Issue 63 Autumn 2015 £2.75

Tourism figuresreach new firstquarter recordBy Christina Eccles

ENGLAND’S domestic tourism indus-try achieved a record breaking per-formance in the first quarter of theyear, according to figures from theGreat Britain Tourism Survey, pub-lished by VisitEngland.

The findings show there were28.7m trips recorded in Englandbetween January and April this year,which represents an 18 per centincrease year on year and is thehighest number of trips recorded dur-ing the first quarter since the surveybegan in 2006.

The survey also revealed: � An 18 per cent increase in expen-diture in total to almost £5b com-pared to 2014.� The number of holidays taken inthe first four months of 2015increased by seven per cent – thebest performance for holidays takenin England for this period since2012.� For the month of April, the numberof domestic overnight trips increasedfor the fourth consecutive month,with a 10 per cent increase to 9mtrips taken and a five per centincrease in spend to £1.5bn. This isthe best April performance since2012.

The early months of the year werecharacterised by above averageweather and a number of high profile

anniversaries including the 800thanniversary of the Magna Carta andthe 50th anniversary of WinstonChurchill’s death.

Major events also proved a majordraw including the first ever Tour deYorkshire in May, hundreds of familyfriendly Easter activities across thecountry in April and a host of music,food and walking festivals, which allcontributed to high levels of confi-dence amongst businesses.

Tourism minister Tracey Crouchsaid: “The growing numbers of peo-ple making the most of England'sworld-beating destinations is brilliantnews for the industry and our econo-my as a whole.

“We are committed to supportingthe tourism industry, helping it togrow and creating jobs throughoutthe country.

“I look forward to working with theindustry to implement our new FivePoint Plan to further strengthentourism across the UK.”

VisitEngland CEO James Berresfordadded: “The tourism industry’s confi-dence demonstrates the resilience ofbusinesses who bounced back afterthe severe weather conditions thatimpacted destinations at the begin-ning of last year.

“We know that England has a fan-tastic range of standout product andgenerates high levels of satisfactionfor visitors.”

Strictly Come Dancing winner Pasha Kovalev is taking his latestdance spectacular on tour next year, calling at venues around thecountry. Audiences on his It’s All About You tour can expect anevening of music, dancing, energy, lights and sparkling costumes,with the show suitable for all the family. Pasha will be appearing atvenues including Torquay’s Princess Theatre.

LISTENING to the grandfather clockchime in Anne Hathaway’s cottage,take a leisurely stroll on the beach atDurdle Door, or enjoy the choirsinging at Rosslyn Chapel are justsome of the things internationaltourists can now do in Britain –before they even arrive.

National tourism agency,VisitBritain, has commissioned aseries of immersive 360 degreeexperiences giving overseas visitorsan opportunity to step inside someof Britain’s most-loved attractions.

As part of the Government’s GREATtourism campaign, this activity aimsto drive more international visitorsout across the nations and regions

of Britain. Marketing director at VisitBritain

Joss Croft said: “Not only will thisimmersive experience allow potentialvisitors to snoop around some of ourgreatest tourist attractions beforethey arrive, but it will inspire andmotivate more travel across thecountry.

“London is a huge global asset forBritain – a dynamic, cosmopolitanand well-connected city that visitorsaspire to visit. Our challenge is toencourage visitors to add to theirholiday experience by exploring evenmore during their short time hereand making sure they know howeasy it is to get around.”

Try before you buy Britain

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EDITORIALJudith Halkerston group editor 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.ukChristina Eccles reporter 01226 734463ce@scriptmedia.co.ukOlivia Taylor reporter ot@scriptmedia.co.ukDominic Musgrave reporter dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

PRODUCTIONStewart Holt – studio manager –sth@scriptmedia.co.ukLaura Blackburn – graphic designerlb@scriptmedia.co.ukScott Firth – graphic designersf@scriptmedia.co.uk

ADVERTISINGTony Barrysales and marketing director01226 734605

CIRCULATIONKelly Tarff01226 734695 kt@scriptmedia.co.ukWeb: www.destination.uk.com

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Contacts

At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If you have acomplaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, in the first instance,contact us by email: ce@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice asdemanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. For details on the code and what todo should you be unsatisfied with the way we handle your complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk

Final tickets now available forCoronation Street The TourBy Christina Eccles

CORONATION Street The Tour willcome to an end on December 31,with final tickets on sale now.

The Tour, operated by ContinuumAttractions, opened initially in April2014 for a six-month period but dueto public demand, extended planningwas granted by Manchester CityCouncil, allowing visitors to continueenjoying the unique experience overChristmas and throughout 2015.

Since opening, the attraction haswelcomed over half-a-million visitorsto the former site where CoronationStreet was filmed before its move toMediaCityUK.

Visitors can explore behind thescenes of the sound stage studiofeaturing the green room, dressingrooms, interior sets such as TheRovers Return, The Kabin and TheDuckworth’s and the backlot set ofCoronation Street’s famous cobbles.

CEO of Continuum AttractionsJuliana Delaney said: “We areincredibly proud of the uniqueexperience we have been able to

deliver for hundreds of thousands ofvisitors from across the world.

“This December we’ll be sayingfarewell to something extraordinarilyspecial and are truly privileged inoperating the attraction to haveplayed a part in making this uniqueopportunity available for the public toenjoy.”

ITV controller of partnerships

(commerce and ventures) JamesPenfold added: “The tour at QuayStreet was always for a limited timeand the demand has exceeded allour expectations. However, all goodthings have to come to an end andthe Coronation Street lot will beremoved in early 2016 for the site tobe returned to Allied London forfuture development.”

Visitors can explore The Rovers Return as part of the tour.

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FOOTBALLING legend Ryan Giggs hasopened a dedicated exhibition at theManchester United Museum andTour, celebrating his time at the club.

Ryan Giggs: The Man for AllSeasons will comprise over 40items, including Giggs’ Treblemedals, his FIFA Club World Cupmedal and the ball from his very firstManchester United goal.

The exhibition also features objectsrelating to his personalachievements; such as his PFAPlayer of the Year Award 2009, hisBBC Sports Personality of the Yearaward 2009 and his OBE, awardedfor his services to football in 2007.

Manchester United Groupmanaging director, Richard Arnold,said: “There are very few playerswho can boast a CV like Ryan’s. He

is one of the most decorated Britishsportsmen of our time with a careerspanning across more than twodecades. His achievements are a bigpart of the club’s history and theMuseum’s dedicated exhibition givesfans a chance to relive some ofthose celebrated moments.

