.uk Olivia Taylor reporter 01226 734407 ot@scriptmedia.co.uk Dominic Musgrave production editor dm@scriptmedia.co.uk
PRODUCTION Stewart Holt – studio manager – sth@scriptmedia.co.uk Laura Blackburn – graphic designer lb@scriptmedia.co.uk Ben Thornley – graphic designer bt@scriptmedia.co.uk ADVERTISING Tony Barry sales and marketing director 01226 734605 CIRCULATION Kelly Tarff 01226 734695 kt@scriptmedia.co.uk Web: www.destination.uk.com Twitter: @Destukmag
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Isle of Arran Distillery toasts drinks tourism award win ISLE of Arran Distillers has been recognised at the prestigious Drinks Business Awards for its success and investment in wine and spirits tourism. An international award judged by the biggest drinks trade magazine in the world, the distillery beat off tough competition from wineries and distilleries to win the accolade for Best Contribution to Wine and Spirits Tourism. The judges praised the distillery’s success in enhancing the whisky tourism offering in Scotland, their role in the impressive boost in visitors to the island and for the substantial investment into Lochranza and the new distillery planned for Lagg. Master distiller at the Isle of Arran Distillery, James MacTaggart, said: “We are fiercely proud of our island home and of the welcome we offer to all those seeking ‘the Arran Waters.’ “The Distillery and Visitor Centre at Lochranza, our large network of worldwide distributors and our investment in the south of the island at Lagg, are all central to our business success. “It is also core to our wish to introduce the world to the qualities of our malt whisky, and to the people and places involved in its production.
“Arran has a unique position in the history of Scotland’s most recognised product and this award is testament to our contribution to the bright future the industry has.” The visitor centre at Lochranza welcomed a record number of visitors last year. 104,000 people made the journey to the distillery in
2016 – a 93 per cent increase since 2012, and 18 per cent increase on 2015. Currently the highest-rated attraction on the island on Trip Advisor, Lochranza recently reopened after the completion of £1m worth of renovations to both the visitor centre and distillery.
The business is also making a £10m investment in the south of the island with a new distillery site and visitor centre at Lagg. Focusing on peated single malts, the Lagg centre will overlook the southern fields and cliffs of the island offering a striking contrast to Lochranza in the mountainous north.
New Oxford Highlights walking tour unveiled
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Super Break has launched a range of new short break walking tours around the UK. Created to offer agents a fully packaged break for customers who want to get out and explore the UK countryside on foot, 16 itineraries are available in total in a range of different locations. Each package includes a two-night stay, full breakfast, dinner on the first night and a packed lunch on one of the days to allow more time to explore. In addition, each booking will receive a local AA walking guide to help customers enjoy key walking routes and discover off the beaten track places. Locations available include: Snowdonia and North Wales; Peak District; Cotswolds; Lake District; Shropshire; North Yorkshire; Northumberland; Sussex; Warwickshire and Wiltshire.
OXFORD Official Walking Tours is offering a new Oxford Highlights Tour, allowing visitors to the city to see all the iconic sights in just one hour. The short tour visits key sights in the city centre including the University buildings found in the Radcliffe Square; the Bodleian Library, Radcliffe Camera and Bridge of Sighs. Head of marketing and development at Experience Oxfordshire, Martin Walker, said: “The new Oxford Highlights Tour is designed to appeal to visitors with
very limited time in Oxford. “The new tour will explore the Radcliffe Square and show visitors the iconic sites that attract over 5.5m day visitors to the city every year. “Each tour will be led by a professionally trained guide from the Oxford Guild of Tour Guides. “After the hour-long tour we hope this will give visitors the opportunity to spend more in the local economy by visiting other attractions, shopping and dining in the restaurants and cafes in Oxford.”
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Super Break unveils its latest brochure with new branding
Tiny VIPs help mark castle hotel’s first anniversary A GROUP of mini VIPs who have watched the fairytale-like transformation of a castle from their neighbouring nursery school have helped to celebrate Crossbasket Castle’s first birthday. Children from Crossbasket Nursery School joined staff at the castle to enjoy a slice of luxury, tucking into a birthday cake created by the castle’s award-winning pastry chef, David Simak. General manager Rob Baird said: “It was so much fun to welcome
in the local nursery children and staff, who brought a real sense of excitement to the celebrations – especially as they have watched our magical transformation over the past few years. “We’ve enjoyed a fantastic first year and it’s great to be able to celebrate that with the community as well as with our guests. “We have welcomed people from all over the world keen to see how Crossbasket has been restored to its former glory.”
