UK & Ireland
CITY CRUISES (UKI400) Kyle Haughton, managing director
HOW HAS ENGLAND’S HOTTEST SUMMER ON RECORD IMPACTED BUSINESS? We saw our best- ever summer, with passenger numbers increasing by 24% between May and September for operations in London, York and Poole. The prolonged hot weather also boosted our summer experiences, including Movies on the River in London, which sold almost 50% more tickets than the inaugural summer season in 2017.
WHAT REFURBISHMENTS WILL BE TAKING PLACE IN 2019? As part of our ongoing boat refurbishment programme, the first of three Millennium boats will undergo a complete interior refurbishment. The bar areas will be redesigned and the saloon
STAYCITY APARTHOTELS (UKI369) Tom Walsh, chief executive and co-founder
HOW ARE BOOKINGS FARING? It’s a tough market at the moment, but our occupancies have been high in the year to date. Having a hot summer meant people stayed in the UK, with city breaks being a popular choice. Our service levels remain high and, as the brand grows, we are confident our customers will remain loyal to our brands.
WHAT ARE YOUR HIGHLIGHTS OF 2018? Our key achievement was the launch of our premium brand, Wilde Aparthotels by Staycity. The launch was the result of a real team effort, which started with an idea… then the opening of our first outlet on London’s Strand. More Wildes will follow in Edinburgh,
Manchester and Berlin, with further sites to be announced soon.
WHAT UPGRADES ARE YOU PLANNING? We will continue the roll-out of Wilde Aparthotels and aim for Staycity Aparthotels to reach 15,000 apartments by 2022. Last month we opened our second property in Liverpool with sites in Dublin’s Chancery Lane, Paris, Venice, Edinburgh, Berlin and Manchester to open in 2019. Where space allows, all our new properties will have a fitness room and laundry.
areas will be revamped and redecorated, creating comfortable, modern seating.
WHAT IS THE BUSINESS’S BIGGEST NEWS FOR THE COMING YEAR? Our London operations will reintroduce the new-look Gamma in March 2019. Following a 10-month renovation, the Gamma will have increased capacity at 399 passengers with large panoramic windows and a new upper deck with modern seating.
BRIT MOVIE TOURS (UKI360) Lewis Swan, director
WHICH GENRES ARE PROVING MOST POPULAR IN 2018 AND WHY? Our core tours – Harry Potter, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones and James Bond – continue to be popular with tourists as the films and shows are repeated on TV regularly and have a very strong brand presence in their own right. With spin-off attractions such as the Warner Bros. Studios for Harry Potter and Bond In Motion for James Bond, these tours are a great addition to the fan experience.
WHAT NEW TOURS HAVE LAUNCHED THIS YEAR? We launched our Only Fools and Horses and Peaky Blinders tours in 2018 and both have proven to be very successful. With shows like these that have such a huge and passionate fan base, taking enthusiasts to their iconic scenes is as close to being in the show as they can get – for many it’s a magical feeling to stand in the same location as their on-screen heroes.
WHAT MARKETING INITIATIVES DO YOU HAVE IN THE PIPELINE? Although we’ve attended WTM London as visitors in previous years, 2018 will be the first year we actually attend as an exhibitor, so we are very excited to showcase the tours we offer to a global audience.
WEMBLEY STADIUM TOURS (UKI128) Natasha Underwood, tour operations manager
WHAT’S WEMBLEY STADIUM TOURS’ BIGGEST DEVELOPMENT OF 2018? We have increased the content in our tour by 25% in 2018. Instead of our previous 75-minute experience, the new Wembley Stadium Tour (due to open before the end of the year) will last closer to 100 minutes and will offer visitors a more interactive experience, showcasing the history, heritage and stories of Wembley over the years. We’ve also unlocked the archives to showcase Wembley as a music and event venue.
WHAT WILL YOU BE ANNOUNCING AT WTM LONDON? We are launching new free-flow tours and a free-sale ticketing model. In response to an increasingly online business, we have created the new model to be more OTA/FIT-friendly. We’re looking to make the tour easier to book and redemptions easier than they have been previously.
ARE YOU PLANNING ANY FUTURE EXPANSIONS? We’re expanding our product range for student groups and VIPs in the coming months, and also looking to include more interactivity within the tour experience. Also look out for new tools and experiences for educators, student operators and high- net-worth visitors.
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