“Many of the pieces on display arefrom Ryan’s personal collection andwe are delighted to be able to sharethese with fans for the very firsttime.

“The Manchester United Museumand Tour is an award winningattraction, welcoming hundreds ofthousands of visitors each season,and I am sure the addition of RyanGiggs: The Man For All Seasons willmake it all the more popular withour fans.”

Ryan Giggs with some of his memorabilia.

Football legend opensexhibition at museum

Tourism increasesin city and countyTHE value of tourism to Leicesterand Leicestershire has grown for thesixth consecutive year to reach arecord high of £1.571bn, accordingto Leicester Shire Promotions.

This is a six per cent rise on theprevious year and a total increase ofover 20 per cent over the last sixyears.

Chief executive of Leicester ShirePromotions, Martin Peters, said:“These figures demonstrate thattourism is making an important andgrowing contribution to the economyof Leicester and Leicestershire.

“This strong growth in the visitoreconomy in the city and county hasbeen achieved by a number ofstrategic factors including continuedimprovements to the quality of thevisitor experience and tightly focuseddestination marketing activity.

“With local visitor attractions

including Conkers, the NationalSpace Centre and Twycross Zoo allannouncing major visitor milestonesrecently and major infrastructuredevelopments planned forConnecting Leicester, King RichardIII, Foxton Locks and others, we areconfident that this sustained growthwill be a continuing trend for futureyears.”

Chief executive of the NationalSpace Centre and chairman ofLeicester Shire Promotions, ChasBishop, added: “This is morewelcome news for an industry thatprovides fantastic experiences andfacilities for locals as well asholiday-makers.

“The growth of Leicester andLeicestershire as a genuine tourismdestination is brilliant for theeconomy and for people looking foran exciting and rewarding job.”

GUESTS will sleep in comfort at theYorkshire Hotel after the businessinvested in over 100 comfy newbeds.

Located in the heart of historicHarrogate and on the doorstep ofthe Yorkshire Dales, the hotel hasintroduced 107 brand new beds forits 81 standard, feature andsignature rooms.

General manager Rob Warren said:

“Guaranteeing a comfy and cosystay, along with an exceptional andmemorable experience is what westrive to offer each and everycustomer.

“We hope our investment in over100 new beds will provide evenmore of a homely feel and ensure arestful and relaxing sleep all round.The only pitfall is that guests maynot want to get out of bed.”

Hotel invests in 107 new beds

Marketing campaignshowcases more ofthe second cityBy Christina Eccles

MARKETING Birmingham haslaunched a new microsite as part ofits long-term campaign, Welcome toMore.

The site builds on 18 months ofmarketing and communications worktargeting overseas visitors andinvestors, which has ranged fromadvertising campaigns to attendinginternational tourism events.

This has focused on Europeanmarkets such as Spain, Germanyand France – plus long hauldestinations including the EastCoast of the United States and Asia.

Welcome to More highlights thetransformation the city isexperiencing, with over £1b ininvestment now coming to fruition. Itencompasses everything the cityregion will have to offer – from the£600m redevelopment of NewStreet station, to major culturalevents.

The microsite will become a centralinformation point, providing furtherdetails about the milestones takingplace across the local area.Marketing Birmingham hasdeveloped a range of other tools forWelcome to More, including a

downloadable festivals planner,digital advertising campaign anddoor drop leaflets targeting nationalaudiences who can take a directtrain journey into Birmingham citycentre. A social media campaign willalso be rolled out using the hashtag#morebirmingham.

Director of marketing andcommunications at MarketingBirmingham, Emma Gray, said: “Thisis such an exciting time forBirmingham and its surroundingareas.

“Anticipation is already starting tobuild for the launches, culturalcelebrations and sporting fixturestaking place within weeks of eachother.

“We have been targeting a numberof key overseas markets for sometime, but Welcome to More is reallyramping up now. By capitalising oneverything that’s taking place in thecoming months, we want toencourage more people toexperience for themselves whyBirmingham has become a must-seedestination.

“Building on the momentum of2015, we will also be usingWelcome to More to promote theregion into 2016 and beyond.”

Encore Tickets’ head of sales Jo Bachelor and Shrek’s Adventuregeneral manager Helen Bull got up close and personal with some ofthe attraction’s iconic characters to promote the company’savailable group packages. Shrek’s Big Adventure is open now atCounty Hall’s Riverside Building on the Thames near WestminsterBridge. Packages available include entry to the attraction and lunchat Pizza Express or a return river cruise to the Tower of London.Jo said: “We are delighted to be one of the few preferred ticketingpartners for this fabulous new Merlin attraction.”

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Keeper hand-rearsbaby two-toed slothZOO keeper Kelly-Anne Kelleher, withthe help of a special teddy-bear, hastaken on the role of surrogate mumto ZSL London Zoo’s newest arrival;a tiny baby sloth.

The seven-week-old two-toed sloth(Choloepus didactylus), born tosecond-time parents Marilyn andLeander, needed a helping handwhen his mum stopped producingmilk, and was unable to care for herinfant.

Keepers have named the youngmale Edward after Johnny Depp’sfamous character, EdwardScissorhands, due to his impressiveclaws - which will grow up to fourinches in length and enable him tocling on and climb easily throughthe tree-top branches of hisRainforest Life home.

To help build up the muscles thatEdward would normally use holdingon to mum, keeper Kelly-Annecustomised his sloth-teddy withcarabiners so that it can be hungfrom a branch, enabling theyoungster to climb on andstrengthen his little limbs.

The nocturnal mammals, native toSouth America, are notoriously slow,and baby Edward is no exception,with Kelly-Anne often having to waitfor him to stir from a deep slumberbefore being able to feed him.

Kelly-Anne said: “We’re bottle-feeding Edward every three hours

with goat’s milk, topped up withsome vitamins to keep him fit andhealthy.

“Just like with human babyformula, we heat it up until it’s atroom temperature, and test itswarmth on our wrists – it took him afew days to get used to the bottle,but now he’s hungrily suckling assoon as we give it to him.

“If he’s feeling particularly hungryhe makes a very funny noise to letus know – a sound somewherebetween a squeak and a sneeze,but it’s very loud and he makes hispoint!”

