Destination UK Winter 2015 by Script Media

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Issue 64 Winter 2015 £2.75

Record-breaking visitor spending figures revealed By Christina Eccles INTERNATIONAL visitors have spent an extra £2.5b in Britain during the last four years as a result of work by the national tourism agency VisitBritain, figures have revealed. This beats the target set for it by the UK Government in 2011 by more than half a billion pounds and means that every £1 invested in VisitBritain’s activities has resulted in an overseas visitor spending £21 in Britain. Overall inbound tourism, Britain’s third largest service export and one of its fastest growing, was worth more than £26b to the UK economy in 2013. The industry is also a major job creator, for example every 22 additional Chinese visitors that come to Britain create an additional job in the sector. VisitBritain chair Christopher Rodrigues said: “We have contributed to another record year for inbound tourism numbers and spend. Inbound tourism is clearly a key economic driver, creating growth and jobs right across Britain. “We will continue to deliver awardwinning campaigns, build partnerships to extend our impact, make it easy for people to get here by building air route connectivity and supporting the development of a bookable, integrated transport system which is easy for the international customer to understand and use.

“Everything we do is motivated by the goal to add value to the inbound tourism industry, maximising the taxpayers’ investment in tourism, and driving economic growth across the nations and regions ensuring that the economic benefits of tourism are felt across the whole of Britain.” Tourism minister Tracey Crouch added: “VisitBritain has done fantastic work to promote UK tourism to overseas visitors. “There are a multitude of wonderful cultural and heritage sites on offer throughout the UK which I'm delighted that overseas visitors are enjoying. “However, there is always more to do and this Government is committed to supporting the tourism industry, and through the Five Point Plan for tourism, we will ensure these economic benefits are spread throughout the country.” Announcing the figures at its annual review launch, VisitBritain also reiterated its ambition for international visits to Britain to grow by more than 20 per cent during the next five years to 42m by 2020. This could see an additional £4.5b in visitor spend. The agency will be working to ensure that its major markets for regional exploration – Europe, the USA and Australia – continue to deliver, as well as competing for the new growth markets of tourism such as China, Brazil and the Gulf.

London’s tourism increase continues

Brighton’s iconic Royal Pavilion Ice Rink has once again opened to the public for the festive season. As well as enjoying a skating session, visitors to the attraction can also enjoy a huge rink side bar and restaurant, with a 40m terrace, as well as explore Brighton’s shopping offering. Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council Coun Warren Morgan said: “We are delighted to welcome back the rink this year – it has become Brighton’s star winter attraction and something of a Christmas tradition. It draws people from far and wide to visit Brighton and enjoy the city’s unique Christmas appeal.”

LONDON’S tourism boom has continued during the second quarter of 2015, with the city welcoming a record 5.1m international visitors between April and June this year, six per cent more than the same period last year, according to the Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey. Tourist spending over the same period was £3.2b, an eight per cent increase compared with the second quarter of 2014. Over the past five years (2009-2014), the number of overseas visitors coming to London has risen by 22.5 per cent. CEO at London and Partners Gordon Innes said: “The positive figures for the second quarter of 2015 bode well for another year of strong visitor numbers and spend across the city’s museums and art galleries, attractions, restaurants and hotels. “We constantly look for new ways to build and grow the city’s tourism offer which supports tens of thousands of jobs across the capital. “That work includes innovative campaigns promoting London to the world such as the launch of London’s Autumn Season of Culture and our hugely successful Guest of Honour campaign.”

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DESTINATIONNEWS

Peter Rabbit time capsule to celebrate start of playground By Christina Eccles WILLOWS Activity Farm will bury a time capsule on site as construction starts on the UK’s first Peter Rabbit Adventure Playground, opening in April 2016. The capsule will preserve a host of much-loved Peter items for future generations, including Peter Rabbit books, a soft Peter toy, Willows Newsletter announcing the new adventure playground and a Peter Rabbit Magazine. Copies of local newspapers will be included to give a flavour of life in Hertfordshire in 2015. The time capsule will be buried underneath the 100-year-old ash tree that will soon be transformed into The Peter Rabbit Secret Treehouse – the centrepiece of the new attraction. A plaque will also be placed on the tree to commemorate the occasion, and a letter from Willows chief executive Andrew Wolfe will explain the contents of the capsule for future generations.

Contacts EDITORIAL Judith Halkerston group editor 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Christina Eccles reporter 01226 734463 ce@scriptmedia.co.uk Olivia Taylor reporter ot@scriptmedia.co.uk Dominic Musgrave reporter dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

PRODUCTION Stewart Holt – studio manager – sth@scriptmedia.co.uk Laura Blackburn – graphic designer lb@scriptmedia.co.uk Scott Firth – graphic designer sf@scriptmedia.co.uk ADVERTISING

The UK’s first Peter Rabbit Adventure Playground opens in April. Andrew said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Peter Rabbit to Willows next year, and what better way to mark the beginning of the construction of the new area than with a time capsule? “Peter is already loved by generations of children. We are very proud to be the location of the first-

ever Peter Rabbit Adventure Playground and want to ensure Peter’s legacy is preserved and loved for many more generations to come. “We hope that when our time capsule is discovered in the future, the people who find it will be reunited with a fondly-remembered friend.”

