� IN FOCUS l COACH TRAVEL


‘Timing is perfect’ for new CTA chair


Delegates headed to the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool for the annual Coach Holiday Conference, held by the Coach Tourism Association. Samantha Mayling reports


J


ohn Wales, director and co- founder of ticketing agency Encore, has taken on the role of chairman at the Coach Tourism Association. He took over from Denise Bridges


(Albatross Travel) during the CTA’s annual Coach Holiday Conference. The conference also saw the


election of new board members: Daniel Kirby (Kirby’s Coaches); Roger Bull (RB Travel) and Colin Fawcus (DFDS Ferries), along with Robert Shaw (Harry Shaw) as vice-chairman. Wales said: “I am delighted and


Encore’s John Wales (second left) with new board members, (from left) Daniel Kirby, Colin Fawcus and Roger Bull


honoured to be elected chairman of the CTA, having been a board member for over six years and involved in the industry since 1982, working in various aspects of the trade – a ferry company, tour operators, restaurants and latterly, the founder and CEO of Encore since 2000.


“The timing is perfect. Now we


have a new CEO in place at Encore, I have the increased capacity to dedicate to the role and over the next three months, along with the association’s CEO Chris Wales (no


Investments are making Blackpool cool


Millions of pounds invested by the public sector in Blackpool’s infrastructure are revitalising the resort – and there’s more to come. Philip Welsh, head of visitor economy at Blackpool Council, told delegates about the importance of tourism, as the resort welcomes 18 million visitors each year, who generate almost £1.5 billion for the local economy and support more than 25,000 jobs. He highlighted developments in


recent years, such as £200 million spent on remodelling the seafront and £85 million on upgrading trams. He said public expenditure


was also driving private sector investment and partnerships with


20 TravelGBI | April 2018


the likes of Merlin Entertainments. More is to come, including a £25 million conference centre, due to open next year and the £16 million Icon rollercoaster opening in April or May at the Pleasure Beach.


CTA chief executive Chris Wales (left) and treasurer Steve Lee (Anderson Travel) with retiring chair Denise Bridges (Albatross Travel)


relation), and new vice-chairman, Robert Shaw, I will be working with the board to devise the vision and strategy for the CTA that will deliver a clear direction and increased value to members going forward.”


� Group attraction Delegates took part in a Q&A session with Anita Rani, presenter of the BBC show Countryfile, along with producer of the Countryfile Live show Tim Etchells. A major group attraction, Countryfile Live will be held


this year at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire (August 2-5). The three-day event will feature


stars from the TV show, animal attractions, food and drink stalls, shopping and a wildlife zone. Encore is the exclusive group


ticket provider for Countryfile Live, and is offering an early-bird group rate of £23 before April 30. The conference also held a B2B


workshop with more than 500 speed-dating appointments with suppliers from all over the UK. coachtourismassociation.co.uk


‘Certainty and service matter more than price’


Certainty, service and security are key motivators when holidaymakers aged over 50 are looking to book a trip. That was the message from


Silver Travel Advisor’s managing director, Debbie Marshall, in her speech to delegates. She said research by the online reviews site – an over-50s specialist – found customers are more concerned about value than price. The survey about motivations


for booking found the top reasons were ‘previous good experiences’ (73%); ‘company reputation’ (59%); and ‘customer service’ (57%). “It was particularly interesting


that price was last at 25% and additional value was a motivator for 42%,” she said. The over-50s is a lucrative and


growing market, with five million Brits in that age bracket taking a coach tour or trip each year. There are more than 23 million people aged over 50 – 43% of the UK population – and within 20 years, there will be more people over 50 than under. She urged delegates to “widen the funnel” by attracting younger customers, while retaining older clients for a longer time. silvertraveladvisor.com


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