Explore Great Britain

ExploreGB is VisitBritain’s largest travel trade event with hundreds of international buyers from countries across the globe meeting travel trade suppliers from the UK to do business.

Travel industry buyers and journalists from the UK’s largest and most valuable inbound visitor markets including Australia, France, Germany and the US are expected to attend, and from its high-spending markets including China as well as Brazil, Canada, India and the Gulf Co-operation Council markets.

The event will be held at the Harrogate Convention Centre from 8 to 10 May 2019. 

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Rolling out the #LoveToTravel contest in India

CELEBRATING 260 years, Cox & Kings Ltd., the oldest and leading tour operator with operations in 22 countries across continents has collaborated with VisitBritain to promote #GreatBritain in India. The joint marketing collaboration will publicize Great Britain through innovative advertisements and contests in the Indian market. 

The campaign focuses on the varied offerings of Great Britain including its signature Rail Journeys, delectable cuisine & experiential tours. To popularize the campaign further and garner participation across digital platforms, a unique contest with hashtags #LoveToTravel and #ExploreFourCorners were launched.

Cox & Kings along with VisitBritain rolled out the #LoveToTravel contest to encourage travellers to share their travel experience on social media. Special prizes including a FREE Trip to Great Britain were announced for those with the most innovative travel video and pitch.

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The Royal Wedding: Inspiring Americans to visit Great Britain

BIG BEN, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, the River Thames have all lured Americans to Great Britain through the years, but now there's a renewed interest as England's Prince Harry is set to wed American actress Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018. According to a quick poll of travel agents in Travel Leaders Network – one of America's largest retail travel agency organizations – some are seeing an increase in clients wanting to travel to Great Britain as a result of the Royal wedding.

The #royalwedding is expected to be one of the largest events for #Windsor Castle and thousands are planning to flock to the area hoping to get a glimpse of the lovebirds as they travel in procession after their wedding ceremony. Whether you're traveling to #GreatBritain this spring or later in the year, here are some things to see and do while you're there.

Ride in Royal Footsteps - Horse-drawn tours are available to the public from Windsor Castle, with private guided tours on the Long Walk.

Art and Architecture in Windsor - Windsor Castle, about 45 minutes from London by train, has been home to 39 monarchs.

Buckingham Palace - The queen's official London residence, is open for tours from July 21 to Sept. 30. 

Diana's Fashion Sense - The memory of Prince Harry's mother, Princess Diana, lives on around Kensington Palace, home to many of today's British royals. On display here is "Diana: Her Fashion Story," featuring outfits worn by the late Princess of Wales. 

Warwick Castle - A medieval fortress built in 1068 and located on the River Avon, is about 90 minutes from London by train. Take an intriguing tour of the medieval vaults and climb to the top of the castle's towers and ramparts.

Southwest England - A visit to Southwest England is gorgeous, even from a train window, but it is not complete without a stop at Tintagel Castle's legendary ruins.

Trooping the Colour - The annual parade, which for nearly 300 years has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign, will be June 9th this year.

Feast Like a King -  A train ride would allow one to stop for mouth-watering experiences in many different cities, from avant-garde haute cuisine to renowned ethnic and regional dishes.

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Tourism in Yorkshire races ahead

YORKSHIRE tourism has got off to a flying start in 2017 as new figures reveal international visitors have spent nearly £100 million in the year’s first quarter. 

267,000 overseas visitors spent £99 million from January to March 2017, up a huge 30 percent on the same period last year, according to figures released today from Visit Britain. 

International spend in Yorkshire is also nearly double the national average which is up 16 percent year on year.

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Support flood-hit regions, urges Prince Charles

WRITING in the Daily Telegraph about English Tourism Week (March 5-13), Prince Charles urges Brits to book holidays in areas affected the winter floods and thereby help to prevent ‘vital’ local businesses going under. He talks about the ‘devastation and heartbreaking losses’ caused by the floods. 

