WHILE London is a well-known tourist attraction, there are lush green fields and castles tucked away in quaint villages merely an hour away from the capital in addition to other enchanting destinations across the UK.
Therefore, a major move is under way to highlight the UK’s lesser-known attractions, Alex Mawer, director of marketing at VisitEngland, told TTN at the recent Destination Britain & Ireland (Debi 2012) at Bangkok, Thailand.
At the event, a total of 62 tourism providers offered an overview of these attractions as well accommodation options across Britain, Ireland and Scotland.
For those who want a piece of traditional England, Historic Royal Palaces – the independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, the Banqueting House and Kew Palace – has some great itineraries on offer, according to head of sales Ann Wilson.
For something upscale, Adams & Butler, specialists in luxury tours and castle and country estate rentals for vacations in Ireland and Scotland, offers a one-stop shop for luxury tourism including reservations and driver guides.
Ireland is another vibrant attraction, given the number and variety of options for travel between Britain and the island, says Jim Paul, head of Australia and developing markets, Tourism Ireland.
Ireland saw seven million visitors last year, which is a six per cent increase over 2010. “There are 23 airports in Britain that do flights to Ireland,” said Paul. “Besides, car ferries from Scotland to Ireland take just under an hour.” However, an extra incentive visit Ireland would be the visa waiver programme, which allows holders of a valid UK general visa to also visit Ireland, without purchasing a separate Irish visa.”
Hotel prices in the island are the lowest in Europe at the moment, especially with VAT in hotels and restaurants reduced to only nine per cent, he added.
Among the more popular, latest destinations within Northern Ireland is the Titanic Belfast, the world’s largest Titanic visitor experience. Standing six storeys high and extending over nine galleries, it takes guests through the Titanic story from her conception to the aftermath of her sinking and discovery of her wreck. The centre is also a stunning banqueting suite (perfect for weddings) and there are facilities for community arts and a gallery for exhibitions, cafes and restaurants.
How to see the best of Ireland within a limited time span? One way could be a 10-day tour organised by Discover Ireland. The 1,627-km tour takes tourists over 10 cities over the entire coast line of the island, starting from Dublin.
Meanwhile, Keith Beecham, overseas network director of VisitBritain, the national tourism agency pointed out that there was no shortfall in hotel accommodation in the run-up to the Olympics. “Last year, 12,000 new rooms were added in the UK. In 2012, we’re expecting 21,000 new rooms, of which 9,000 will be in London. In 2013, there are plans for another 13,000 rooms.”
Beecham also said that the UK attracted a significant number of family visitors from the Middle East. “They tend come in large groups and favour certain parts of London such as Knightsbridge, Soho and Regent Street,” he told TTN. “Also, our child-friendly attractions in Britain are appropriate for the Middle East market. We expect the new Harry Potter Studio and the National Football Museum in Manchester will be the most popular among Mideast markets.”
Debi participant Golden Tours is the tour partner for the new Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, which features authentic sets, costumes and props from the film series. It’s about 32 km from Central London.
Golden Tours also has its famed themed coach trips all over London as well as day-long tours covering those “simply-can’t-miss” spots such as Windsor, Bath, Stonehenge, Warwick Castle, Oxford, Stratford and Cotswolds as well as popular 24- and 48-hour hop-on hop-off tours covering most of London.