Keeping detailed records oneverything the infant does, fromeating to sleeping, zookeeper Kelly-Anne even logs Edward’s potty-habits. Sloths leave their high tree-top habitats only once a week to goto the toilet, so by keeping track ofhis poop, Edward’s keepers canaccount for any weight losses orgains.

The Pheasant has created a peaceful break for those looking totake in Cumbria’s autumn colours this year. The coaching inn isnestled at the foot of the fells, just a few minutes’ walk from theshores of Bassenthwaite Lake. Its Autumn Colours Break isavailable throughout September and October and includes twonights’ bed and breakfast accommodation, plus afternoon tea, alavish cheese board with a bottle of good wine to indulge in oneevening and use of the tranquil spa facilities at nearby ArmathwaiteHall.

TRAVELODGE is embarking on amajor recruitment drive, with thecreation of 750 new jobs, including250 positions as a result of 10 newhotel openings across the UK.

Positions include hotel manager,receptionist and housekeeper, aswell as roles in the company’s hotel

support centre in Oxfordshire.The company has also launched a

brand new careers website tosupport the drive, which includes allcurrent vacancies, as well asinformation about working atTravelodge, including videotestimonials from staff.

Major recruitment drive begins

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WORLD Travel Market London, theleading global event for the travelindustry boosts the London economyby more than £244million.

WTM London 2014 – which ranfrom Monday 3 to Thursday 6November at ExCeL, Londonexhibition centre – attracted arecord 51,500 participants from theglobal travel and tourism industry’smost senior executives, who allcame to London to profile thehottest travel destinations.

Business deals worth more than£2.5billion were triggered by theevent, while £244,340,223m hasbeen pumped into the economythrough money spent on hotels,restaurants, flights and otherdiscretionary spend by those visiting

England’s capital city.To put this figure in context, The

British Fashion Council’s LondonFashion Week estimated it generates£100million for the Londoneconomy. While Cardiff’s hosting of

seven games at the Rugby WorldCup will generate £316m.

In fact, out of the 11 host cities ofthe 2015 Rugby World Cup onlyCardiff and London (£1,203m from13 games at Wembley, the Olympic

Stadium and Twickenham) willgenerate more than WTM does forthe London economy.

An October 2014 Deloitte report into London’s hosting of two NFLgames in 2013 revealed it wasworth £32m to the local economy.While a London NFL team playingeight games a season would benefitLondon to the tune of £102m,according to the report.

World Travel Market showcasesaround 186 countries and regionsthrough its almost 5,000 exhibitors.

The deals agreed at WTM will bethe product content in travelcompanies’ brochures and on theirwebsites, which will ultimatelydecide where holidaymakers visit in2015 and beyond.

WTM London gives economy massive boost

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IN honour of the UK’s leading oneday group travel exhibition’s 40thbirthday, global brand BombaySapphire will be premiering anexclusive ruby red gin cocktail, freeto all visitors from the BombaySapphire Cocktail Lounge atExcursions™ 2016.

Complimentary coach transfers tothe show have also been increasedto accommodate an even widerreach of free travel for organisers toattend the 2016 show, which istaking place on Saturday, January23 at Alexandra Palace in northLondon (10.30am-4pm).

Nigel Smith, chief executive oforganisers Tourism South East, said:“Bombay Sapphire is one of thenewest and most exciting attractionsin the UK and we are so pleasedthat they are partnering with us onsuch a landmark year.”

Will Brix, estate manager atBombay Sapphire Distillery, added;“This is a great opportunity for us tointroduce the many visitors toExcursions™ to the tours andexperiences we offer to groups.

“We hope they enjoy our specialruby red gin cocktail and lookforward to celebrating the show’s40th anniversary.”

Complimentary transfer coachesGetting to the show is easy,Excursions™ is once again extendingits already successful programme offree coach transfers for visitors withthe addition of one new route andeight pick-up points; this increasesthe number of coaches to 14transferring visitors from 57 locationsto Alexandra Palace.

The new coach will call at twopoints in and around Bristol offering,for the first time, visitors from theSouth West the opportunity toattend the show on a complimentaryservice.

New pick-up points will also extendthe coverage of major towns acrossthe Midlands, South East and EastAnglia; they include Birmingham,Canterbury, Sittingbourne, Dartford,Leigh-on-Sea and Winchester. Forthose that find the pick-up points

out of reach there is also a morningservice operating from six centralLondon main line railway stations.

These popular coaches areorganised in partnership withConfederation of PassengerTransport UK and members of theCoach Marque quality scheme.Although the coach travel is free, itis essential to pre-book a seat.

Visit the show website for full routeinformation or call 02380 625 506to book your seat.

Registration opens soonTo keep up-to-date with the show andanniversary celebrations, organisersand itinerary planners are encouragedto pre-register for Excursions™ 2016online at www.excursions2016.comfrom mid-September onwards.

Travel trade manager at TourismSouth East, Joanne Channon,added: “As the year unfolds we are

excited to share new stories andthemes to bring alive the 2016show in its special anniversary year.

“This already includes BombaySapphire, a VIP coach tribute to the400-year legacy of world famousplaywright Shakespeare andfamiliarisation weekends in Londonand the Cotswolds.

“And we have many new exhibitorsincluding Goodnestone Park andGardens, University ofWolverhampton, Brighton i360 andSussex Prairie Garden.”

Excursions™ is organised byTourism South East supported byLondon & Partners and VisitEnglandand, for the first time this year,welcomes Group Leisure magazineas the show’s main media partner.

With an expected attendance of1,300 quality buyers and some 300exhibitors from the UK and Europe,Excursions™ will be the place tomeet, network and pick up newinspiration for group day trips, shortbreaks and holidays.

For more information visitwww.excursions2016.com; followExcursions™ 2016 on Twitter@Excursionsshow or visit the show’sFacebook page at ‘Excursions: GroupTravel Trade Exhibition’.

Complimentary G&Ts andCTs for Excursions 2016

VIP coach parties takenback to Elizabethan times GUESTS of coach and tour operatorsbrought to Excursions™ 2016 atAlexandra Palace, North London onJanuary 23 will be invited to anafternoon session of ‘ElizabethanDressing’ in honour ofShakespeare’s 400-year legacy.

As VIP visitors they will also havefast track entry and receivecomplementary drinks and awelcome bag with lots of goodies.