‘I happen to know,’ he writes, ‘that it takes a special kind of resilience to live and work in the countryside, coping with both shifts in the wider economy and the ever more extreme vagaries of the weather, thanks to dangerously accelerating climate change. But in the same way that gardens and entire landscapes can amaze us with their ability to recover relatively quickly from floods and storms, so too can their people.

‘The way that local communities have pulled together to ensure a speedy recovery – even after the devastation and heart-breaking losses we have seen in recent months – has been truly remarkable. I know from the work that my Countryside Fund has been doing to help in these stricken areas that even those that were hardest hit are once again ‘open for business. There is no doubt in my mind that the best way to help flooded areas recover is by people continuing to visit and stay in these beautiful places in order to keep the vital local businesses going.

‘I can only encourage you to enjoy the best of what Great Britain has to offer this spring.’

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VisitBritain launches print magazine

AS the number of international visits to Britain continues to break records, VisitBritain and the GREAT Britain campaign have launched an annual print magazine aimed at inspiring even more people to visit Britain. 

The ‘Imagination – Make Britain Your Own’ magazine showcases Britain as an ideal place to holiday, study, and do business.

Featured in the first issue are British adventurer and TV host Bear Grylls talking about studying in the UK, a feature on Highclere Castle in Berkshire, the setting for hit TV series Downton Abbey, as well as profiles on shopping, food, and adventure.

The 86-page magazine is available in print and digital formats and has been translated into Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian-Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, giving it a combined global reach in the tens of millions.

The GREAT Britain campaign’s partners – the British Council, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and UK Trade and Investment – are promoting the magazine in emerging tourism markets including South Korea, Singapore, and Mexico, which show strong tourism growth potential but where VisitBritain currently has no physical presence.

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What do we know about Britain?

BRITAIN has some of the planet’s most significant and interesting sites and places of interest, but a survey by Mercure Hotels shows that many of its citizens know nothing about them.

The survey of more than 2,000 Brits revealed that:

• A third identified London’s Marble Arch as the Arc de Triomph in Paris 
• A quarter thought the Lake District's Derwent Water was in New Zealand 
• More than a quarter confused St Paul's Cathedral with The Vatican in Rome 
• A third identified Brighton Pavilion as the Taj Mahal 

It also shows many Brits believe fictional places such as Coronation Street’s Weatherfield, Eastenders' Albert Square, Downton Abbey, and Harry Potter's Platform 9 ¾ Kings Cross are real places in the UK.

www.mercurelocalsecrets.co.uk

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/54238124@N00/3780152329">The Royal Pavilion, Brighton.</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Fun week for the folks

BROADSTAIRS FOLK WEEK (August 7-14) has more than 500 events, including concerts, workshops, dances, parades, a craft fair, a children's festival, and Morris dancers in venues ranging from the 600-seat concert marquee in the town's park to the sailing club on the seafront.

Highlights include Cajun dances and the opportunity to English clog dancing.

The #festival campsite is close to the town centre of town, where there will be a panic Circus on-site.

Festival tickets are on sale now.

www.broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk

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Picture Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/65882683@N03/14679132173">Sandwich Folk & Ale Festival 2014</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license),http://www.flickr.com/photos/59262395@N00/673921554">Ron</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Get beach smart!

BECAUSE many sea rescues involve young swimmers and bodyboarders, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has produced a safety pack to help keep children safe when they’re out having fun in the surf.

The Get Beach Smart for summer pack – which can be downloaded from www.beachsmart.org.uk – includes tips for parents, a wave guide for the children, and stickers that can be attached to bodyboards and beach bags.

#RNLI lifeguards went to the aid of more than 7,900 children on Britain’s beaches last year, and this year will have lifeguards on 220 beaches.

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Picture Credit: www.beachsmart.org.uk

Could you be the next Landscape Photographer of the Year?

THE ninth annual Take a View #PhotographeroftheYear competition has opened, with entrants having until July 12 to submit their photographs of the British landscape. 