VisitScotland trade show hailed as one of the best ever ... VISITSCOTLAND is hailing this year’s Expo as one of the most successful in the near 40-year history of the event. Held at Glasgow’s SEC, the national tourism organisation’s flagship travel trade show saw 276 Scottish tourism businesses exhibiting to more than 600 tour operators, travel agents, wholesalers and airline vacation brands from 31 countries around the world. VisitScotland facilitated a record 9,961 appointments between exhibitors and buyers and also worked with more airline partners than ever before to provide flights for international buyers from key longhaul markets. To give global tour operators the opportunity to experience what Scotland has to offer at first hand, VisitScotland also organised 23 familiarisation trips – from Dumfries and Galloway up to Shetland – before, during and after Expo.
For the first time, buyers and exhibitors were able to share their experiences of the event using the new VisitScotland Expo app while among the four exhibitor seminars taking place was an event to unveil the findings of the organisation’s biggest ever Visitor Survey. Chief executive of VisitScotland Malcolm Roughead said: “Without doubt, VisitScotland Expo 2017 was one of the best since the event began life as Scotland’s Travel Trade Fair back in 1980. “The event had a great vibe and it was a unique opportunity for Scottish tourism businesses to meet face-toface with hundreds of tour operators from all over the world – all under one roof. “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making this year’s event such a success and I look forward to welcoming buyers and exhibitors to VisitScotland Expo 2018.”
Dance show heads to Torquay
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STRICTLY Come Dancing stars Aljaz and Janette will be bringing their Remembering Fred tour to theatres in 2018, following sell out performances this year. The Remembering Fred Tour takes audiences on a magical journey of dance, live music and entertainment, supported by
special appearances from various celebrity guests. The show is backed by a full supporting cast of dancers, a live band and sensational singers, who will perform classics from the American Songbook. Tour venues will include the Princess Theatre in Torquay.
SUPER Break has launched its latest UK Short Breaks brochure with a fresh new look and feel and enhanced product offering. The new look reflects the company’s move to focus on experience-led, packaged products, with the brochure featuring over 575 hotels, plus a huge selection of theatre, theme park, spa, culture and attraction breaks alongside transport options to and from destinations. A key component of the new look is the use of brackets to symbolise the creative elements that build a personalised trip – including (destination + hotel + travel + tours and experiences.) The aim is to make it even easier for agents to highlight products that can be added to a break to create that extra special trip and memories. In addition, Super Break will also launch its biggest ever TV campaign later this summer. National sales manager Graham Balmforth said: “Our new brochure is packed full of great eye catching products for agents to sell as always. “The new look and feel is a natural progression for Super Break, taking us into the next phase of our growth.
Super Break’s product has developed so much over the last few years and now over 50 per cent of all our short breaks sold include two or more addon elements/experiences. “We are constantly developing new ways to appeal to customers and this brochure highlights a host of new packages that are now available.”
Ticket offers visitors a chance to visit cities A NEWLY-launched TransPennine Express North of England Rover Ticket is offering visitors a chance to explore four famous northern cities. Starting in the ‘gateway’ city of Hull, the new ‘ticket-to-ride’ gives four days of unlimited rail travel between Hull, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool on a ticket that is valid for eight days. To help visitors make the most of the North of England Rover, suggested itineraries also offer some top tips for city culture, from Liverpool’s Beatles Story and Tate Liverpool to Manchester’s Lowry and Bridgewater Hall and Leeds’ Henry Moore Institute and Royal Armouries. Suggestions also cover events in the four cities right through the year, from music festivals to literary celebrations and award-winning markets to new stage productions, offering visitors a chance to compile their perfect northern cities tour.
Partnership marketing manager for TransPennine Express Lisa Hewitt said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to create this new ticket for customers. “Our new North of England Rover ticket offers customers a flexible and easy way to see some of the North’s finest destinations. TransPennine Express has a commitment to take the North further and the creation of this new ticket forms an important part of this.” Visitor economy manager for Hull Anthony Yates added: “This is an innovative product linking four great English cities and their world class cultural product. “Hull being UK City of Culture 2017 gives everyone a compelling reason to visit the North of England this year, and ties-in perfectly with the events, exhibitions and activities available in Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester.”
