TA Hotel Collection, which owns and runs six distinctive hotels and event venues across Suffolk, has rebranded under The Hotel Folk banner. The new identity focuses on the group’s planned investment in people, both its own Folk members and its guests. Independently...

Greatdays Travel Group has launched a new, exclusive Christmas event for groups – and increased the number of locations to give group travel organisers more choice. The ‘Christmas Beatles Show Party Lunch’, which is available during November and December at seven...

Join the new Travel World Association today at https://travelworldassociation.com and get exclusive rates for group organiser liability insurance from the specialists at Wrightsure Insurance Group… For more than 40 years, the Wrightsure Insurance Group has provided...

Historic Royal Palaces is to feature one of Diana, Princess of Wales's most iconic evening gowns in a new display, Designing for a Princess, at Kensington Palace. Following the hugely popular Diana: Her Fashion Story, that closed on 17 February, a new small fashion...

UK group travel specialists Steve Reed Tourism Ltd [SRT] from Hampshire has just announced an exciting new tie up geared towards Group Travel Organisers and businesses seeking to gain new group bookings from this important sector of the tourism industry. MD Steve Reed...

A pack of European wolves are settling in to their new woodland home at Longleat – making it the first time the species, which once roamed wild in the UK, has gone on public display at the Wiltshire safari park. The eight-strong pack, which consists of mum Eliska, dad...

Action by ‘honeypot’ destinations to reduce their visitor numbers was dismissed by the European Tourism Association chief at the Coach Tourism Association’s recent 2019 conference in Cambridge. ETOA CEO Tom Jenkins (pictured here) told delegates: “Cities are meant to...

‘Leisure Excursions for Cruise & Conference,’ led by Southampton City Council, welcomed around 50 delegates to attend their first Cruise Business Seminar in Southampton Harbour Hotel last week. The seminar, dedicated to bolstering the UK cruise excursion offering...

The Group Leisure & Travel Show (GLT Show) has announced that Britain’s No.1 travel expert Simon Calder is returning to this year’s exhibition. Senior travel editor of The Independent and acclaimed TV and radio broadcaster, Simon is the first celebrity speaker...

From April 20-22 2019, Arundel Castle in West Sussex will see Richard The Lionheart, King of England, prepare to embark on the Third Crusade in 1189… Visitors will witness breath-taking demonstrations of Norman weaponry, armour, combat, battle tactics, archery and...

The Stratford Literary Festival celebrates its 12th year in 2019 with a superb line-up of speakers and events. The eight-day spring festival, which launches on 28 April, will welcome some of the most celebrated literary fiction authors. Leading the way will be names...

Billy Bragg will headline the hugely popular Warwick Folk Festival, which returns for its milestone 40th spectacular year from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 July at Warwick School and the surrounding town. The family friendly festival will bring together other leading...

More than 400 years after she died, a newly discovered portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots has gone on display at Hever Castle in Kent. The extremely rare painting of the monarch – whose life story has been dramatised in the hit movie, Mary Queen of Scots, with actress...

Gearing up to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of its founder William Cecil in 2020, Burghley House is planning a bumper season for 2019 – including the world’s largest gathering of Rolls Royces and a summer concert by one of the UK’s top selling R&B...

For the first time, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge has co-designed a garden for the Royal Horticultural Society at the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show (21-25 May 2019), sponsored by M&G Investments. The RHS Back to Nature Garden has been designed by The Duchess...

A new initiative - called the ‘BTTS Tourism Leaders of Tomorrow’ - has been launched by the team behind the British Tourism & Travel Show to recognise and celebrate young people working in the tourism sector. Britain will have a tourism industry worth over £257...

Coach Tourism Association (CTA) conference members are to confront ULEZ and Brexit issues at the annual conference from 24-26 February 2019 at The Hallmark Hotel, Cambridge. With the start of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone only weeks away, members of the CTA will be...

Snow covered mountains, fairytale castles and Christmas markets are just some of the seasonal treats in store for operators booking winter tours for 2019/20 in the UK and Europe. Albatross Travel has put together a selection of new Winter Tour itineraries for coach...

West Midland Safari Park is kick-starting its new season with Explorers Week, a fun-filled half term event, centred around the Ice Age. From 16 February, the park is once again open daily, and to celebrate the start of the summer season, guests are invited to come and...

It’s been an exciting few months for the team at Norman Allen Group Travel (NAGT), which has finally joined the virtual world and will now be posting news and articles on its new Facebook page @NormanAllenGroupTravelLtd The team are also pleased to announce that, once...

'Mr Pinchy’ is the latest inhabitant to take up residence at Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm in Warwickshire… The brightly coloured Red-Clawed Crayfish originates from Australia and Papua New Guinea, and from February 16-24 children and adults can meet him when...

This year sees some exciting new changes at Germany's Europa-Park… With more than 100 attractions and shows across 95 hectares and 15 European themed areas, a unique discovery tour awaits visitors. And this season, there are plenty of new attractions to look forward...

Tickets are now on sale for Royal Liver Building 360 tours as the countdown to its opening draws nearer. The operators, Heritage Great Britain, have unveiled a new website and online booking system for Liverpool’s newest visitor experience. Bookings will initially be...

Albatross Travel has launched a range of new tours and attractions for groups visiting London, including a concert celebrating ABBA, the Mandela Exhibition and a tour of the Globe Theatre, all packaged with overnight stays for coach operators. • ABBAPHONIC celebrates...