Tony Barry sales and marketing director 01226 734605 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: ce@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

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DESTINATIONNEWS

‘Fair Play for Festivals’ agreement is revealed at flagship conference

Encore tickets has launched an exclusive ‘murder mystery’ package with City Cruises for groups to celebrate Agatha Christie’s 125th birthday. The difference with this murder mystery is that it takes place on a Thames cruise, and all the group members are prime suspects! The boat leaves Westminster Pier and the Inspector has to work out ‘whodunit’ in time for its return. The group members – including the guilty party – then go on to see either The Mousetrap or Theatreland’s hilarious new murder-mystery comedy The Play That Goes Wrong.

THE Association of Independent Festivals and the Musicians’ Union have announced details of an agreement that will mutually benefit emerging artists who are represented by the pair’s 55 member festivals. The ‘Fair Play for Festivals’ agreement will formalise the existing relationship between emerging artists and independent festivals represented by AIF. Details of the agreement were unveiled in a session presented by the AIF’s Paul Reed and the MU’s Kelly Wood on day one of the AIF’s annual flagship conference and celebration event – The Festival Congress – in Cardiff. The agreement, which is an extension of the MU’s existing ‘Fair Play’ initiative, aims to provide practical guidance for musicians and festivals. It outlines key conditions for emerging artists and independent

festival operators in areas such as remuneration, promotion, logistics and advance information required from artists and festivals alongside performance details. The UK’s festivals and AIF member festivals in particular are one of the most effective incubators for emerging talent and this agreement is an important step in formally recognising the importance of emerging artists and independent festivals to each other. The MU has 30,000 members – many of whom play live either as part of a portfolio career or as their mainstay. The AIF represents 55 festivals with a collective audience of over 600,000. Paul Reed, general manager of AIF said: “We are delighted to launch this project at the Festival Congress. This agreement covers a lot of ground and, in many cases, the festivals will already be fulfilling such conditions for emerging artists.”

Success for Devon establishments FOUR Devon establishments have been honoured with a prestigious VisitEngland Rose Award. Beera Farmhouse in Milton Abbot, Tavistock, Higher Wiscombe cottages in Southleigh, The Somerville Hotel in Torquay, and Tor Cottage in Chillaton, have all received a VisitEngland Rose Award. Victoria Hatfield, chair of Visit Devon, said: “The VisitEngland Rose

Award is a tremendous accolade for any establishment and for Devon to be honoured with four very worthy winners is a fantastic achievement for these Devon businesses and for the county. “Once again Devon proves we have fantastic tourist accommodation which is recognised on a national level and is amongst the finest in the country.”

The famous terracotta army creations.

Team of artists creating lanterns for light event Old Town Chambers in Edinburgh.

Apartments are city’s best

OLD Town Chambers, luxury five-star serviced apartments in Edinburgh, has been recognised as the highestrated hotel in the city’s market by industry experts, Orbitz Worldwide. The 2015 Orbitz Worldwide Best in Stay Elite Award was presented to the bespoke apartments found in the heart of Edinburgh, following a range of five star reviews on its global website. Guests that have booked and stayed at Old Town Chambers voted in a variety of attributes on a scale of one to five including amenities, maintenance, staff, room comfort, location and value. These factors along with the

number of positive reviews, frequency of booking and reputation of hotel staff, led Old Town Chambers to come out on top as the highest-rated hotel in the Edinburgh market. Julie Grieve, CEO of Lateral City, operators of Old Town Chambers, said: “We are delighted to have won this award and cannot thank both our new and returning customers enough for voting for us. “We always strive to give our guests the best possible experience, so to win such an accolade, voted by the people who have stayed and experienced what we have to offer, is just fantastic.”

A TEAM of artists from Zigong in China’s Sichuan province are hard at work creating thousands of illuminated lanterns for The Festival of Light event at Longleat in Wiltshire, Among the extraordinary artworks is a 50-metre-long floating dragon boat, a five-metre-tall teapot set, the Chinese zodiac and a stunning recreation of the famous terracotta army. The workers are using more than

18 kilometres of silk, 20 kilometres of LED lighting and 76 tonnes of steel to create the spectacular glowing tableaux. In addition to 23,000 individual lanterns, the team is also constructing a twenty-metre-tall Porcelain Pagoda out of 80,000 porcelain cups, bowls and plates. Zigong is renowned as the birthplace of Chinese lanterns and has been staging extravagant lantern festivals for more than 2,000 years.