In partnership with Shakespeare’sGlobe, guides will explain theintricacies of dressing and thesignificance of clothing in

Elizabethan society. Do you know the origin of the

phrases ‘straight-laced’, ‘loosewomen’ and ‘pin money’? And whatdid Shakespeare’s contemporariesuse as a stain remover? Guests willbe able to find out as they dress awilling group organiser as acharacter from a Shakespeare play.

This opportunity is only open tocoach and tour operators, and othertravel trade professionals, bringingalong a private coach of bonafidegroup travel buyers to Excursions™2016.

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RAZOR-edged teeth, long sharpclaws, scaly skin and a hugemuscular tail make ZSL LondonZoo’s newest arrival an enthrallingsight to behold.

Ganas, a seven-year-old maleKomodo dragon (Varanuskomodoensis) has moved to the UKfrom Randers Zoo in Denmark totake up residence at ZSL LondonZoo’s ‘Land of the Giants’ exhibit.

Native to Indonesia’s LesserSunda Islands, and named after theisland of ‘Komodo’, the dragons,which are the largest and heaviestlizards in the world, have survivedon Earth for millions of years butare now classified as ‘Endangered’due to competition with humans fortheir habitat.

Able to eat up to 80 per cent oftheir body weight in one feed,Komodo dragons will target a varietyof animals, from pigs to huge waterbuffalo, and rely on camouflage topatiently wait for the perfectmoment to ambush their prey.

Zookeepers at ZSL London Zoo willreplicate the wild eating patterns ofa Komodo dragon when it comes tofeeding Ganas, hiding food aroundhis enclosure, and encouraging himto use his keen sense of smell tosniff it out.

With a name meaning ‘fierce’ inBahasa Indonesian, Ganas’ keepersare getting to know the personalityof the giant monitor lizard, and they

have already seen a positiveresponse to his new trainingsessions.

Deputy team leader of ZSL’sherpetology team, Iri Gill, said:“Ganas is a really exciting newarrival here at ZSL London Zoo andwe’re really enjoying getting to knowhis character.

“He’s really eager to get goingwhen it’s time for his training andenrichment here at the Zoo, whichinvolves rewarding him with hisfavourite snacks when he respondsto a target – we use a coloured ballon the end of a stick.

“This means that if we ever needto move Ganas to a different areaof his enclosure, weigh him, or givehim a health-check, he will happilywalk to where he needs to be or geton to the scales himself as heknows there’s a treat waiting forhim at the end.”

Already more than five-and-a-halffeet (1.75metres) long, andweighing 29kg, Ganas couldeventually grow to ten feet long andweigh more than 136kg (300lbs).

Visitors to ZSL London Zoo cansee Ganas the dragon at ‘Land ofthe Giants’, which is also home togiant Galapagos tortoises andProfessor Wu, the Chinese giantsalamander.

To find out more visit www.zsl.org

New Komodo dragonarrives at London Zoo

Experience Oxfordshire unveiled its new brand identity at a summernetworking event held at the Holiday Inn Oxford. 130 attendeescame from all sections of the visitor economy, and were the first tosee the new brand and learn more about how ExperienceOxfordshire aims to grow as an organisation and make the county agreat place to live, work, visit and do business. The new logo wasdesigned by London based design company made.

VISITWILTSHIRE has unveiled a newlook website –www.visitwiltshire.co.uk – featuring aseries of new functions andinteractive elements to make it moreuser-friendly for tablets andsmartphones.

The website currently receives1.2m unique visitors a year and isone of the main ways people findout about what the county has tooffer.

The website has been redevelopedto reflect Wiltshire tourism’s newTimeless brand positioning and isnow fully responsive for all devicesranging from super desktop tomobiles.

Marketing manager Fiona Erringtonsaid: “We are delighted with ournew-look website which is animportant resource for consumerswishing to visit Wiltshire.”

User-friendly website launched

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ORGANISERS of this October’sGroup Leisure & Travel Show at theNEC have announced a line-up ofleading speakers and celebrities forits free seminar programme,including TV adventurer andpresenter Simon Reeve, TVgardener Joe Swift and TV’s moneysaving guru Jasmine Birtles, alongwith other industry experts.

The GLTS is Britain’s leadingexhibition for people who organisegroup trips and holidays or coachtourism activities and takes placeon Thursday, October 22.

Visitor registration is free andavailable now at leisureshow.com/register which also entitlesqualifying visitors to free parking*.

After a successful seminarprogramme last year that includedtravel expert Simon Calder,organisers wanted a strong line-upfor GLTS 2015 to complement afantastic array of exhibitors.

The full Seminar Theatre line-upis:A Q&A with Simon ReeveSimon Reeve is an adventurer, TVpresenter and New York Times best-selling author with a passion fortravel, wildlife, history, currentaffairs, conservation and theenvironment.

Simon is the presenter of theBBC TV series Indian Ocean andhas been around the world threetimes for the BBC series Equator,Tropic of Capricorn, and Tropic ofCancer.

He recently presented Caribbeanwith Simon Reeve on the BBC and

has travelled extensively in morethan 110 countries.

Saving money and gettingvalue with groups – JasmineBirtlesJasmine Birtles is a financial expert,TV presenter, author, journalist,business commentator andhumourist.

She has money saving andmoney making ideas as well aswise spending habits. Jasmineregularly appears as a financialexpert on Good Morning Britainand This Morning and can also beheard on radio, regularlycontributing to LBC, Steve Wrighton Radio 2, and You and Yours onRadio 4.

Let’s talk about gardens – JoeSwiftJoe Swift has been one of the mainpresenters on BBC2's flagship

gardening show Gardeners’ Worldsince 1998 and also regularlyappears in the BBC's coverage ofRHS Chelsea, Hampton Court,Gardeners’ World Live and TattonPark Flower shows.

He has designed many gardensfor TV and his writing includes aregular column in The TimesWeekend section.

Visitors will also be able to quizJoe about his favourite gardens tovisit.

An expert’s guide to ocean andriver cruise holidays – JaneArcherAs the UK’s leading cruise expert,Jane Archer spends around 150days a year either sailing theoceans or exploring the world'srivers.

Her travels have taken her aroundthe globe, from the Arctic toAntarctica and numerous ports inbetween. She is the TelegraphTravel cruise expert and a regularpresenter at cruise shows.

How to choose the right touroperator – Nick GreenfieldNick Greenfield is the main point ofcontact for the tour operatormembers at the European TourOperators Association.

As well as running workshops andseminars, he works on issuesaffecting the travel industry.