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TUI Group unveiled as Headline Partner of WTM Buyers’ Club WORLD Travel Market London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is delighted to announce TUI Group as headline sponsor of its prestigious WTM Buyers’ Club. At this year´s World Travel Market London TUI Group Product & Purchasing will partner with the WTM Buyers’ Club, the business club for senior travel industry decision makers with direct purchasing responsibility. More than 9,100 members of the WTM Buyers’ Club will attend WTM London 2016, having more than 865,500 on-stand meetings which will lead to business deals to the value of £2.5billion being agreed. Garry Wilson, managing director, TUI Group Product & Purchasing, said: “I’m delighted to be able to announce our headline sponsorship of the WTM Buyers’ Club at WTM London 2016. It is important to highlight the significance of WTM London to a business such as TUI Group and specifically purchasing. “Every year we enter into thousands of agreements with our hotel partners that are specifically selected to provide our customers with the best holiday experiences from TUI. “The key to such success is having the best and most professional
teams who are aligned to the vision of our business. “We will continue to grow and search out new opportunities and I’m very excited about new potential partners we will meet and build relationships with during WTM London.” TUI Group Product & Purchasing is instrumental to the success of TUI Group which on annual basis will enter into more than 15,000 accommodation contracts within destinations generating over €5billion in turnover for TUI´s hotel partners. The team supports fourteen tour operator source markets of TUI Group giving a true international culture to working. Key to their success is sourcing and driving growth in differentiated hotels which is core to the content centric strategy of TUI Group. The key hotel brands generating success to the business are RIU, Robinson, TUI Magic Life and TUI Blue as well as TUI Sensatori, TUI Family Life and TUI Sensimar. The business continues to expand with the growth in its Dreamliner fleet and will expand in existing and enter into new long haul destinations over the next years. TUI Group is the world’s number one tourism business. The broad
portfolio gathered under the Group umbrella consists of market leading tour operators, 1,800 travel agencies and leading online portals, six airlines with more than 130 aircraft, over 300 hotels with 210,000 beds, 13 cruise liners and incoming agencies in all major holiday destinations. This integrated offering enables TUI to provide 30 million customers with an unmatched holiday experience in 180 regions. A key feature for TUI Group is its global responsibility for economic, environmental and social
sustainability. This is reflected in more than 20 years of commitment to sustainable tourism. TUI Group has a turnover of over €20billion and an operating result of over €1billion per year. World Travel Market London senior director, Simon Press, said: “WTM London is delighted to have TUI as the headline sponsor of the WTM Buyers’ Club. “TUI is the largest travel company in the world and it is great to have it playing such a key role in WTM London 2016, the leading global event for the travel industry.”
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Shakespeare’s England has so much to see and enjoy By Amy Nolan
FOR those planning a staycation this year, the UK is brimming with beautiful locations steeped in heritage and plenty to do. At the heart of England lies the home of one of the most influential people in our modern history. Amid the rolling hills of Warwickshire countryside lies the quaint and picturesque town of Stratford-uponAvon; ‘Shakespeare’s England’. Every building, pave-stone and cobble has a story to tell of the fascinating characters who have walked through the streets of Shakespeare’s England. Formed in 1847 following the purchase of Shakespeare’s Birthplace the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust celebrate their 170th anniversary on September 16. Explore Shakespeare’s family homes and discover where he and his family lived out their lives. Families, aspiring writers and history buffs alike can walk in his very footsteps and learn how he climbed the ranks of society to become an influential Gentleman, revered poet and playwright. Engage in activities for all the family and discover what happened to Shakespeare’s children and extended family both before and after him at Mary Arden’s Farm, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Hall’s Croft and Shakespeare’s New Place. Open every day of the year, the best way to explore the town and walk through the pages of history is on a multi award-winning Stratford Town Walk. Celebrating it’s 15th year this year, the tours won a Luxury Travel Guide Award 2017 for Unique Experience of the Year. After the tour stop at Brakspear’s newly refurbished ‘The Townhouse’ for a spot of glorious afternoon tea. Enjoy all the traditional trimmings including fresh baked warm scones, and a glass of Prosecco for the grown ups. Or book in for a great value scrumptious pre-theatre dinner. Don’t worry about over-indulging as the theatre is only 100 yards away.