Campaign to promote breaks OVER 125,000 bednights have been booked on Stay Play Explore short break campaigns since its launch in 2005. Leicester Shire Promotions is celebrating 10 years of its successful campaign for visitors to Leicester and Leicestershire and to celebrate this anniversary, Leicester Shire Promotions is running a national Discovery marketing campaign to promote the breaks

including targeted print and radio advertising, online activity, search engine optimisation, PR and social media. Chief executive Martin Peters said: “We created the innovative and unique Stay Play Explore package in direct response to calls for help from local hotels who wanted to use excess capacity during school holidays, when their conference business was typically quieter.”

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DESTINATIONHEART OF ENGLAND

Hotel opens at stadium A NEW DoubleTree by Hilton hotel has opened at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. The hotel’s 121 guestrooms, including 50 queen rooms with stadium views, 18 deluxe rooms and two king suites, offer guests a modern and welcoming environment. Other facilities include a 24 hour fitness centre, restaurant and brasserie and bar. General manager Richard Marsh said: “The Ricoh Arena attracts a huge number of people to its wide

Birmingham Christmas Market

range of events – sport, business and entertainment – and the DoubleTree by Hilton here will be perfectly suited to serve the needs of that growing audience. “In addition to Wasps rugby match days, we are also superbly placed for a range of leisure attractions including Cadbury World, Warwick Castle and Stratford Upon Avon and we hope to be able to bring more people to the region to savour what it has to offer, or persuade them to stay longer in the area.”

City’s visitor numbers rise by 10 per cent BIRMINGHAM attracted a record 37.2m visitors last year, an increase of almost 10 per cent and more than any other regional UK city, figures have revealed. The city’s visitor economy is now worth £5.98b having grown by half a billion in just one year. This growth has resulted in the creation of nearly 5,000 local jobs and further boosted Birmingham’s drive to become a leading global tourism and business destination. The figures were released by Marketing Birmingham’s research arm the Regional Observatory and tourism research body, Global Tourism Solutions. Chairman of Marketing Birmingham Paul Kehoe said: “Birmingham is now

the UK’s fastest growing tourism destination with multi-million pound investments in our infrastructure, connectivity and visitor offering combining to bring record numbers to the city. “New air routes to China and New York, major events including the Frankfurt Christmas Markets and the Conservative Party Conference and a growing retail and independent culture offering saw millions travel to Birmingham and boost our status as a global destination. “Looking ahead, this year will see the £150m Resorts World leisure destination reach completion – adding to the recent £600m New Street Station redevelopment and brand new £150m Grand Central retail complex.”

Drayton Manor Theme Park near Tamworth has scooped the Best UK Attraction for Children accolade at this year’s Group Leisure Awards – for the eighth time and the second consecutive year. The family owned and run attraction picked up the award at the Group Leisure Awards Dinner and Ceremony, which took place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole hotel. Managing director William Bryan said: “We are delighted to have won this award again and I would like to thank the readers of Group Leisure for voting for us.”

Cadbury World is chocfull of group exclusives AS ONE of Birmingham’s top attractions, Cadbury World is an ever-popular choice for a day out. With chocolatey zones of discovery alongside group offers, the Bournville based attraction delivers a memorable experience for visitors of all ages. Home to 14 zones exploring the magic and making of Cadbury chocolate, groups can enjoy a selfguided tour through the attraction. You can visit the Aztec Jungle, Advertising Avenue and the popular Chocolate Making zone, as well as the newly revamped Purple Planet which features a range of fun interactive games with a chocolatey twist. Not-to-be-missed is the 4D Chocolate Adventure zone, which launched last year. The interactive cinema experience gives visitors the opportunity to experience the feeling of diving into a pot of melted Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, riding the Crunchie Rollercoaster and taking to the skies in a Cadbury Creme Egg airship piloted by the Caramel Bunny, all without leaving your seat. With lots more on offer, including the World’s Biggest Cadbury Shop, stocked full of Cadbury favourites and exclusive handmade novelties, as well as the Cadbury Café and outdoor African Adventure play area for children, Cadbury World is the 6

perfect destination for a chocolatethemed day trip Special discounted entry rates are available for groups of 15 or more with free coach parking as well as complimentary admission and a meal for one driver. Organisers of groups of 20 or more will also receive free admission for the group organiser. For group brochures and booking enquiries, please visit www.cadburyworld.co.uk or call 0844 880 7667. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ CadburyWorldUK or Twitter @CadburyWorld.

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DESTINATIONNEWS

Peak tourism businesses join quest for the ‘purple pound’ By Christina Eccles EIGHT businesses across the Peak District and Derbyshire are playing a leading role in a pioneering project promoting England as a leading destination for accessible tourism – now worth more than £12b to the national economy. Official tourist board Visit Peak District and Derbyshire was one of just seven top destinations to net a share in national tourist board VisitEngland’s ‘Access for All’ project, funded by a 125,000 Euros grant from the European Commission. Local businesses leading the way in the national and European drive to maximise the potential of the socalled Purple Pound spent by disabled visitors are: Chatsworth Crich Tramway Village East Lodge Hotel and Restaurant, Rowsley High Peak Borough Council’s Pavilion Gardens, Buxton Hoe Grange Holidays, Brassington Peak Shopping Village, Rowsley The Peak District National Park Authority’s Parsley Hay Cycle Hire near Buxton Rivendale Caravan and Leisure