Nick has worked in the travelindustry for 19 years and alsoguided groups in more than 20countries across Europe.

Visitors will also be able to meeta range of hotel chains, touroperators, museums, statelyhomes, gardens, theme parks,cruise lines, tourist boards, theatreticketing providers among manyothers.

Expect exciting launches, newoffers, exclusive deals and funcompetitions.

The show is open from 10amuntil 4pm and there will be acomplimentary bacon buttybreakfast for all visitors andexhibitors before 11am.

There is also a range of free pre-bookable coach transport providedfrom various locations*.

To register for free entry visitwww.leisureshow.com/register oruse the freepost ticket in thisedition of Destination UK.

For information about exhibitingtelephone Sharon Yandell on01908 613323 or e-mailsharon.y@yandellmedia.com

* Terms and conditions apply, visitleisureshow.com

Gardeners’ World presenter Joe Swift (left) and presenter and author Simon Reeve (right) are among the free seminar programme.

Stellar celebrity line-up revealedfor Group Leisure & Travel Show

Jasmine Birtles

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THE most significant collection ofRussian spacecraft and artefactsever to be shown in the UK will starin Cosmonauts: Birth of the SpaceAge, supported by BP, a newexhibition at the Science Museum.

Tickets are now on sale forCosmonauts which tells theremarkable story of the scientificand technological ingenuity thatkick-started the space age with arecord number of firsts for theSoviet Union.

From the work of late 19th centuryCosmist thinkers who first proposedthat humanity's destiny lay in space,to the reality of living in space onboard Mir and the InternationalSpace Station, the Cosmonautsexhibition will give visitors a uniqueopportunity to get up close to manyof the key innovations that madespace exploration possible.

Ian Blatchford, director of theScience Museum, said:“Cosmonauts is a once-in-a-lifetimeexhibition that has taken years ofdedication and skill from theScience Museum team to make areality.

“The Russian space programme isone of the great intellectual,scientific and engineering successesof the 20th century and I am thrilled

that we have been able to bringtogether such an outstandingcollection of Russian space artefactsto celebrate these achievements.

“I want to thank all our partnersand funders who have made thisexhibition possible.”

The exhibition will run until March13 at the Science Museum inLondon.

The Museum will be open until10pm every Friday during this periodto allow visitors more opportunitiesto see the exhibition. Tickets are onsale now.

Visit sciencemuseum.org.uk/cosmonauts for further details.

Science Museum launchesCosmonauts exhibition

FOR the first time ever, objects fromthe Metropolitan Police’s CrimeMuseum go on public display in thismajor new exhibition.

Since its establishment in the1870s, the Crime Museum has onlybeen open to police professionalsand invited guests – until now.

Using original evidence from thisextraordinary collection, we unlockselected real-life case files to takeyou on an uneasy journey throughsome of the UK’s most notoriousand historically significant crimes,from Dr Crippen and the Acid BathMurderer to the Krays, the Great

Train Robbery to the MillenniumDome diamond heist.

The exhibition considers howspecific cases have led todevelopments in policing, advancesin detection or changes to the lawover the last 140 years.

Telling the stories of the realpeople behind these objects –victims, offenders and police officers– we’ll explore the impact of crime,personalising what is so oftendepersonalised, forcing us toquestion our enduring fascinationwith this collection and its stories.

It runs from October 9 to April 10.

The Crime Museum Uncovered

MAKE It York, the city’s newdestination managementorganisation, has released a secondedition of York’s Visitor Guide inChinese, as part of a wider marketingcampaign underway in China.

35,000 copies of the brand newguide, written in SimplifiedMandarin, will now be distributed viafive inbound airlines from China, VIPairport arrival lounges at London andStansted as well as visa applicationoffices in Beijing and Shanghai.

It will also be available in York’sVisitor Information Centre forChinese travelers arriving into York,distributed at major hotels inLondon, Manchester, Leeds and

York, at airport gate services inBirmingham, Manchester andEdinburgh airports and via train andcoach services including VirginTrains, Gatwick Express, StanstedExpress and Heathrow Express

Leisure marketing manager atMake It York, Michelle Brown, said:“This will be our second edition inSimplified Mandarin following thesuccess of the first one which wasreleased in summer last year.

“We’ve seen even more interestfrom local businesses and we haveincreased our travel tradedistribution channels, ensuring theguide will reach at least 100Chinese tour operators.”

Visitor guide launchedas part of campaign Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire

has launched a new exhibitionshowcasing dresses worn by thecelebrities and professionaldancers from the 2014 cast ofBBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Visitors to Strictly Dresses:Woburn Abbey will have thechance to view 16 of thedresses from last year’s show,designed by Strictly ComeDancing’s current dresssupplier, DancesportInternational. The line-up offabulous frocks includes winnerCaroline Flack’s charlestondress (pictured left) and outfitsworn by Pixie Lott, FrankieBridge and Strictly professionalsOla Jordan and Natalie Lowe.

A rare red panda cub has been born at Longleat after keeperslaunched an international lonely hearts ad to find a mate for theirmale. It’s the first time the famous Wiltshire safari park hassuccessfully bred red pandas and keepers are delighted with howwell the cub, which has yet to be named, is doing.

UK tourism could benefit from anextra £5.8bn annually if morebusinesses opened their doors todogs, research has claimed.

New research from the KennelClub has revealed 72 per cent ofdog owners said they would takemore holidays in the UK if we had abetter attitude towards dogs andthis figure rises to 77 per cent whenlooking at the UK’s biggest earners,with salaries at £40,000 or more.

With 26.2 per cent of thepopulation planning on taking aholiday abroad this year andspending on average £2,000, theresearch suggests that 2.9m dogowners may swap overseas plans fora dog friendly UK option, injecting apotential £5.8bn boost in to theeconomy, if more dog friendlyoptions were available.

Kennel Club secretary Caroline

Kisko said: “The research suggeststhat local tourism could lure holidaymakers away from extravagantholidays simply with the promise ofa dog friendly getaway, so this couldbe a real boost to the Britisheconomy.

“There are a number of trailblazersalready reaping the benefits ofopening their doors to dogs andbeing creative with what they offer,such as the Beach Café in Wells-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk, which lastyear won the Be Dog FriendlyAwards Café/Restaurant category.

“We really need to listen to thepublic – the vast majority of dogowners are responsible and cryingout for places they can go with theirdogs without feeling victimised,offering a real financial incentive forbusinesses opening their doors todogs and their owners.”