Escape the winter chill as Dreamland Margate hosts its first ever Children’s Book Festival this February half term, featuring a special appearance from The Gruffalo. Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s beloved character will be making appearances at Dreamland...

Airedale is celebrating the new year with a mini-brochure featuring no less than 47 new tour ideas. While expanding its traditional UK coach holiday programme, those folks up in Yorkshire have also introduced a number of rail holidays, both in Britain and Europe, plus...

Caroline Brown - who's pictured here - has joined the board of the Alfa Leisureplex Group in a newly created role as Group Commercial Director. She'll be responsible for Alfa Travel, as well as providing commercial support to Leisureplex hotels as the group expands...

Tickets are now on sale for Countryside Lincs, which returns to the Lincolnshire Showground during the Easter school holidays on Sunday 14 April. As the Lincolnshire Agriculture Society celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2019, Countryside Lincs is returning for its...

Now in its 34th year, the highly popular Bury St Edmunds Festival will take place at entertainment venues and spaces across the Suffolk cathedral town from Friday 17 to Sunday 26 May 2019. Enjoy 10 packed days of great music, theatre, comedy, film and other art forms,...

Kirstie van Oerle, who's pictured here, has been appointed Managing Director of Evolvi Rail Systems – one of the UK’s leading providers of rail booking and fulfilment functionality to online booking tools and content aggregators. Kirstie moves to the position from...

Scotland's Scone Palace is inviting its four-legged visitors - and their owners - to come indoors to warm up after a walk in the grounds during the cold winter months. Recently named one of the most pet-friendly places to visit in the world, Scone Palace is a popular...

ZSL London Zoo is inviting children to become zoo vets this February half-term at Animal Hospital, an award-winning role-playing experience for budding veterinarians. From Saturday 16 to Sunday 24 February, as part of Vets in Action, kids will be able to step into the...

Last year was a remarkable one for wholesaler Norman Allen Group Travel (NAGT), with two long-serving staff members reaching significant milestones. Jenni Chapple, from the company's accounts department, celebrated 30 years’ service, having started work when Norman...

The International Dzhigitovka Show will take centre stage at the Kent County Show on 5, 6, 7 July 2019 as the main ring attraction for the show’s 90th year. The British Dzhigitovka Team, joined by current world champion Sergey Murugov and other national champions,...

Animal keepers at West Midland Safari Park have had a busy start to the year by undertaking the annual animal stock take. Every creature has to be counted, from the crash of huge white rhinos to the colony of tiny leaf cutter ants. There will be some extra heads to...

Olympia London is set to welcome the return of The Adventure Travel Show from Saturday 19th to Sunday 20th January 2019. Visitors can discover a breadth of once in a lifetime travel experiences, from small group adventures to volunteering and career break projects,...

River Walks aired on BBC One last month – each of the 11 English regions saw its own episode, and the entire series is now available nationwide on BBC iPlayer. Here, the show's presenter, actress Shobna Gulati, tells us about her love of the UK’s countryside… When...

Brave a private ghost tour this winter at Hampton Court Palace, one of six palaces cared for by charity Historic Royal Palaces. The evening tours are ideal if a spine-tingling experience is on your 2019 wishlist. Up to 30 people can explore the 500-year-old palace by...

The 15th century Rosslyn Chapel in Midlothian has become the latest UK visitor attraction to be awarded Coach Friendly Visitor Attraction status by the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT) for the warm welcome and fantastic facilities it offers coach...

Merry Christmas and a very happy new year to all of our lovely readers and customers, love from Helen, Harley and all of the Group Travel World magazine team!   Photo: Pixabay

The team at Leighton Hall are celebrating their second award of 2018 for an innovative “Dual Day Out” in partnership with Carnforth Station. The Lancashire Tourism Awards 2018, hosted by Marketing Lancashire, recognise the region’s attractions’ hard work in keeping...

With constant temperatures of over 25°C, the Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm in Warwickshire is the perfect tropical place to escape the cold and celebrate Christmas this year. On display in Minibeast Metropolis are a number of Rhinoceros Rat Snakes, also known as...

As the new year beckons, Cumbria Tourism has come up with 2,019 reasons to visit the Lake District… • 912 square miles of national park • 176 camping & glamping sites • 214 Wainwright peaks • 150 miles of coastline • 124 miles of scenic coastal rail travel • 89...

Easily reached with Wightlink – www.wightlink.co.uk – the Isle of Wight is offering some delicious festive treats for visitors travelling this Christmas period. The island’s foodie scene has exploded over the last few years and, with everything from cook schools with...

The British Motor Museum is celebrating 60 years of Mini at a one-day show dedicated to two iconic marques. For one year only, the show moves from its traditional date in June to Sunday 4 August 2019. Hundreds of these popular British cars will be on display including...

An unforgettable experience could be hidden underneath the Christmas tree for your loved ones this festive season, thanks to Mersey Ferries and its popular Manchester Ship Canal Cruise vouchers. A 2019 voucher is an ideal present for those who love to take in the...

If you're searching for a seaside break, look no further than Brighton. Described as ‘London by the sea’, Brighton is only 50 minutes outside the hustle bustle of the nation’s capital and a mere 30 minutes from Gatwick airport. Home to famous residents, including...