Park, near Ashbourne. All eight had a site audit to review facilities and pinpoint areas that could be improved, classroom-based and on-line training to boost customer service, a ‘mystery shop’ by people with a range of disabilities and tips to improve their accessibility statement and websites. They also shared in a £100,000 print and on-line media and marketing campaign by VisitEngland in partnership with Express Newspapers throughout September, which aimed to raise awareness of accessible destinations and businesses across England. Deputy director and head of industry engagement at Visit Peak District and Derbyshire Lindsay Rae said: “VisitEngland estimates that the overall annual value of overnight accessible tourism to Derbyshire is £45m, so it makes sense for local businesses to invest in improving their facilities and services for this key sector of the market. “We’re delighted that eight businesses across the Peak District and Derbyshire have had the opportunity to review and improve

Chatsworth is aiming to attract more disabled visitors. their accessibility thanks to this pioneering Access for All project, and we’re very grateful to Accessible Derbyshire for their expertise in helping to make it a success for all involved.” Chief executive of VisitEngland James Berresford added: “The accessible tourism market is worth a sizeable £12.1b to the English

economy, and many tourism businesses are realising that catering for disabled customers is not only a necessity but a wise investment that brings a host of business benefits. Many of the changes businesses make may be small, but combined contribute significantly to the visitor experience.”

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DESTINATIONEXCURSIONS

Experience group products on an Excursions™ 2016 familiarisation weekend COMBINE your visit to Excursions™ on Saturday, January 23 with an informative sampler weekend experiencing group product and discover some special places for group days out and short breaks. Two new familiarisation trips to the rural Cotswolds and London are being arranged for group travel organisers with packed itineraries planned around a day at the show on the Saturday. The first, three-day trip takes in attractions around the Cotswolds region, which is famous for its hundreds of honey-coloured limestone villages. Two nights’ accommodation is included at the four-star Cotswold Water Park Four Pillars Hotel with dinner the first evening in a country pub and the second back at the

hotel. Coach travel is provided throughout the weekend with visits to the Corinium Museum, Brewery Arts Centre, Batsford Arboretum, Cherwell Boat House and the city of Gloucester. The second weekend is a source of inspiration for group travel organisers planning a London itinerary, the two-day familiarisation trip to the capital includes a one night stay at the four star Best Western Palm Hotel. The weekend takes in tours of HMS Belfast, Shakespeare’s Globe and Wembley Stadium; there’s also afternoon tea with City Cruises and dinner with a guided tour at the RAF Museum. Coach travel is provided courtesy of Buzzlines.

Whichever weekend trip you choose, on arrival at Alexandra Palace you will be treated to a VIP welcome with fast track entry, complementary drinks and a welcome goody bag. You will also be invited to join an afternoon session of ‘Elizabethan Dressing’ in honour of Shakespeare’s 400-year legacy. Full itineraries for both familiarisation weekends can be found on the show website. To book a place priced at £99 per person for the Cotswolds trip or £85 per person for the London itinerary, based on two sharing a room (single supplement applies to both) contact the Excursions team on 02380 625516. Spaces are limited and bookings will be operated on a first come,

first served basis. Group organisers, operators and itinerary planners interested in the exhibition but not the familiarisation weekends can pre-register their attendance to this free entry event online at www.excursions2016.com With an expected attendance of 1,300 quality buyers and some 300 exhibitors from the UK and Europe, Excursions™ 2016 will be the place to meet and pick up new inspiration for group day trips, short breaks and holiday. Follow Excursions™ 2016 on Twitter @Excursionsshow for news and updates or visit the show’s Facebook page at ‘Excursions: Group Travel Trade Exhibition’. A video with highlights from the 2015 show can also be viewed on the website.

Exclusive show only offers for groups GROUP organisers and itinerary planners who attend Excursions™ 2016 at Alexandra Palace, North London on January 23 from 10.30am to 4pm can take advantage of the many exclusive show only offers available from exhibitors. These will give an added extra for groups planning a visit to the tourism businesses and make their experience even more memorable. Amongst the many extra discounts and add-on experiences is a 25 per cent discount off the 2016/17 six attraction group rate at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. This includes entry into the Mary Rose Museum, now in its last stages of conservation with the removal of its viewing windows planned for late summer 2016; HMS Victory; HMS Warrior 1860; 8

the National Museum of the Royal Navy; Action Stations and the new HMS Monitor M.33. Norman Allen Group Leisure is offering free porterage and a welcome drink for confirmed enquiries made at the show, while Fred. Olsen is giving a £10 per night free on-board spend for group organisers. Shepherd Neame, Britain’s oldest brewer, has put together a special tour, tutored tasting and Sunday lunch package for groups of 16-60 people. Bursledon Brickworks in Hampshire, the only steam driven brickworks in the country dating back to Victorian times, will be steaming up its brickmaking machinery for groups of 30 plus booking a guided tour. Amazingly this process did not

change until the 1970s. Other exclusive show offers include a complimentary welcome drink from Floreal Holidays; additional discounts from French Brothers Boats for their Thames river cruises and Visit Eastbourne for the town’s weekly summer 1812 firework concerts. Leeds Castle is giving away one free place for every 15 people booking a standard non-guided visit and Whitchurch Silk Mill has offered a free guide book for every guest. Terms and conditions apply to all these offers. Group travel organisers and itinerary planners should regularly check the Excursions™ website as more exclusive show only offers will be added until a few days before the exhibition opens.