• The #competition is open to everyone, with a special class for those younger than 17 
• Each entrant can submit 25 photographs across four categories 
• There is a prize fund worth £20,000, including £10,000 for the overall winner and additional prizes within each category 
• A special prize is given for the best image from an overseas entrant 

As in previous years, an exhibition of shortlisted and winning entries will premiere in the late autumn. Previous locations for the annual showcase have included the National Theatre and London Waterloo Station. Shortlisted entrants will also be published in a coffee-table book. 

Last year’s winner was Cumbria-based photographer Mark Littlejohn, who won with an enigmatic shot of a mountain stream in Glencoe, Scotland.

The competition celebrates the United Kingdom only, offering photographers worldwide an opportunity to showcase their images of Britain … from stark moorland to angular cityscapes, and rocky coastlines to lush woodland.

The 2015 awards are being held in association with VisitBritain and Countryside is GREAT. Jasmine Teer, VisitBritain’s photography manager, said: ‘Photographs that showcase the best of Britain play a vital role in VisitBritain’s mission: to raise our profile and inspire people all over the world to come to experience this beautiful country.’ 

Entries must be uploaded to the competition website, www.take-a-view.co.uk. Full terms and conditions can be found on the site.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/46018453@N06/6339834879">Buttermere Lake District Cumbria UK</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Let them eat cake … in North Yorkshire!

NORTH YORKSHIRE has proclaimed itself Britain's Capital of Cake, championing 50 tastes of cake and the places where one of the nation's favourite treats can be enjoyed.

Each year thousands of homemade cakes are served to and eaten by the seven million holidaymakers and day-trippers who visit the North York Moors and coast.

The North York Moors Tourism Network, a voluntary organization supporting more than 400 tourism and related businesses, together with 

the North York Moors National Park Authority (NYMNPA), are championing the region’s cake-capital

claim.

Catriona McLees, NYMNPA's head of promotion and tourism explains: ‘Our prowess in cake-making probably dates back to the Vikings, who are said to have invented Yorkshire Parkin, the ginger tea-bread which remains one of the most popular cakes across the region today.

‘We've created a website listing 50 of the most popular types of cake eaten and the places where some of the tastiest treats can be enjoyed throughout the North York Moors and on the coast.’
www.capitalofcake.com

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Picture Credit: Brownieby Minseong Kim - Own work via Wikimedia Commons, Fountains Abbey vieby Klaus with K - Own work via Wikimedia Commons

Brits flock to Europe to cash in on £ strength

AS sterling continues its run against the euro, the number of Brits travelling to the single currency zone is dwarfing the number of Europeans visiting Britain – and the trend shows no sign of stopping.

According to a travel barometer by GoEuro, 53% more Brits travelled to the continent in March than Europeans visited the UK.

Currently, London is the most searched for European destination, but as current trends develop, GoEuro predicts that Paris will become the new favourite by European travellers in the second quarter of this year.

While the strengthening British economy is beneficial for Brits travelling internationally, the UK tourism industry is likely to take a hit as European travellers look for more affordable options such as Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin.

Says Pablo Martinez at GoEuro: ‘It is interesting to see the widening gap of outbound UK travellers versus incoming European visitors as the British pound continues to rise against the Eero. London traditionally has been the top destination for European visitors, but as the UK becomes more expensive, we predict London will be overtaken by Paris.’

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Board the Cutty Sark for free

THE Cutty Sark in Greenwich is among the new attractions introduced by the discounter London Pass. 

Passholders will get free entry to the ship, normally priced at £13.50 per person.

Last autumn saw the Royal Observatory added to the portfolio, while the National Maritime Museum, Fan Museum and Wernher Collection at Ranger’s House. 

They are also offering, as is a one-day ‘hop-on, hop-off’ Thames City Cruises ticket. 

The London Pass is also aiming to tap into the popularity of the BBC TV series Sherlock by introducing a one-hour guided Sherlock Holmes Walking tour. 


Participants are invited to wear deerstalkers and explore the locations featured in Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels.

