� IN FOCUS l WTM LONDON Blenheim bangs the drum for BBC show


Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire will again welcome BBC Countryfile Live next summer (August 1-4). The event showcases elements of the popular TV show, with activities, animal displays, shopping, food, craft producers and even a British pub garden. The home of the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough is also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, and houses a permanent exhibition about the famous politician. Visitors to the palace can tour the


State Rooms while learning about the palace’s 300-year history. There are also 2,100 acres of parkland landscaped by Capability Brown, and a new audio guiding system, available in


English Heritage attraction showcase


English Heritage will shine a spotlight on developments at its major historic sites, from Stonehenge to Whitby, and Tintagel to Hadrian’s Wall. At Stonehenge in Wiltshire,


group and coach visits have been improved by the addition of a coach park and groups-only shuttle pick-up for trips to the iconic stone circle. At the visitor centre there is an exhibition running until April 21, in partnership with the British Museum which explores how our prehistoric ancestors interacted with each other by


nine languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Mandarin, Japanese and Russian. The attraction hosts a calendar


of events and special features, including Christmas decorations


(November 23-January 3); an exhibition of early works by Turner (February-April 2019); and Food Festival (May 25-27). countryfilelive.com


Stand UKI200 At a height of about 55 metres


above sea level, the dramatic bridge aims to give visitors a sense of transition between the present and the past, as they walk between the mainland and island. Further north at Whitby Abbey


in Yorkshire, an investment of £1.6 million will create a newly-designed museum, new landscaping and shops opening in spring 2019. Walmer Castle and Gardens,


Walmer Castle and Gardens


making and sharing objects. At Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, visitors will see a new footbridge, which opens in spring 2019.


Kent comes to celebrate anniversaries


Visit Kent will be exhibiting on the UKinbound stand, with partners Canterbury Cathedral, Leeds Castle and Dreamland. The cathedral is planning a series


of events for 2020, which marks an important dual anniversary for the historic figure of Thomas Becket. It will be 850 years since his


murder at the cathedral in 1170, and 800 years since his body was moved from a tomb into a shrine, turning Canterbury into


32 TravelGBI | November 2018


the principal pilgrimage destination in England. Leeds Castle will celebrate its 900th birthday in 2019, with events and activities taking place throughout the year. The amusement park of Dreamland will be attending WTM for the first time to target the travel trade. Other highlights for Visit Kent include the Turner Prize in Margate during 2019, and a showcase of the new Discover England Fund project:


Kent, will see upgrades to the gardens in 2019 thanks to a £1.35 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant – and Stokesay Castle, Shropshire, will also see its garden upgrade completed next spring. english-heritage.org.uk


WTM IN BRIEF


w Ingresso is just the ticket for technology


Technology company Ingresso will showcase how it helps the travel trade to access entertainment tickets. The system enables travel companies, travel agents, airlines and hotels to sell tickets, manage bookings and


drive incremental revenue. ingresso.co.uk


Stand UKI400


w Going underground with the Postal Museum


The Postal Museum in London will tell the story of Britain’s postal heritage. Shortlisted for the Art Fund’s Museum of the Year 2018 award, the attraction features ‘Mail Rail’, a 15-minute journey on the capital’s secret


underground railway. postalmuseum.org Stand UKI400


w Make tracks to see new Mandela exhibition


Opening in February 2019 at the Leake Street Gallery


near London’s South Bank, Mandela: The Official Exhibition explores the life of Nelson Mandela – from his childhood, through years of struggle against the apartheid regime, to his time as South Africa’s first democratically


elected president and beyond. mandelaexhibition.com Stand UKI400


w Explore what’s on at the National Gallery


Canterbury Cathedral


Gourmet Garden Trails of England – along with Hatfield House in Hertfordshire and other regions that are involved. visitkent.co.uk


The National Gallery in London has unveiled the first exhibition of portraits by the Italian Renaissance artist Lorenzo Lotto (November 5-February 10). The free-to-enter gallery has a collection of more than


2,300 paintings. nationalgallery.org.uk Stand UKI400


Stand UKI400 travelgbi.com


©VisitEngland/VisitKent


©VisitEngland/Pete Seaward


©National Gallery


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60