With an expected attendance of 1,300 quality trade buyers and some 300 exhibitors from the UK and Europe, Excursions™ 2016 will be the place to meet, network and pick up new inspiration for group day trips, short breaks and holidays. The show is organised by Tourism South East in partnership with London & Partners and VisitEngland. Group organisers, operators and itinerary planners can pre-register their attendance to this free entry exhibition online at www.excursions2016.com You can follow Excursions™ 2016 on Twitter @Excursionsshow for news and updates or visit the show’s Facebook page at ‘Excursions: Group Travel Trade Exhibition’.

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Excursions™ blooms with VisitEngland’s ‘2016 Year of the English Garden’ IN ASSOCIATION with VisitEngland’s ‘2016 Year of the English Garden’ and to mark the 300th anniversary of ‘Capability’ Brown’s birth, some of England’s most beautiful gardens will be showcased at the Excursions™ 2016 group travel trade show. VisitEngland and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) are working together with the show organisers, Tourism South East, to create an area specifically dedicated to gardens at the exhibition, which will be held at Alexandra Palace, North London on Saturday, January 23 (10.30am-4pm). The Year of the English Garden will spotlight and celebrate the country’s fabulous gardens and events to inspire additional or extended overnight visits during 2016. A range of free resources have been developed by VisitEngland to help the travel trade capitalise on the campaign, this literature will be available for visitors to take away at Excursions™ 2016. The campaign also pays tribute to Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, who was best known for designing gardens and landscapes at some of the country's grandest stately homes including Blenheim Palace, Chatsworth, Highclere Castle, Burghley, Weston Park and Compton

Verney, some of which will be on show at Excursions™. His landscape gardens are synonymous with England's green and pleasant land with their seemingly natural rolling hills, curving lakes, flowing rivers and majestic trees that looked natural and in harmony with the surrounding countryside. The RHS will complete the feature area at Excursions™ with a beautiful winter garden filled with camellias, winter orchids and climbing plants, plus a stunning visual display of some of the finest planting designs and combinations from RHS Gardens. The RHS team will be on hand to share gardening advice and explain more about their ‘Greening Grey Britain’ campaign, which aims to transform hard grey areas into living, planted places that enrich lives. There will also be a series of practical demonstrations and talks packed with inspirational ideas for group experiences. Group organisers, operators and itinerary planners can pre-register their attendance to this free entry exhibition online at www.excursions2016.com With an expected attendance of 1,300 quality buyers and some 300 exhibitors from the UK and Europe,

Excursions™ 2016 will be the place to meet and pick up new inspiration for group day trips, short breaks and holidays. For those interested in exhibiting, ‘Capability’ Brown gardens can book stands in a section specifically dedicated to his 300th anniversary; all other gardens are also invited to showcase their product within the

‘Year of the English Garden’ area at Excursions™; bespoke rates for 4sqm, 6sqm and 8sqm stands are available. Please contact Joanne Channon at Tourism South East on jchannon@tourismse.com, Tel: 023 8062 5472 for information on booking a stand within the ‘Year of the English Garden’ area.

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DESTINATIONNEWS

Third consecutive record year for Wiltshire tourism A trio of penguin chicks has hatched for the first time at Longleat. All three chicks are doing well and keepers at the Wiltshire wildlife attraction are confident more are due to start hatching out over the coming weeks. Longleat is home to a colony of captive-bred Humboldt penguins who live on Penguin Island, which features a 225,000-litre diving pool and a series of naturally-themed nesting areas.

Must-visit Plymouth has something for everybody Whether you are looking for exciting city events, excellent conference facilities, internationally recognised cuisine or family activities, Plymouth is the city for you. Nestled between the ocean and the moors at the heart of Devon and Cornwall, Plymouth’s natural setting is truly inspiring. Soak up some of the city’s heritage and head for the old maritime port area, the Barbican. Follow in the footsteps of the Pilgrim Fathers who departed from the Mayflower Steps on their voyage to the New World in 1620. The Barbican is a bustling community of restaurants, cafés and attractions and is home to the world

renowned Plymouth Gin Distillery where you can take a tour and enjoy a tutored tasting. From the Barbican it’s a short walk to Plymouth Hoe boasting the iconic Smeaton’s Tower. From this vantage point, you can take in the full extent of Plymouth Sound’s stunning views! Plymouth is home to the largest music and entertainment venue in the South West, Plymouth Pavilions; and the largest regional producing theatre in the UK, Plymouth’s Theatre Royal. Add this to Plymouth’s year-round programme of cultural events like the National Firework Championships, Flavour Fest and Classic Boat Rally; makes Plymouth a must visit destination!