Also new 2015 is the Science Museum’s IMAX Theatre. London Pass holders will be able to experience a 3D film (normally £10 per person) on one of the UK’s largest cinema screens.

A one-day London Pass is priced at £49 per adult and £33 per child (aged 5-15).

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Picture Credit: "The Cutty Sark" by Gordon Joly - Own work via Wikimedia Commons; "Cutty Sark Greenwich - Own work by Richard Toy via Wikimedia Commons.

Scone Palace crowned Scotland’s top rural tourist destination

THE crowning place of Scottish kings has been named Scotland’s top rural tourist attraction.

Says Sarah Butler, CEO of Scone Palace says: ‘The palace and its grounds attract more than 100,000 visitors every year, as well as the tens of thousands of visitors who attend major events held on the estate.

‘We are always striving to improve our visitor experience and this award recognizes the strong contribution Scone Palace makes as a visitor attraction, local employer, and in putting Perthshire on the map as a key Scottish tourist destination.’

Scone Palace re-opened for the season on April 1.



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Picture Credit: "Scone Palace, Scotland" by rob bishop via Wikimedia Commons; "Scone Palace Grounds, The Murray Star Maze 02" by Palickap (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Jousting at Blenheim

THIS year’s jousting tournament at Blenheim Palace is scheduled for the May Bank holiday weekend – May 2-4. 

Recreating the jousting contests of England’s 13th century, knights will do battle in a daring display of bravery and skill. 

Jousting will be staged twice daily over the weekend starting at 12-noon and 3pm.

Visitors can enjoy a weekend of entertainment, including falconry displays, archery, and puppet shows. See more at www.blenheimpalace.com



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Picture Credit: "Jousting" by Jeff Kubina from Columbia, Maryland via Wikimedia Commons; "Harris Hawk" "Parabuteo unicinctus takeoff2" by Flickr user Dave-F (David Friel) - Flickr here. via Wikimedia Commons

Bumper year for UK’s major attractions

VISITOR numbers at Britain’s major tourist magnets were up by 6.5 percent year-on-year in 2014, according to statistics published by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions.

More than 123 million visitors passed through the doors of top UK museums, galleries, and other attractions last year.

Scottish attractions saw the greatest increase – almost 10 percent – followed by London, with an increase of 7.1 percent.

The British Museum remained the most popular visitor attraction overall for the eighth year running, with 6,695,213 visitors. In second place was the National Gallery in London, which saw a 6.4 percent increase to 6,416,724. Included in the numbers for the first time was London’s Southbank Centre, which had 6,255,799 visitors.

Libraries attracted substantial numbers, with the Library of Birmingham – which opened in 2013 – being the most visited free attraction outside London, in 10th place with 2,414,860. The British Library in London saw visits to its public exhibitions and programme rise by 52 percent.

Museums and galleries throughout the UK saw a 6.09 percent increase, compared to 11.75 percent in London. Blockbuster exhibitions continued to boost visitor numbers. The Tate Modern welcomed a record 5,785,427, undoubtedly thanks to the Matisse exhibition.

The 100th Anniversary of World War 1 had an impact throughout the UK – with many country houses telling the story of their part in the conflict. 

The new First World War Galleries at Imperial War Museum London saw almost one million visitors in just six months. The Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation at the Tower of London attracted an estimated five million visitors to view the attraction from outside the castle’s walls, and fuelled a six percent increase in its annual visitor figures.

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Picture Credit: "Tower of London" by Jonathan Cardy (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Celebrate in Windsor

THE Royal Borough of Windsor has reasons to celebrate this year …

Waterloo at Windsor: 1815 – 2015: 2015 marks the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo and the defeat of Napoleon. George IV created the Waterloo Chamber in Windsor Castle and filled with portraits of those instrumental in the victory, chief among them, of course, the Duke of Wellington. 

