Build Confidence In Customising UK Tours | Travel Research Online

I don’t know if you saw the Development Counsellors International report issued in late March, about what travel advisors need from destinations during COVID-19, but my eye was caught by the fact that while you were dealing with cancellations and reassuring clients about future bookings, 38 percent reported using this time to engage in professional education.

If that includes you, take a look at my April and May articles. You’ll discover that I’m providing you with information on internationally renowned ANNUAL events and festivals that can provide the cornerstone for a UK tour, and videos and websites that reveal some of the potential tour content. Add to this my 40 years of hard-earned product knowledge, operational experience and grass roots connections and you can proceed with total confidence.

D Day Anniversay Portsmouth’s D-Day Museum is dedicated to the Allied Invasion in June 1944 and it dramatically tells many of the unique stories behind this epic event. Measuring 272-feet in length, the Overlord Tapestry (like the Bayeux Tapestry) pays tribute to the sacrifice and heroism of the men and women who fought for the freedom we enjoy today. Next year’s commemoration will be on 6th June.

The Chichester Cathedral Flower Festival Scheduled for 3rd-5th June 2021, this great floral extravaganza in Chichester Cathedral makes a great partner for next year’s 77th anniversary of D-Day. With visits to Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard and an award-winning English Afternoon Tea at the top of the Spinnaker Tower, this combination delivers an exciting experience within a longer 4-5 night tour of the English countryside.

Crimefest 2021 This annual event has become one of the biggest celebrations of crime fiction in Europe, and it’s also one of the most popular dates in the international crime fiction calendar. Staged in Bristol, invite your clients to rub shoulders with people who like to read an occasional crime novel as well as other die-hard fanatics. Next year’s dates are 13th-16th May.

The Great Detectives To maximize the value of attending Crimefest 2021, let’s wrap it up with a tour that includes a series of On Location visits used in the filming of Endeavour, Lewis and Inspector Morse, a Father Brown/Agatha Raisin Cotswolds tour, an encounter with Midsomer Murders and Sherlock Holmes in London. It can be shortened to run before or after a cruise.

The Secret Garden Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel tells the story of Mary Lennox, a spoiled, contrary, solitary child raised in India but sent to live in her uncle’s home in Yorkshire after her parents’ death. As part of a south east of England tour, discover the walled garden at Great Maytham Hall in Kent which inspired the fictional Misselthwaite Manor. Another gem taking part in the National Garden Scheme.

The RHS Chatsworth Flower Show Set in the magnificent grounds of Chatsworth House, annually in early June and with the opportunity to experience ‘Capability’ Brown’s unforgettable landscapes, the Chatsworth Flower Show is the RHS’ newest show. It combines tradition with exciting and innovative design in an outstanding setting, and offers a delightful mix of gardening inspiration, have-a-go workshops, and unique shopping. Watch for news of Virgin Atlantic’s non-stop flights to Manchester from Atlanta, JFK, and Los Angeles.

Chatsworth, Welsh Castles and The Emerald Isle This England, North Wales and Ireland tour includes iconic names like Chatsworth, Wedgwood, Roman Chester, 12th century Caernarfon Castle, Dublin, and the Wicklow Mountains. It can start with a fast, airside-curbside arrival through the northern gateway of Manchester and be timed to coincide with the annual, early June Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show at Chatsworth.

Grand Hotel York Cookery School Here’s something that will appeal to your foodie-loving clients. Cookery classes at the 5 star Grand Hotel, York, visits to preserve makers, bakers, chocolatiers, artisan food makers, a vineyard, a charcuterie maker and even a tasting at a local monastery. This deliciously memorable tour, a 2-hour train ride north of London travels on and off the beaten track in Yorkshire and the Lake District.

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.