Ardencote Manor is the quintessential English 19th century manor hotel. If you haven’t attended one of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s plays before, the experience is a must, with a captivating cast, magical music score and intense atmosphere. This season marks 2,000 years since the death of Ovid, with that choose to see one of four political thrillers set in and around ancient Rome; Julius Caesar runs until September 9, Antony and Cleopatra until September 7, Titus Andronicus runs from June 23 to September 2 and Coriolanus concludes the season. Tickets start from £16. Throughout the season until September go and visit the new free exhibition which looks at 200 years of British political cartoons inspired by Shakespeare. In the Swan Theatre the RSC presents a new version of the Chinese drama, Snow in Midsummer, the world premieres of new plays by Richard Bean, The Hypocrite, and Vice Versa by Phil Porter; Oscar Wilde’s Salomé, and Christopher Marlowe’s Dido, Queen of Carthage. For a quiet getaway, treat yourself to a stay at Ardencote Manor, the quintessential English 19th century manor hotel. Situated in Claverdon and just off J15 of the M40, it’s easy to find and just a short drive from Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon. An 83-acre estate with four-star hotel and spa, 18-hole golf course, leisure club and two award-winning
restaurants. With warm and welcoming staff, beautifully presented rooms and top notch food, you will leave feeling relaxed, pampered and spoiled rotten. Or for a peaceful, home-from-home escape why not stay at the Arden House in Stratford-upon-Avon which opened on November 1 2016, a new venture for Eden Hotel Collection. The intimate 10-bedroom, boutique sister property to the wellestablished hotel ‘The Arden’ has dedicated ‘house hosts’ who offer a 24-hour service. A chef will prepare breakfast and afternoon tea for guests (included in the price) who are invited to gather around an informal dining table. Drinks (five o’clock is gin o’clock) and a well-stocked pantry of snacks are included and guests can choose drinks from the honesty bar. An overnight stay costs from £229 per room (two sharing). On a sleepy Summer day take the opportunity to wander the ruins of the mighty Kenilworth Castle and experience its rich medieval and Tudor past. Witness the grandeur of the Great Hall constructed in 1371 by John of Gaunt, who played host to the highest in medieval society. Climb the remains of Earl of Leicester Robert Dudley’s lavish tower, built in 1572 especially to woo Queen Elizabeth I. Learn all about their forbidden love at the exhibition in Leicester’s
Gatehouse. In the height of Summer with the flowers in full bloom enjoy the vibrant colours, musical lovebirds and the tranquility of the breathtakingly beautiful recreated Elizabethan Garden. For a more thrilling family experience spend the day at Warwick Castle. Complete with perilous stunt riders, fearless jousting and state of the art special effects, pledge your allegiance in an epic battle for the English Throne with War of the Roses Live! Get locked in the interactive Castle Dungeon and take a journey through the Castle’s darkest and most gruesome times in history… but only if you feel brave enough. Dine with royalty and become living history in one of the Themed Banquets; The Kingmaker’s Medieval Banquet on June 17 or the all-new Battle Banquet on September 2. Stay overnight at one of the Knight’s Village Lodges, or from July 1 experience a unique starlit woodland family sleepover with Medieval Glamping. Time your trip right and you can find yourself immersed in one of many festivals and free events across Stratford over the summer period. The award winning ninth Stratford River Festival returns to the banks of the River Avon on July 1 and 2. It is the largest family friendly free event held in Stratford with over 70,000 visitors expected to enjoy events on and off the river, market stalls, entertainment and fireworks display. The Stratford Food Festival is planned to take place from September 22 to 24 with over 100 stalls across three town centre areas. In a beautiful part of England and with so much to see and enjoy, Shakespeare’s England should be at the top of your list for a weekend getaway or staycation you won’t forget. To find out more about accommodation and attractions and to plan your stay visit www. shakespeares-england.co.uk www. facebook.com/ShakespearesEngland and Twitter @ShakespearesEng
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Digital app brings new visitors to The Great Trossachs Forest
The interior of the Old Furnace at Coalbrookdale.