Mattel Play! to open in city

A NEW £1.5m family entertainment centre is coming to Liverpool. Mattel Play! Liverpool is the first branded attraction of its kind in Europe and will feature Thomas and Friends, Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam. The Grand Hall at Albert Dock is the venue for the new interactive 13,000 sqft facility which will be operated by Heritage Great Britain plc, the group behind iconic tourist attractions and destinations including Land’s End and

Snowdon Mountain Railway. CEO of Heritage Great Britain plc Allan Leech said: “We already have the experience of running some of the biggest visitor attractions and landmark brands in the UK. “We are the custodians of the iconic Land’s End, John O’Groats, Snowdon Mountain Railway and The Needles and now for these great British children’s brands.” Mattel Play! Liverpool is scheduled to open in Spring 2016.

WILTSHIRE tourism has celebrated its third consecutive record year, according to figures from a new report on the economic impact of the area’s visitor economy. The report was produced by The South West Research Company for VisitWiltshire and provides an analysis of tourism activity in Swindon and Wiltshire for 2014 including comparisons with previous years, analysis of spend by type and area, competitor destinations and overall economic contribution. The report shows that in 2014 the number of visitors, value of tourism spend and tourism’s economic impact all reached record levels. Tourism is up across the whole county and Wiltshire’s tourism season is getting longer. VisitWiltshire’s chairman and Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership Board member Peter Wragg said: “This report is

hugely encouraging and gives further evidence of how important tourism is to our overall economy. “Since 2011 Swindon and Wiltshire’s total tourism business turnover and GVA have increased by 30 per cent. Wiltshire’s visitor economy is worth £1.5bn per annum and supports over 28,000 jobs.” CEO of VisitWiltshire David Andrews added: “This report is a terrific endorsement for our marketing and development activity and the efforts we and the industry have been making to win back market share after Wiltshire’s tourism downturn from 2005-2010. “We are particularly pleased to see such strong growth in overnight stays which are up five per cent. Growth across the county reached a record 19.9m visitors in 2014 and we are delighted that there is new evidence that we’re extending the visitor season.”

Gary made honorary Yorkshireman TAKE That superstar Gary Barlow was made an Honorary Yorkshireman after making a surprise appearance at the White Rose Awards in Leeds. Gary, who is from Cheshire, received the award alongside Tim Firth – his co-writer of a new musical The Girls. The musical tells the story of the Calendar Girls, a group of Yorkshire

women who made a nude calendar to raise money for Leukaemia Research. Chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire Sir Gary Verity presented the awards at the White Rose Awards, at the first direct arena in Leeds. He said: “I am very proud to welcome Gary Barlow and Tim Firth as honorary Yorkshiremen.”

Association announces major events for 2016 FOLLOWING the highly successful separate AGM and Showcase Weekends run by the Group Travel Organisers Association this year, the trade body has unveiled the dates for these events in 2016. The GTOA AGM weekend will be held at the Northampton Marriott Hotel on January 16 and 17. Formal sessions will take place on the Saturday afternoon followed by networking for group travel organiser and associate supplier members in the evening. GTOA branch meetings and the national AGM will be staged on the Sunday morning. Mike Bugsgang, GTOA’s chief executive said: “We are delighted to have secured headline sponsorship for the AGM weekend from Made and speaking to GTOA members at World Travel Market and the Group Leisure Show, there is considerable enthusiasm to attend the event in Northampton.” The 2016 GTOA Showcase Weekend will take place from October 28 to 30. Tenders are being sent to the

Mike Bugsgang Association’s hotel members and an announcement regarding the Showcase location together with outline details of the itinerary will follow shortly. In addition to headline sponsor Made, other sponsors to date of the AGM weekend include Brightwater Holidays, English Heritage, Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines, HF Holidays, Historic Royal Palaces and Travelsphere.

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DESTINATIONCENTRESTAGE

Miss Saigon, winner of a record-breaking nine Whatsonstage Awards, takes its final flight at the Prince Edward theatre on February 27.

Miss Saigon to take final flight MISS Saigon will take its final London flight at the Prince Edward theatre on Saturday 27 February 2016. This hugely popular musical has had its final extension and short break specialist, SuperBreak, is urging agents to ensure they promote this show over the next couple of months to capitalise on any last minute demand. SuperBreak offers packages to the show that combine overnight accommodation with a variety of hotels across the capital to suit all tastes and budgets.

Winner of a record-breaking nine Whatsonstage Awards in 2015, Miss Saigon tells the tragic tale of young bar girl Kim, orphaned by war, who falls in love with an American GI called Chris – but their lives are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. The show’s original stars, Eva Noblezada and Jon Jon Briones, continue to lead the wonderful, international cast in one of the greatest contemporary musicals of all time. Graham Balmforth, national sales manager at SuperBreak comments:

“This is such an iconic show that has drawn audiences from far and wide. “With just a few months left to see it in London, customers need to book now, before it’s too late.” Prices are from £123 per person including one night at the three star President Hotel on a b/b basis and a ticket to the show.