Throughout 2015, Waterloo at Windsor: 1815 – 2015 combines a themed trail through the castle’s State Apartments with a display of prints and drawings that explore the battle and its aftermath. The trail highlights objects seized on the battlefield by the victors, including silver, furniture, weapons, and Napoleon’s red coat, which was presented to George IV by Wellington's ally, Field-Marshal Gebhardt von Blücher.

Magna Carta 800: This historic anniversary will be marked with a river relay led by Gloriana, the Queen's Row Barge. The weekend of June 13-14 will see a flotilla of boats make its way from upstream of Cookham to Runnymede. This stretch of the Thames provides plenty of viewing opportunities, where visitors can walk in the footsteps of King John across the ancient riverside meadows at Runnymede and visit Windsor Castle. Windsor features in one of four special Magna Carta 800 trails created to mark the anniversary of the sealing of the 'greatest constitutional document of all times'. The four- day London to Windsor itinerary covers the British Library (home of Magna Carta); Runnymede (where it was signed with the Great Seal) and Windsor Castle.

The Queen's Walkway: Later in the year, a new walkway in Windsor will celebrate the Queen as Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. The four-mile accessible route starts and finishes at Windsor Castle's King Henry VIII Gate, and links 63 places of interest.

Work on the walkway started in January and will be completed by September 9, the date the Queen becomes the country’s longest-serving sovereign … serving 23,226 days and 16 hours, and overtaking the record currently held by Queen Victoria.


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Picture Credit: "Windsor Castle" by Daniel Hass (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons; 

River trips to celebrate new Royal baby

CITY CRUISES is planning an April of Royal baby celebrations with what the sightseeing operator calls a Royally Rich Afternoon Tea exhibition and cruise in London.

Kate Middleton is expecting her second child in April, so the Thames-based company is offering river trips comprising a photographic exhibition, a lecture and high-tea. Historians will take passengers on a story of Royal children from Victorian times through to present day. 

Taking place on most Mondays and Tuesdays in April and departing from Tower Pier at 3.30pm (returning at 5pm), the cruises will offer the opportunity to delve deeper into a 150 years of Royal children.

Tickets are priced from £35 for adults and £25 for children.

Kyle Haughton, managing director, City Cruises, said: ‘This April is set to be another exciting month, as we await the arrival of another royal baby, and our special edition Afternoon Tea Cruises have been designed with this in mind. Rarely do the public get an opportunity to delve into the lives of the royal children, so this is an opportunity not to be missed.’

City Cruises, with a fleet of 20 river vessels, carries more than two million passengers annually on sightseeing, entertainment, and charter services.

For more information, and to make bookings, go to www.citycruises.com
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Picture Credit: Courtesy citycruises.com

Scotland's answer to Route 66?

ROUTE 66 – famously running from Chicago to LA – is America’s most iconic road. Does Britain have anything to match it?  .... 

Scotland says it does ....  The North Coast 500, being promoted by the North Highland Initiative – is a northern touring route that takes visitors through 500 miles of the best scenery the North Highlands has to offer.

Known as the NC500, it runs from Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, to the Kyle of Lochalsh on the West Coast via the rugged north coast. It links natural heritage and scenery with places to stop on the way.

Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland said: 'There is nothing quite like the open road, and this particular route really does take in some of the most picturesque parts of our beautiful country. People travel from all over the world for Route 66, and with our scenery, there's no reason why the North Coast 500 can't prove to be just as popular. At the end of the 500 miles, visitors might just be tempted explore 500 more.'

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Picture Credit: Courtesy North Highland Initiative.

Surf Snowdonia!

SURF SNOWDONIA – scheduled to open in July – will be a water sports park in the village of Dolgarrog in the Conwy Valley, North Wales. 

It’s being billed as the world's first publicly-accessible Wavegarden artificial surfing lagoon.

It generates consistent surfing waves of heights up to 6 feet, in a 980ft lagoon, and is said to be safe for both beginners and experienced surfers.

www.surfsnowdonia.co.uk

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Picture Credit: Courtesy surfsnowdonia.co.uk