Trust secures £1m National Lottery grant THE Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust in Shropshire has been awarded a £1 million National Lottery grant via the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to help protect some of the most significant industrial heritage in the world by building an endowment. Announced at Enginuity in Coalbrookdale during a lunch celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, the grant is a match funding scheme. Every pound the Trust raises for this campaign over the next four years will be matched by HLF, to a maximum value of £1m. Ironbridge Gorge is recognised as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and securing this grant helps ensure the future of some of the key monuments within the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site. The endowment will create an annual income that will be used specifically to preserve and protect the Old Furnace along with other significant buildings and monuments in Coalbrookdale, allowing preventative maintenance and repairs and specialist conservation advice and work. The early industrial landscape of Coalbrookdale is internationally significant, as it is where Abraham Darby I first smelted iron using coke, the innovation that
kick-started the Industrial Revolution and changed the world forever. Darby’s Old Furnace, where this took place, is one of the key sites that will benefit from this funding, along with nearby buildings such as the Quaker Burial Ground, Arboretum, Darby Houses and Coalbrookdale Company’s Warehouses. As well as making sure these sites are protected for future generations, the money from the endowment will create better access for the public and improve the interpretation of the sites, so that people gain a better understanding of their significance in world history. Anna Brennand, chief executive officer, Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, said: “We are delighted that the Trust has secured this significant grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and we are very grateful to National Lottery players for making it possible. “The Trust has an excellent track record in securing funding for major capital development programmes, but it is also important that we develop a £15 million ‘Fund for the Future’, which will help ensure that our internationally significant heritage assets are secure for future generations. This lead donation from HLF is a real boost in driving forward our appeal.”
BTTS returns to Birmingham
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THE British Tourism & Travel Show returns to the NEC Birmingham on March 21 and 22. This flagship travel trade exhibition continues to grow in visitor numbers, seeing 2606 attends in 2017, and in turn gained some amazing feedback. As a result, 60 per cent of exhibitors have already rebooked for 2018 and this is your opportunity to be part of the success. The two-day exhibition is set to
attract even more travel trade buyers including coach tour operators, group travel organisers and tour operators. “BTTS provides us with the opportunity to talk to coach operators, GTO’s and tour planners,” said Steve Christian, destination development manager, Visit Southport. “The 2017 show was very busy and provided a platform to keep in touch with regular customers, as well as making some valuable new contacts.”
FOLLOWING the recent launch of its digital app, The Great Trossachs Forest has seen an increased number of visitors using the GPS enabled app which enables visitors to plan their journey with a virtual tour around The Great Trossachs Forest. With more than 200 downloads to mobile devices, the app has been designed as a fun and engaging way to help visitors navigate around the area while enjoying the beautiful scenery and nature. The app uses GPS technology to inform users about points of interest as they pass by features in the stunning landscape. It helps with journey planning and leisure choices, also providing information on the main walking and cycling options, and contains an embedded map with visitor information points and services overlaid with tourist attractions, cafes, facilities and bike hire. Users can learn about the conservational work, cultural and artistic heritage and wildlife in an inspiring way which showcases the spectacular beauty of The Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve. The app was designed and created by volunteers who were eager to broaden their skills in technology,
and has been developed specifically to work offline without any data connection. The offline mapping and accurate GPS locations enables visitors to use the app to discover The Great Trossachs Forest, so they can be notified of points of interest wherever they are within the area. Commenting on the success of the digital app and The Great Trossachs Forest’s commitment to nurturing talent, Sue Morris, project manager, said: “We are excited to have produced a quality product and to see our volunteers develop their own skills too; one volunteer has even secured new employment as a result. “Using the skills of volunteers in this innovative way has really benefitted the project and our conservation objectives, as well as providing fantastic career opportunities for volunteers. We value their commitment and dedication, so it’s great to see our volunteers being rewarded.” “We wanted to ensure our app was accessible to everyone with a smartphone so our app is free to download, compatible with Android and Apple devices, and available offline so users can get the most out of their visit to The Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve.”
Longleat Safari Park’s most famous residents enjoyed the arrival of spring, which carpeted their woodland home with a stunning display of native bluebells. Thousands of bluebells flowered in woodland across the Wiltshire estate, with a bumper crop of the delicate wildflowers blooming throughout the lions’ enclosures. Photo credit: Ian Turner
AGTO announces Showcase venue
THE Association of Group Travel Organisers’ Showcase Weekend will be held at the Park Royal Hotel, Warrington from September 15 to 17. The Showcase will bring together some 200 of AGTO’s group organiser and associate members from all over the UK and abroad to network and contribute to a weekend offering a programme of business and social events. Showcase highlights include: n Specially tailored familiarisation trips to local attractions. n Destination and business sessions. n AGTO branch AGMs and
meetings. n Special dinner and entertainment. Mike Bugsgang, chief executive of AGTO, said: “We are really excited to be staging our Showcase Weekend in the north of England. “We will be working with VisitCheshire to put together some fantastic itineraries for the fam trips and our headline sponsor, Made Tourism Marketing, is arranging special entertainment for the Saturday evening.” Further information regarding the Showcase Weekend including delegate rates will be available shortly.