For more information on SuperBreak visit www.superbreak.com/agents

SuperBreak national sales manager Graham Balmforth.

News from around the theatres ... By David Thomas

TRAVEL a few short minutes from London’s West End and you will find yourselves in the Latin-American barrio of Washington Heights, New York, on the hottest day of the summer. You will also find yourself at one of the hottest shows in town, In The Heights, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda whose musical Hamilton is currently the hottest ticket on Broadway. In The Heights features a pulsating mix of rap, bodegas and salsa music, performed by a phenomenal cast of all-singing-anddancing actors who capture the audience’s hearts from the very first number – and keep them riveted to the very last beat. October 8 saw the 30th Anniversary Gala Performance of Les ´ Miserables. For me, as for many, the most magical moment of this 12 most magical of evenings was when

David Thomas four phenomenally gifted performers gathered to sing the breathtakingly beautiful Bring Him Home together (Colm Wilkinson, the original Jean Valjean, Peter Lockyer, Geronimo Rauch and John Owen-Jones. At least it looked as if they were going to perform together, but after two rounds of each of three Valjeans

singing in turn, John Owen-Jones had still not sung a note. And then he sang. With long running shows you will often find that everyone has a particular favourite in a role, and this may owe as much to the occasion on which they first saw that performer as the actual quality of the performance itself. For me, personally, in thirty years I have never seen a finer Jean Valjean than John Owen-Jones. To the Hospital Club for the launch of Motown The Musical, hosted by Sir Lenny Henry. The show tells the story of Berry Gordy, the legendary founder of the record label that changed popular music forever. And here was Berry Gordy, in London, in person, to tell us the story. Over the next hour or so Gordy filled the stage with memories of Smokey Robinson (“at fifteen his shirt and his trousers were too big so everything flopped around”) The Supremes (“we used

to call them the ‘No-Hit Supremes’ because we spent five years promoting them and could never get them a hit”) and the young Michael Jackson “The Sponge” who instinctively learnt from and incorporated the best bits of other acts and made them his own. And from next Spring, audiences at Motown The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London, will be able to become part of the next chapter in this incredible story – and treat themselves to a great night out experiencing live some of the greatest songs ever written. In The Heights is playing at the Kings Cross Theatre until April 10th ´ 2016, Les Miserables is playing at The Queens Theatre, Motown The Musical will preview at The Shaftesbury Theatre from February 2015 and don’t forget... the hugely anticipated London Production of Disney’s Aladdin The Musical, which opens at the Prince Edward Theatre in June goes on sale this week!

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DESTINATIONCENTRESTAGE

Television star Louise to play Mrs Boyle

Oxford Castle Unlocked has announced the return of the Oxford Shakespeare Festival for summer 2016, when four Shakespeare plays will be performed outdoors with the stunning castle as its backdrop. New for 2016, groups can book a joint experience, combining a seat at the theatre with a place on an Oxford Castle Unlocked tour to create an entertaining evening itinerary. Festival founder Michael Speight said: “Over 5,000 people came to experience the first Oxford Shakespeare Festival and I’m looking forward to building on that success next year with four new productions from a selection of Oxford’s most talented theatre companies. The full line-up will be revealed shortly.”

Show celebrates landmark THE award-winning West End production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, directed by Sam Mendes, has marked its 1,000th performance in the West End, since opening in June 2013. The show has quickly become one of the West End’s most

popular and successful stage musicals. It won two Olivier awards in April 2014, and has broken records at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where it has been seen by over 1,600,000 people. It is now currently taking bookings until December 3 2016.

Disney’s new musical will be at the Prince Edward Theatre.

June date for Aladdin premiere

DISNEY’S new musical Aladdin will premiere in London’s West End on Thursday June 9 2016 at the Prince Edward Theatre. SuperBreak will have a range of packages available combining overnight accommodation and tickets to the show, with demand expected to be high. National sales manager at SuperBreak Graham Balmforth said: “Aladdin is produced by Disney

Theatrical productions, the same team behind the smash hit musical, The Lion King. “We expect it to be one of the biggest theatre openings of 2016 and will appeal to a variety of customer types. “We know how a great show can provide the perfect reason to travel to London for a short break and this is something agents should exploit at every opportunity.”

