Inform, Inspire, Reflect and Plan | Travel Research Online

Last Friday, I spotted a recent Development Counsellors International survey on what travel advisors need during the COVI-19 crisis. The fifth of their key findings confirmed that 38 percent of those surveyed are using their time to engage in professional education. For those of you with the UK on your radar, check out the videos, expand your UK product knowledge, be inspired, reflect on what you see and start planning for the future.

Read on, enjoy these eye and ear-catching snapshots and stay well as we all work our way through this crisis.

Gardens and Stately Homes in Cornwall Because of the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, spring in Cornwall arrives earlier than anywhere else in the UK. This video will inspire you to plan a customised March/April 2020 tour. Adding Poldark/Doc Martin on locations visits, Arthurian legends and at least one Cornish Cream Tea will make this an early season winner.

A Sub-Tropical Paradise in Cornwall Trebah is a beautiful and steeply wooded garden that winds past ponds with Koi Carp, under overarching canopies bursting with exotic blooms, and vibrant tunnels of colour that cascade down to 2 acres of blue and white hydrangeas. It finally spills out onto a secluded beach on the Helford River with WWII D Day connections.

Welcome to A Different World Still in the West Country and set into a steep hillside, Clovelly is one of the most unusual villages in North Devon. The cobbled, high street winds its way past traditional 16th century whitewashed cottages decked with fuchsias and geraniums and drops 400ft in the half-mile down to the small harbour. Take a closer look.

Chichester Cathedral Choristers I’m using this audio-video to make two points about cathedral visits. Firstly, schedule your time there for the often less busy mid-afternoon for a private tour, a cuppa and some cakes prior to attending the short service of Choral Evensong. Secondly, include a medieval parish church, an Abbey or a Cathedral for Sunday Morning Worship.

A Gardener’s Delight           Antiquing, a Wine Experience, Arthurian legends, the National Motor Museum and the burial place of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are just a few of the unusual additions to an itinerary that features no fewer than 5 previous winners of the prestigious Christies/Historic Houses Garden of the Year award. Check out the Rothschild’s Rhododendron Collection at Exbury.

The Rothschilds at Waddesdon Manor The Rothschilds family were the greatest collectors of the 19th century, seeking the highest quality of workmanship and with a keen sense of historical importance. The houses that they built, the interiors they created, and the magnificent Rothschild collections within them became known internationally as the ‘goût Rothschild’. Waddesdon is one of the rare survivors of that splendour.

The Shakespeare Houses In addition to visiting the Bard’s Birthplace in Stratford upon Avon, ensure that you allow at least a full day to discover Shakespeare’s family home and where his wife grew up. Make sure you visit the next generation of Shakespeares’ elegant abode and experience the sights, sounds and smells of a working Tudor farm.

Walkin’ the Travelogue Dog            A few years ago, Visit York created an innovative three-part short film series, showcasing York as the original city of adventure. Hosted by a Yorkshire Terrier, affectionately known as Yorkie, the videos take you on a journey of discovery around England’s iconic historic city and its surrounding North Yorkshire countryside. Here’s the first one!

Dover Castle, The Key to England If you’ve ever sailed in/out of Dover, this iconic castle is what you will have seen from your cruise ship. It has commanded the gateway to the realm for over nine centuries and you can now roam through centuries of history and delve deep within the famous White Cliffs to experience the atmospheric WWII Tunnels.

The Day That Changed England’s History On 10th – 11th October, hundreds of soldiers and knights on horseback will clash in the annual staging of the 1066 Battle of Hastings, the most famous battle in English history. The conquest comes to life as King Harold and his Saxon army take on Duke William and his Norman soldiers in a fight for the English throne.

1000 Years of History Set high on a hill and dating from the 11th century, treasure-filled Arundel Castle has a long, fascinating and often turbulent tale to tell. The ancestral home of the Dukes of Norfolk and the Earls of Arundel, its extensive gardens host an annual Tulip Festival and an international jousting and medieval tournament. More on that soon.

Award Winning Borde Hill Take a close look at this, stunningly beautiful and botanically rich heritage garden.  Arranged in a series of intimate ‘living garden rooms,’ it will give you a fragrant and colour-filled horticultural world tour. It’s an absolute must for clients visiting next year’s Chelsea or Hampton Court Flower Shows. It’s one of the England’s truly great gardens.

Paull Tickner, owner of U.K-based Custom GB, is known for his expertise in creating and operating imaginative, value-added tours of Great Britain and Ireland. Visit his website at www.customgb.co.uk or email him at ptickner@customgb.co.uk.