DESTINATIONCENTRE STAGE
Last chance to enjoy Half A Sixpence ... Book now with Super Break HIT West End show, Half A Sixpence is going out with a Flash, Bang, Wallop this summer after extending its run for the final time. The show will close on September 2 and short break specialist Super Break, is urging agents to promote the operator’s great value, last minute breaks to see the show before it’s too late. With audiences on their feet every night, this show will appeal to a wide variety of customers of all
generations. Super Break’s packages combine overnight accommodation with tickets to the show and are fully commissionable to agents. Winner of three WhatsOnStage Awards 2017 including Best Actor in a Musical (Charlie Stemp), the musical is based on the autobiographical works of H.G. Wells. The show tells the story of Arthur Kipps, an orphan and over-worked draper’s assistant at the turn of the last century who unexpectedly inherits a fortune that propels him into high society. His childhood companion, Ann Pornick, watches with dismay as Arthur is made over in a new image
by the beautiful and classy Helen Walsingham. Both young women undoubtedly love Arthur – but which of them should he listen to? With the help of his friends, Arthur learns that if you want to have the chance of living the right life, you need to make the right choices.
Super Break packages start from £138.50pp including one night at the three-star President Hotel on a b/b basis and including a top priced saver ticket to the show. For more information visit www.superbreak.com/agents Super Break national sales or call 01904 436000 manager Graham Balmforth.
News from around the theatres ...
By David Thomas
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TO Southwark for a sneak preview rehearsal event for Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, from the creator of Billy Elliot, Lee Hall. A sell-out at the National last summer, and winner of the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Comedy, this sensational rite of passage show, featuring the music of ELO, is both hilarious and heart-rending in turn. The story follows six Catholic girls who set off on a school trip from the island of Oban to Edinburgh, ostensibly to participate in a choir concert, but when the six are let loose on the streets of the big city… Suitable for broad-minded adults, the opening night at the Duke of York’s theatre produced applause you could probably hear way up in the Highlands!
Someone who needs no introduction is the multi awardwinning comedy writer, actor and author Miranda Hart who is making her West End debut in the sunshine feel-good musical, Annie, at the Piccadilly Theatre this summer. While down the road, at the worldfamous London Palladium, another TV favourite, Rufus Hound, will be starring in a fabulous musical version of The Wind In The Willows. The show is adapted by Oscarwinning Downton Abbey writer Julian Fellowes, with music and lyrics by Olivier-award winning George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, and this is also the phenomenal creative team behind Cameron Mackintosh’s wonderful Half A Sixpence which will end its award-winning run with a Flash, Bang, Wallop at the Noel Coward Theatre on September 2.
performance at the Aldwych Theatre on August 5, ahead of its UK tour. With plenty of great new shows to see this summer, and a clutch of great shows to catch before they close, there will be something for everyone this summer in London’s West End… whatever the Great British weather may have in store!
David Thomas Also making its West End bow this summer is the multi-award winning Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, which will have its final West End
Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour: Duke of York’s Theatre – booking to 2-9-17. Annie: Piccadilly Theatre – opening night 5-6-17 – booking to 6-1-18. The Wind In The Willows: London Palladium – previews from 16-6-17, opening night 29-6-17. booking to 9-9-17. Half A Sixpence: Noel Coward Theatre – closing 2-9-17. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Aldwych Theatre – closing 5-8-17.
DESTINATIONCENTRE STAGE
Sophie Evans and Alice Fearn.