LOUISE Jameson will star as Mrs Boyle in the record-breaking 60th anniversary tour of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap from January 2016. The beloved murder mystery will begin the 2016 leg of its tour at Nottingham Theatre Royal on January 19 before visiting more than 25 further venues across the UK. Further casting will be announced in due course. Louise is best well-known for her long-running roles as Leela, a companion of Tom Baker’s Doctor in Doctor Who, Susan Young in Bergerac, Eleanor Glasson in Doc Martin, and Rosa di Marco in EastEnders. She said: “I thought about doing something special for my 65th birthday in 2016. Just how did I get to be 65. “The same way The Mousetrap has run for nearly that length of time I suppose, just second by second time has ticked away we've both lasted this long, and so we'll be celebrating together. That's quite special.” The production, which originally opened at Nottingham Theatre Royal in 1952 starring the late Richard Attenborough and his wife Sheila Sim before embarking on its current record-breaking West End run,

Louise Jameson continues its journey across the breadth of the country. Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap has been the world’s longest running stage production at its London home since breaking the record in 1958 and recently celebrated its 26,000th performance. The 60th anniversary – and first ever UK tour of this beloved murder mystery – is approaching 1,000 performances and has now been seen by nearly one million people, having broken box office records in many of its tour venues.

Footloose: The Musical will burst back onto the stage in 2016, opening at The Spa, Bridlington on Friday January 29 2016 prior to a six-month UK tour. The cast will include singer Gareth Gates, who will play Willard from January 29 until April 16, returning to the show from June 20 2016. Further casting is to be announced.

Stage adaptation to go on tour THE Olivier award-winning stage adaptation of Michelle Magorian’s classic novel Goodnight Mister Tom will embark on a UK Tour after its limited West End run at the Duke of York’s Theatre this Christmas. The production will open at Manchester Opera House and continue on to Milton Keynes Theatre, Glasgow Theatre Royal,

Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre, Oxford New Theatre, York Grand Opera House, Richmond Theatre, Aylesbury Waterside, Woking New Victoria, Bath Theatre Royal, Cambridge, Cardiff New Theatre and Newcastle Theatre Royal. David Troughton will play the central role of Mister Oakley, joined by an ensemble cast.

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DESTINATIONTOURISM SOCIETY

We need some good news By David Curtis-Brignell FTS WE are approaching that time of year when the media bombards us with reviews of the past year – the best of this, the best of that, those who have passed and those who have achieved something. We have to suffer endless television programmes reviewing the year’s sporting highlights (apart from the Ashes and Lewis Hamilton I am pushed to remember any) and put up with any number of pundits who make even the callers to Radio 4’s ‘Any Answers’ sound lucid. I normally hate all of this but as it happens I am writing on Remembrance Sunday and I have been in reflective mood. I can’t help but look back at the year almost complete. What will 2015 leave as its legacy? What are the outstanding moments? For some it will be the surprise election result (especially if your name is Miliband), or the surprise leadership election (especially if your name is Corbyn). For others it will be the mass movement of peoples from war-torn countries to an uncertain future in Europe. Some will mourn the passing of JC and his two disciples from ‘Top Gear’ and for VW owners it will mean uncertainty and anger at corporate misdoings on a huge scale. Others will brush away a small tear at the sight of the last airworthy Vulcan flying overhead or shudder with a tremor of concern as another of Mr Putin’s aircraft is warned away from UK airspace.

Then there’s the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, terrorism in general, Operation Stack – these are a few of my less favourite things. Oh, and yet another appalling dancer has been chucked out of ‘Strictly’. So perhaps not such a good idea to look back; let’s look forward. In The Tourism Society we do this every January with our annual ‘Prospects’ event where we ask a panel of industry specialists to share with us their thoughts on the year ahead. This takes place on January 20 so please save the date. In addition to the panel presentations audience participation is always equally illuminating and as with all other Tourism Society events, the opportunity for networking is there for the taking. Whilst thinking about prospects in general, unfortunately, at the time of writing I can only sense a feeling of deepening gloom surrounding the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). There is at large a fervent hope that the current Government will not make the same mistake as one of its predecessors in misunderstanding the role of VisitEngland. Similarly, District and County

David Curtis-Brignell FTS Councils across the country are sharpening their pencils and looking at their investment in tourism. A lot of “What if?” questions will be aired in the coming weeks and months. My suggestion would be, “What if we just leave our tourism people to get on with what they are doing?” Experience tells us that if you stop something and then realise you should have kept going, the cost of reinstating it is higher than if you had left it alone in the first place. In my own career I have come across people who only found out the true value of what they had stopped when it was too late. Some

were magnanimous enough to admit their mistake and paid the price of getting back the status quo. Others didn’t and suffered for it. So is there any good news? I believe there is. And it comes in the form of an English county which has decided that now is the right time to invest in tourism and create a new Destination Management Service. For the past few months I have been working with others to set up a new DMS. And it has been a breath of fresh air, meeting so many people who are enthusiastic, supportive and keen to create a new era of success, development and job creation. They are embracing new ideas, willing to invest time and money to get it right, because they believe that they have something that people want to enjoy but don’t necessarily know exists. So when you read this it will be a few weeks after the poppies have fallen and shortly after the initial results of the CSR have been announced. It will be too late to ask David Cameron and George Osborne to think carefully about the effect of any decision they make on the third largest part of England’s economy. But it won’t be too late to tell them whether they were right or wrong. David is Immediate Past Chairman, The Tourism Society.

Photo – HamsterMan – fotolia.com

Will the Chancellor be feeling generous?

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