Could dogs be boostUK tourism needs?

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DESTINATIONCENTRESTAGE

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By David Thomas

TO The Adelphi Theatre in theStrand, formerly the stately art-decohome of such mega-musicals as MeAnd My Girl, Sunset Boulevard,Chicago, Joseph and his AmazingTechnicolor Dreamcoat and TheBodyguard, to tiptoe into therehearsals of Kinky Boots.

Winner of the 2013 Tony Award forBest Musical, with lyrics and musicby Cyndi Lauper (Girls Just Want ToHave Fun, Time After Time) book byHarvey Feinsten (La Cage Au Folles)and directed by Jerry Mitchell(Hairspray, Legally Blonde, DirtyRotten Scoundrels) the show isinspired by the true story of aNorthampton shoe factory thatescapes bankruptcy by diversifyinginto gloriously glamorous femalefootwear… for men!

Starring Matt Henry (Avenue Q,Saturday Night Fever, Miss Saigon)and Killian Donnelly, one of thebrightest new talents to explode

onto the West End stage in decades,you can bet your boots on a greatnight out!

This is your last chance to see twoof Killian’s former shows. At ThePalace Theatre, The Commitments(run ends November 1) will makeway for Derren Brown: “Miracle”,and at the Shaftesbury Theatre

Memphis The Musical (run endsOctober 31) will make way for TheIllusionists starring Britain’s GotTalent runner up Jamie Raven.

Fast forward to February 2016,and the Shaftesbury will then be theWest End home Broadway smash-hitMotown The Musical, which tellsthe story of Berry Gordy, the manwho discovered a string of legendarymusical performers such as DianaRoss and the Supremes, MichaelJackson, Stevie Wonder, SmokeyRobinson and Marvin Gaye.

Next February will also seeCameron Mackintosh’s phenomenalMiss Saigon, winner of a record-breaking nine awards at the 2015What’s On Stage Awards flying outof The Prince Edward Theatre, aheadof the forthcoming BroadwayProduction – with Disney’s magicalAladdin the Musical, based on themuch-loved 1992 Disney movie,beginning its London production atthe Prince Edward in the summer.

From the summer of 2016 the

Palace Theatre will be the home ofsomeone new to the West End, butwhose name may well be familiar...Harry Potter And The CursedChild.

But if all this coming and going hasleft you feeling dizzy, the next coupleof month sees some West End long-runners celebrating majorlandmarks:� October 9 – The Phantom of theOpera is 29 years old.� October 8 – Les Miserables is 30years old.� October 6 – The Mousetrap is 63years old.� November 25 – The Mousetrap,the world’s longest running play, willbe celebrating its 63rd birthday inLondon’s West End.

And when I finish this article I amoff to the Trafalgar Studios to see(for the second time) the Almeida’sextraordinarily powerful production ofAeschylus’ Oresteia – a play thatwas first performed in Athens inMarch 458BC.

News from around the theatres ...

BILLY Elliot continues to be one ofSuperBreak’s top selling shows anduntil 18 October the operator isoffering a great value package thatmakes the show more accessiblethan ever.

Combining overnightaccommodation in a three star hotelwith top priced tickets to the showfrom just £99pp there has neverbeen a better time for agents to sellthis hugely popular show.

The deal is available Monday toThursday and selected Friday nightsand Saturday matinees (subject toavailability).

This incredibly moving story of a

young lad from the North-East’sdreams of becoming a ballet dancer,boasts an emotional score co-written by Elton John.

11-year-old Billy stays late onenight after boxing practice andstumbles into a ballet class – hesoon finds himself taking lessonswith ballet teacher, Ms Wilkinson.

Billy has to hide is new-found loveof dance from his stern and male-dominated working class family,already torn apart by the miners’strike.

When he gets the chance toaudition for the Royal Ballet Schoolhowever, Billy must decide to either

risk disappointing his family, or giveup on his dreams.

Some toe tapping facts about theshow in London:� There have been 41 Billy Elliot’s inthe London show to date.� Over 3,000 pairs of ballet shoeshave been worn.� Over five million people have seenthe show in London. � There have already been over4,000 performances.

For more information onSuperBreak visitwww.superbreak.com/agents

Billy Elliot goes fromstrength to strength

David Thomas

SuperBreak national salesmanager Graham Balmforth.

Brodie Donougher (Billy Elliot) with Ruthie Henshall (Mrs Wikinson) (left) and Billy Elliot (Bradley Perret) and cast of Billy Elliot the Musical. Photographs by Alastair Muir

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DESTINATIONCENTRESTAGE

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DISNEY’S award-winning musicalThe Lion King is now in its 16thtriumphant year at London’s LyceumTheatre.

Since the UK premiere in Londonon Tuesday October 19, 1999, TheLion King has entertained over 12million theatregoers and remains theWest End’s best-selling stageproduction.

It also recently became the sixthlongest-running West End musical ofall time. Tickets are on sale untilMarch 2016 for individual bookingsand July 2016 for group bookings.

Julie Taymor’s internationally-celebrated stage adaptation ofDisney’s beloved animated filmpremiered on Broadway in 1997 andhas now been seen by almost 80million people across six continents.

Nine productions are running

concurrently around the globe: Inaddition to the record-breakingproductions in London and NewYork, The Lion King can currently beseen in Hamburg, Madrid, Tokyo,Brisbane, Basel and on tours of theNorth America and Japan.

A 10th production is currently inrehearsal in Mexico City, and due tobegin performances in May. In thefuture the production is set to openat Shanghai Disney Resort.

Julie Taymor, one of the world’smost innovative directors, brought avast array of disciplines to The LionKing, including extensive experiencestaging epic theatre and operaproductions, exploring classic mythsthrough ritualised puppetry, mask,and movement.

The Lion King was the first musicalshe directed in the commercial

theatre, and Julie made Broadwayhistory by becoming the first womanto win the Tony Award® for ’BestDirector of a Musical’.

The show’s full creative team, all ofwhom won Tony Awards® for theirwork on The Lion King, reunited in1999 to recreate the show forBritish audiences.

Julie and Michael Curry createdhundreds of masks and puppets.Scenic design is by leading Britishdesigner Richard Hudson andlighting is by Donald Holder.Costume design is by Julie Taymor,and choreography by Garth Fagan.

The book was adapted by RogerAllers, who co-directed the animatedfeature, and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the screenplay of ‘The LionKing’.