Photo: Darren Bell
Alice and Sophie to head London cast of WICKED
WICKED, the West End musical phenomenon that tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz, has announced that Alice Fearn (Elphaba), Sophie Evans (Glinda), Bradley Jaden (Fiyero), Melanie La Barrie (Madame Morrible), Andy Hockley (The Wizard), Jack Lansbury (Boq) and Laura Pick (standby for Elphaba) will head the new London cast from July 24. They will join current cast members Martin Ball (Doctor Dillamond), Sarah McNicholas (Nessarose) and Carina Gillespie (standby for Glinda). Alice Fearn originally joined the London production of WICKED in 2016 as standby for Elphaba and will now assume the role. Her previous West End appearances include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Shrek The Musical, Into the Woods, Les Misérables (also the film version) and The Woman in White. Sophie Evans was the runner-up in the BBC talent show ‘Over the Rainbow’ and subsequently played ‘Dorothy Gale’ in The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium. Bradley Jaden is currently starring as ‘Fiyero’ on the international tour of WICKED. He previously starred as ‘Enjolras’ in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre. Melanie La Barrie is currently part of the acclaimed Everyman Company at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre. Her West End roles have included ‘Mrs Phelps’ in the original cast of Matilda, ‘Madame Thénardier’ in Les Misérables and ‘Mrs Corry’ in the original cast of Mary Poppins. Andy Hockley has enjoyed a long association with The Phantom of the Opera, playing ‘Monsieur Firmin’ at London’s Her Majesty’s Theatre as well as on the UK and Ireland Tour for over 1,000 performances. He most recently played ‘Grandpa Potts’ in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at West Yorkshire Playhouse and on the 14 UK and Ireland Tour.
Jack Lansbury is a graduate of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and will be making his West End debut in WICKED. Laura Pick appeared in The Sound of Music at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, covering and playing ‘Maria von Trapp’. Current cast members Willemijn Verkaik (Elphaba), Suzie Mathers (Glinda), Oliver Savile (Fiyero), Sue Kelvin (Madame Morrible), Mark Curry (The Wizard) and Idriss Kargbo (Boq) will all play their final performances on July 22. Acclaimed as “one of the West End’s true modern classics” (Metro), WICKED is now in its 11th smash hit year at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, where it is already the 17th longest running show in West End theatre history. The “hugely popular show” (The Times) is a three-time winner of the theatregoer-voted WhatsOnStage Award for ‘Best West End Show’ and a two-time winner of the Olivier Audience Award. The critically acclaimed and multi record-breaking UK and Ireland Tour returns from January 31, visiting Bristol, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Dublin, Sunderland, Southampton, Cardiff and Manchester. Based on the acclaimed, bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire that ingeniously re-imagines the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, WICKED tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. WICKED is produced around the world by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. Executive Producer (UK) is Michael McCabe.
An American in Paris opens to rave reviews AN American in Paris, the breathtakingly beautiful new Broadway musical about love, hope and living your dreams, has opened at London’s stunningly restored Dominion Theatre to standing ovations from the public and a record-setting 28 five-star rave reviews from the critics. Winner of four Tony® Awards, this “truly ravishing version of the Hollywood film” (The Guardian) features many of George and Ira Gershwin’s timeless songs (including I Got Rhythm, ‘S Wonderful, I’ll Build a Stairway To Paradise, But Not For Me, The Man I Love and They Can’t Take That Away from Me) and is directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, written by Craig Lucas and designed by Bob Crowley. “An impassioned love-letter to art
and life” (The Daily Telegraph), An American in Paris finds a young American GI pursuing his dream to make it as a painter in the aftermath of war. Following a chance encounter with a beautiful young dancer, the ‘City of Light’ becomes the backdrop to a sensuous, modern romance of art, friendship and love. Acclaimed by The New York Times as “a perfect integration of dance, romance and classic Gershwin”, An American in Paris features the original, awardwinning Broadway stars Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope, accompanied by an exceptional company of 50 actors, dancers and musicians. At the Dominion Theatre until January 2018, book An American in Paris tickets for your clients today!
