� IN FOCUS l WTM LONDON Discover England Fund project plans tour guide conference
The Discover England Fund’s US Connections project has organised the UK’s first National Tour Guiding Conference, as part of a bid to attract more US visitors. It will take place on November
9 in Drapers Hall, an historic venue in the City of London. Amanda Lumley, executive
director for Destination Plymouth and US Connections project director, said: “Research demonstrates that there is a significant demand from US visitors to have a guided tour while in the UK, allowing them to meet local people and bring stories to life through immersing themselves in the heritage and history of England.” The event will provide tour guides with tips for making their tours ‘bookable’ and accessible to international audiences, and offer networking opportunities for all types of tour guide – from
WTM IN BRIEF
w Sister companies develop partnership
Sister companies Barton Hill Travel and Armchair Destination Management have combined their websites and logo to jointly promote their expertise in inbound tours. Their experience in special interest and educational tours means they have been able to arrange experiences such as a private visit to Gladstone’s Library, and a showcase of
classic British cars.
bartonhill.com Stand UKI400
ON A HIGH WITH UP AT THE O2: More than half a million people have climbed the roof of Greenwich’s The O2, since Up at The O2 opened in 2012 – the year of the London Olympics. Up at The O2 offers guests the chance to see 360-degree views of London from
a height of 52 metres, with tips and information from expert guides. The team from Up at The O2 will update WTM delegates about events at the attraction, such as Christmas specials, and different types of climbs, such as the Sunset Climb, the Celebration Climb, and Climb- and-Dine experiences.
theo2.co.uk
20 TravelGBI | November 2018
Blue, Green and White Badge guides, to ancestral guides, driver guides, volunteers and local greeter schemes, costumed and character- led guides. There will be speakers
from organisations including Wanderlust, Unique Devon Tours, Kuoni Global Travel Services, XV Insights, Robin Hood @EzekialBone, Visit Cambridge and Beyond and VisitBritain. Emma Thornton, chief executive
for Visit Cambridge and Beyond – the lead partner supporting the delivery of this event – said: “Visit Cambridge delivers guided walking
tours for around 80,000 visitors each year and tours form a very significant part of our business. “A key priority for us is
to continue to develop and innovate with our tour product and this conference, which is the first of its kind, offers an exciting opportunity to bring the national guiding community together to explore opportunities in this area.” US Connections is a
collaboration between 13 destinations, led by Destination Plymouth, to develop tourism products in the lead-up to 2020, a year which marks the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s historic voyage from Plymouth to the New World. It is one of several successful
projects to benefit from the UK government’s £40 million Discover England Fund.
visitbritain.org Stands UKI200 UKI400
DID YOU KNOW
Last year WTM London sparked a million meetings, resulting in about £3 billion in contracts.
New man at the top for The View from The Shard
London’s tallest attraction, The View from The Shard, has appointed Andrew Parkinson as general manager. Patrick Allen, chief executive of The View from The Shard, said: “Andrew brings with him a wealth of operational and strategic management experience delivering demonstrable results in sales and operational performance and best in class customer outcomes. I am delighted that Andrew is joining the team at this exciting time for The View from The Shard.” Parkinson has responsibility for all aspects of marketing the venue and managing the operation, including guest experience, event innovation, financial performance, sales (B2B and B2C) and revenue generation. He joined from Liverpool Football Club where he spent seven years as director of operations. Parkinson said: “As a newly
established attraction, we want to deliver a new and exciting future that enhances our guest journey and makes us the ultimate London experience.” Visitors can see 360-degree
Stand UKI400
views over the city for up to 40 miles on a clear day.
theviewfromtheshard.com Stand UKI401
travelgbi.com
©VisitEngland/Iain Lewis
©VisitBritain/Bray Leino
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