Travel Trade Update – July/August 2021

Work has been continuing throughout the year, and even during lockdowns, with our travel trade relationships to ensure as many as possible have our region on their latest itineraries and adding it where they don’t. We also keep the trade up to date with the latest developments in Bath and Bristol as well as asking about their business to establish the latest trends.

Working with the travel trade is virtually always long lead, so it is vital that we maintain these links with operators that bring international visitors to our destinations, even during times when we cannot welcome those visitors immediately. International visitors, on average, stay longer and spend more which makes them an extremely important part of the value of the visitor economy in our region. Earlier in 2021 we participated in Explore GB Virtual and ITB Virtual, having over 200 short video meetings with contacts from around the globe, but with a focus on our key markets.

During July and August work has been progressing on our new travel trade website for Bath and Bristol. This will provide a valuable resource for the trade and features all silver, gold and partner member businesses. You have the opportunity to include different descriptions on your listings on this channel site, so please do get in touch with information relevant to groups and travel trade. If you would like to discuss upgrading to a membership level to feature on our travel trade site, please contact the Membership Team.

Publisher Graham Yandell at Brunel’s SS Great Britain, credit: Group Leisure & Travel

Talking of groups, many congratulations must go to Aerospace Bristol and Tootbus who are both short-listed in the 2021 Group Leisure & Travel Awards; the winners will be announced in late October. The same publisher also featured Bristol in an article this month: Bristol is still ship shape

Jon Chamberlain presenting the region at a webinar for Australia and New Zealand buyers, credit: Visit Britain/Destination Webinars

At the start of August, Kathryn Davis and Jon Chamberlain presented to travel trade buyers from across Australia and New Zealand invited by and in partnership with Visit Britain. There were two sessions, one at 5pm and one at 7pm Sydney time, attended by 74 buyers in total. There was an overview of each city and the surrounding region as well as quirky facts that link us with that part of the world and an overview of upcoming developments in the next couple of years. This was the first in a monthly series of webinars featuring UK destinations hosted by Visit Britain and the Australian-based Destination Webinars company. You can find out more and watch a recording of one of the webinars here: Love Great Britain: Visit West

We have also renewed our annual membership with UKinbound. The organisation is a vital part of the inbound tourism jigsaw with constant lobbying on behalf of the industry as well as providing opportunities to meet and network with buyers, providing opportunity for our destinations. Bristol was the host destination for the 2020 Annual Convention which was hailed as a great success for the city.

Activity coming up in September:

• Officially launch the new travel trade website
• Attend UKInbound Annual Convention in Manchester (in person) and have a day of virtual meetings the following week too
• Working with our partners at Great West Way to showcase Bath and Bristol via a sales presentation to a large UK-based DMC
• Work with Visit Britain to host an in-person educational trip for buyers and media from east-coast USA at the start of October

If you would like to find out more about our work with the travel trade, please don’t hesitate to contact our travel trade lead, Jon Chamberlain