The London production of The Lion King has welcomed 11 new cast members, including Janique Charles, Gary Jordan and Dominique Planter who take over the principal roles of Nala, Zazu and Shenzi respectively. Now in its 18th year, over 14m people have seen Disney’s award-winning musical at the Lyceum Theatre. Photo credit: Disney Emmerdale star Verity Rushworth will be among the new faces joining the cast of award winning musical Kinky Boots at the Adelphi Theatre. Verity will star as Lauren from Monday July 10, with SimonAnthony Rhoden taking on the role of Lola. The show, which recently played its 700th performance, has also extended its booking period until March 24. Photo credit: Darren Bell
DESTINATIONTOURISM SOCIETY
Some future trends and issues impacting tourism development in the UK By Professor Brian Hay MTS IT is interesting to reflect on the journey that tourism has taken over the last forty years since the formation of The Tourism Society in 1977, but it is more fun to reflect on the journey over the next 40 years. In 1977 we went to see the first Star Wars movie, Elvis died, punk rock was at its height and the country celebrated the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. The UK economy was experiencing an inflation rate of almost 16 per cent, interest rates were over seven per cent and public sector pay rises were limited to 10 per cent! In tourism, we saw the launch of Freddie Laker’s Sky Train, London Underground was extended to Heathrow, expansion of Disneyworld in Florida, Concorde flew to New York and Benidorm was the new holiday destination, but UK hotels still encouraged customers to write for their brochures and price lists! If you wanted to travel overseas, your passport had to be stamped in the Post Office showing how much foreign currency you were taking abroad. There are two sets of trends impacting UK tourism: short-term trends of which we can be relatively certain, and longer-term trends which are more fluid. Short-term trends include: 1) Major political issues will continue to develop, such as Brexit, referenda, general elections, Trump and Fake News, but these are no more than side issues; 2) Technology will continue to dominate our lives, especially for the younger tourists; 3) Freedom to travel across international boundaries will continue to be eroded, and the image of the UK as a welcoming country will be open to question, as border security tightens; 4) The number of single-person households and seniors will increase, and the more we become connected through technology, the more we will be isolated from each other;
Professor Brian Hay MTS 5) There will be a shift from Reality as an experience towards the acceptance of virtual reality experiences, which will develop into mixed reality experiences, and this will be seen as the new reality; and 6) There will be a continued culmination and growing importance of social capital experiences (Facebook, Twitter) over real-life experiences. The more exciting long-term trends include: 1) International tourism will continue to grow well into the future, but this growth will not come from advanced economies, as we seem to have reached the limit on paid holidays of six weeks/year, but from the emerging economies and within the next 10 years they will be dominant; 2) As the population ages, senior holidays will increase in number, and children will be seen as a luxury; 3) We already chip our pets to help with identification, but not our children – soon we will ‘chip and pin’ our kids at birth; 4) Technology will continue to be miniaturised, and this will be imbedded into our brains, which we will use to communicate with technology and other humans. This will lead to development of technologically augmented humans, although more friendly than the Borg in Star Trek; 5) There is little doubt that robots will live in our homes, and in the next few decades may join us on holiday, and may even demand their own holidays away from humans;
6) More robots than humans will be employed in tourism, as they take over jobs such as front office services, cleaning rooms, driving tour busses, preparing meals and serving drinks at the bar; 7) The current development in driverless cars is just the start, driverless cities especially in tourist destinations will become the norm; 8) The recent appointment of mayors in some cities and the demand for devolution is an early indication of the resurgence of the city state, as cities become the new political centres of power with their own taxraising authority; 9) Money will be redundant as a means of exchanging value, Bitcoin is just the start of this process, watch out for the ‘Blockchain’, which is a means of exchanging wealth without money; 10) Tour guides/concierges/TICs and even Google will be replaced by predictive analytics, as technology
will be developed to intervene directly in our holiday decisions/ experiences; 11) Re-created historic tourist attractions will be developed to help preserve vulnerable attractions, which may only be accessible by the very wealthy; 12) Finally, we will realise that tourism is not about the product, location or even the journey, it is about the experience and will recognise that the ‘new tourism experience’ may not involve any travel at all! This article is based on a presentation given at the Tourism Symposium in Edinburgh on June 6, which explored ‘The Future of Tourism’. The Tourism Society will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in London on 18 September. ■ Professor Brian Hay MTS is from the School of Social Sciences, Heriot-Watt University.
‘The EU referendum and Brexit – one year on’ Wednesday 5th July 2017 R.S. Hispaniola, London
Our expert panel at this key event organised in association with TravelGBI will give key insights into how the process and after-effects of Brexit will affect tourism. Don’t miss what will be a fascinating discussion. Panel: Ian Taylor (Travel Weekly/TravelGBI) Kurt Janson MTS (Tourism Alliance) Kyle Haughton (City Cruises) Philip Shepherd (PwC) Tom Jenkins MTS (ETOA) Tourism Society members £35 Non-members £49 Including refreshments For full details and to book visit http://bit.ly/2q0QJtn or call 0203 696 8330 15