The original score from the

animated film was expanded for thestage and now features 15 musicalnumbers.

As well as writing completely newsongs, South African composer LeboM created an evocative blend ofAfrican rhythms and chorales, withadditional material by Julie Taymorand Mark Mancina.

Elton John and Tim Rice haveadded three new numbers to thefive that they wrote for the award-winning score of the animated film.

The resulting sound of ‘The LionKing’ is a fusion of Western popularmusic and the distinctive soundsand rhythms of Africa, including theAcademy Award®-winning ‘Can YouFeel The Love Tonight’ and thehaunting ‘Shadowland’.

The Lion King is produced byDisney Theatrical Productions.

The Lion King celebrates 16th year

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DESTINATIONCENTRESTAGE

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A new production of Cole Porter’s classic musical comedy Kiss Me,Kate is set to heat up stages across England. Kiss Me, Kate willcall at venues in towns and cities including Leeds, Newcastle,Salford and Nottingham. It will be performed by a cast of opera andWest End singers, with the full scale orchestra of Opera Northbringing the magical sound of Broadway and the golden age ofMGM musicals to life.

CRITICS and audiences are ravingabout the West End’s New ‘GreatBritish Musical’ (The Times).

The Kinks exploded onto the 60’smusic scene with a raw, energeticnew sound that rocked a nation. Buthow did that happen, where exactlydid they come from and whathappened next?

With music and lyrics by RayDavies, a new book by Joe Penhalland direction by Edward Hall, SunnyAfternoon depicts the rise tostardom of The Kinks.

Set against the backdrop of a

Britain caught mid-swing betweenthe conservative 50s and riotous60s, this production explores theeuphoric highs and agonising lows ofone of Britain’s most iconic bandsand the irresistible music thatinfluenced generations.

This “exhilarating, hugely enjoyablenew musical” (Financial Times)features many of the band’s hits,including: You Really Got Me,Waterloo Sunset, Dedicated Followerof Fashion, All Day And All Of TheNight, Lola, Sunny Afternoon andmany more.

Sunny Afternoon extendsbooking period again

Sunny Afternoon has announced a further extension to its West Endrun until October 24. Photo credit: Kevin Cummins

Savannah Stevenson and Emma Hatton. Photo credit: Matt Crockett

Stars extend Wickedcontracts into 2016WICKED, the award-winningclassic musical that tells theincredible untold story of thewitches of Oz, has announced thatcurrent acclaimed stars, EmmaHatton (Elphaba) and SavannahStevenson (Glinda), have bothextended their contracts and willcontinue with the long-running hitinto 2016.

Joining them shortly will beOliver Savile (The Phantom of theOpera; Les Misérables and the UKtour of Cats as ‘Rum Tum Tugger’)as Fiyero; Sean Kearns (TheCommitments; The 39 Steps; BillyElliot The Musical) as DoctorDillamond; current West Endensemble cast member DanielHope as Boq and Carina Gillespie,who played Nessarose (and therole of Glinda on many occasions)on Wicked’s multi record-breakingUK and Ireland tour, as standbyfor Glinda.

Also continuing with the show

are current cast members LizaSadovy (Madame Morrible), KatieRowley Jones (Nessarose) andNatalie Andreou (standby forElphaba).

Acclaimed as “one of thegreatest musicals of our time”(Daily Mail) and “one of the WestEnd’s best-loved shows”(OfficialLondonTheatre.com),Wicked is now the 10th longest-running show in the West End andhas already been seen by almostseven million people and playedover 3,700 performances.

Wicked was recently awarded acoveted Certificate of Excellenceby Trip Advisor® and is the firstever UK stage production to bereader recommended by bothGood Housekeeping andCosmopolitan magazines.

It also won the 2015 ‘ThisMorning’ Audience Award,presented by the Olivier Awardswith Mastercard.

Matt Cardle joins Memphis castMULTI-platinum selling recordingartist and songwriter Matt Cardle,who rose to fame winning theseventh series of ITVs The X Factor,will join the cast of Memphis theMusical in London.

Cast and company of the award-winning ‘Best Musical’ at theShaftesbury Theatre are delighted to

welcome Matt who will star as radioDJ ‘Huey Calhoun’, taking over fromKillian Donnelly who originated therole in the West End.

Matt will join Queen of British Soul,Beverley Knight who extends her runas club singer ‘Felicia Farrell’ inMemphis the Musical throughOctober.

Beverley Knight and Matt Cardle. Photo: Helen Maybanks

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DESTINATIONWINTER EVENTS

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Longleat’s Festival of Light will throw a spotlight on the SafariPark's very own 50th birthday celebrations this winter. Starting onNovember 13, and running through to January 3, the Christmasspectacular will once again take the age-old tradition of theChinese lantern and completely transform it for a modern audience.But this year, it will also help to kick-off a very special year for theSafari Park, which is planning a series of celebrations to mark its50th anniversary in 2016. The event will run alongside Longleat'straditional Christmas celebrations, which include the Santa train,giant musical Christmas tree, pantomime characters and outdoorice skating rink.

Enjoy a pilgrim’s Christmaswith the Canterbury TalesTHE Canterbury Tales has unveiled arange of special group packages andevents for the Christmas season.

Visitors can experience a festivemarket with a medieval twist at theaward-winning attraction’s ArtisanChristmas Gift Fair on November 28and 29.

Groups are met from their coachdrop-off point by a costumedmedieval pilgrim and escorted toThe Canterbury Tales for a

complimentary glass of mulled cider,before stepping back in time to thestreets of 14th-century England andbrowsing gifts from a host of Kentartisans and crafters.

The attraction is also offering aChristmas theatre package, whichincludes a visit to the MarloweTheatre for a two-course mealbefore enjoying the traditionalpantomime Snow White and theSeven Dwarfs.

Packages for Blists HillVictorian Town visitors A CHRISTMAS lunch with festiveentertainment and admissionpackage is on offer to groups of 40or more visiting Blists Hill VictorianTown in the Ironbridge Gorge,Shropshire from Monday to Fridayduring December.

For £25 per person, groups canenjoy a day out experiencing lifeover 100 years ago and then sitdown to three courses in the ForestGlen Refreshment Pavilion, whichwill be decked with greenery andVictorian style decorations for thefestive season.

After lunch two of the Museum’sresident performers will enthrallvisitors with seasonal songs andmonologues in an exclusivetraditional Victorian Music Hallperformance.

Before and after lunch, guests canexperience the atmosphere in thestreets and cottages of therecreated Victorian town. There willalso be a chance for some presentshopping.

GUESTS at one of Durham’s mostpopular hotels are being given thechance to treat themselves overthe festive season.

As part of their extensiveChristmas programme, RamsideHall Hotel will be offering a specialthree day residential package,which will run from Christmas Eveuntil Boxing Day, along with anumber of opportunities for gueststo enjoy its new state-of-the-artspa over the festive season.

On December 24, guests will beinvited to start their celebrationswith mulled wine and minced pies

in the Residents’ Lounge, followedby dinner in the award-winning RibRoom and entertainment from theRamside Carol Singers.

The following morning guests willbe able to enjoy a full Englishbreakfast, with Bucks Fizz in thePemberton Suite, followed by afour-course Christmas Day lunch,which includes a reception drinkand half a bottle of wine perperson, later in the afternoon.

The residential package alsoincludes a buffet supper onChristmas Day and breakfast onBoxing Day before departure.

Hotel’s three-day treatRamside Hall Hotel in Durham.

Visitors to York’s Chocolate Story will be in for more than justchocolate treats this Christmas. Guests will be swept back in timeon the attraction’s fully guided tours to the York of Christmas pastwhere the founding families of the UK chocolate industry walkedthe cobbles. They will also be able to finish their tour by makingtheir own creations before watching master chocolatiers at workproducing fresh handmade chocolates.

GROUPS will experience Christmasaround the World when they visitHever Castle in Kent this December.

The rooms of the fairy-tale castlewill be adorned with beautifuldecorations, welcoming log fires andtwinkling Christmas trees celebratingthis year’s theme.

Visitors can follow the Christmas

trail through the grounds, indulge ina spot of relaxed Christmasshopping in the festively decoratedgift shops and sample a deliciousfestive lunch. As dusk falls, they willthen be transported to a magicalwonderland when the gardens areilluminated with up-lighting andbeautiful colour washes.

Experience Christmas around the worldHever Castle in Kent.

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DESTINATIONTOURISM SOCIETY

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By Benjamin Carey FTS

ON 5 July 2015, UNESCO inscribedThe Forth Bridge as Scotland’s sixthWorld Heritage Site, a remarkableachievement for a small country,when there are only 1031 such sitesin the whole world.

The first of the three great bridgesthat span the Firth of Forth (theestuary of the River Forth), The ForthBridge opened in 1890, 125 yearsago, and carries two hundred trainsevery day.

Begun in 1883, it was the first all-steel bridge in Britain and is amonument of Victorian engineeringand icon of Scottish tourism. Thefollowing century, the Forth RoadBridge was added; officially this wasin response to the growingpopularity of cars (24 million peryear), but aficionados know thatreally it was to give visitors a betterview of the world’s most elegant andiconic bridge!

To celebrate its 50th birthday,2014 tickets were put on sale lastsummer to take a short tour to thetop of the bridge; it was a selloutand every superlative applied isjustified. Standing on top of astructure created out of 40,000tonnes of steel and 125,000 cubicmetres of concrete and heldtogether by graceful cables spun outof 30,000 miles of high-tensile steelwires is simply phenomenal.

In our century, the QueensferryCrossing is being delivered by theScottish Government ahead ofschedule and below budget. At aheight of 207 metres, 50 metrestaller than the Forth Road Bridge,the new bridge will open tomotorway traffic in 2016, whilst theold road bridge will become a lowcarbon transport corridor forpedestrians, cyclists and publicbuses. The Forth Road Bridge willalso remain the best viewingplatform for The Forth Bridge.

There is a fourth bridge across theForth that is older than the others.The mediaeval crossing fell out ofuse in 1964 after almost ninehundred years as the main route

across the Forth. The originalQueen’s Ferry was established byQueen (later Saint) Margaret c.1070for pilgrims travelling to DunfermlineAbbey. The Ferry gave its name toNorth and South Queensferry, whichhave emerged as attractive touristdestinations and will be startingpoints for magnificent bridgeexperiences being planned for TheForth Bridge and Forth Road Bridge.

Along with Iron Bridge (England),Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (Wales) andGiant’s Causeway (North of Ireland),it is the fourth ‘crossing’ in the UKto become a World Heritage Site. Itis fitting that crossings shouldfeature so prominently, becausebridges are the essence of worldheritage.

Occasionally people misunderstandthe role of the United NationsEducational, Scientific and CulturalOrganization, thinking that itsprimary function is the celebrationand preservation of old buildingsand picturesque landscapes. In factits raison d’être is the promotionand preservation of peace, and itstools are dialogue andinterpretation, which typically means‘heritage tourism’.

Founded in 1945 after WW2,UNESCO declared:

“That since wars begin in theminds of men, it is in the minds ofmen that the defences of peacemust be constructed; That ignoranceof each other’s ways … has ... alltoo often broken into war; … Thatthe wide diffusion of culture, andthe education of humanity for justiceand liberty and peace areindispensable to the dignity of man…; … peace must therefore befounded, if it is not to fail, upon theintellectual and moral solidarity ofmankind …”

It is a call for a celebration of thediversity of humanity that enriches

our lives. It is all about bridges.This most obviously applies to the

48 sites on UNESCO’s ‘Heritage inDanger’ List: these include Bamiyan,Jerusalem, Palmyra, Samarra,Sana’a and Timbuktu.

The opportunity is to bring togetherpeople from different traditions andcompeting perspectives, so that they

create substantial destinationclusters that will support a viablevisitor economy, offering alternativelivelihoods especially to women andyoung people.

But the principle applies equally toany destination cluster, whether it isencouraging Israelis and Palestiniansto work together in Jerusalem,different Hebridean islands tosupport a single visitor centre as afocus for St Kilda, or North andSouth Queensferry to co-operate onthe creation of a new Forth BridgesArea.

For tourism to succeed, it mustmake an enduring difference to hostcommunities – custodians andinterpreters of heritage. Celebratingheritage as a driver of sustainablesocial and economic development isessential. Embracing heritage aspart of their identity enablescommunities to harness the powerof their ‘local distinctiveness’ todevelop markets across new bridges.� Benjamin Carey FTS is managingdirector of Dunira Strategy and aformer chair of Tourism SocietyScotland.

Benjamin Carey FTS

Developing Bridges,Bridging Development

The Forth Rail Bridge illuminated at dawn.

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