‘Spotlight on Salisbury’ Shines for Tour Operators.
5/24/2018
City Tourism Businesses Combine to Greet VIP Visitors.
The spire of Salisbury’s iconic cathedral acted as a
beacon to the UK travel trade this week during a special ‘Spotlight on
Salisbury’ event.
Group travel organisers and tour operators from all
over the country descended on the famous and historic city to take in a series
of tours. The sunshine helped make the occasion a memorable one.
Organised by VisitWiltshire and its partners along
with group travel specialist company Steve Reed Tourism Ltd of Hampshire, the
Spotlight highlighted a number of attractions ideal for groups.
Salisbury Cathedral greeted the tour planners and
treated them to and in-depth tour of its many fascinating aspects including the
work of the stonemason, Magna Carta and news of its very popular Christmas
Festival.
Mompesson House and Gardens, Arundells – the home of
Sir Edward Heath – and the Salisbury Museum were all visited by the tour
buyers.
The guests saw the accommodation at Sarum College
which is right on the tranquil Cathedral Close. They also visited Britford Farm
Shop for lunch - an amazing edge of town venue offering delicious homemade food
and a warm welcome – ideal for lunch stops for groups.
An experience at the Live Escape Room in Salisbury was
next on the agenda for the attendees – certainly a unique group occasion and
one very much worth repeating.
To help underline Salisbury’s great heritage and
appeal, Salisbury City Guide Penny May met the group at Salisbury Information
Centre and took them on an entertaining and informative tour of the city centre
– including St Thomas’s Church, the newly developed Market Place and along the
picturesque riverside to see how the artist Constable was inspired to paint his
famous picture of the cathedral.
Some of the guests stayed overnight at various hotels
and accommodation providers including Sarum College, The Red Lion Hotel and
Cathedral Close B&B. They also dined in the restaurant of the Cathedral
Hotel.
Also in attendance were Group Leisure and Travel
magazine from Milton Keynes, national coach driver organisation Coach Buddy and
the national body for group travel organisers -AGTO.
Florence Wallace is the Travel Trade and
PR Manager for VisitWiltshire:
“We were delighted to have welcomed
so many group travel organisers, trade press and trade professionals who have
been able to experience the delights of Salisbury including ‘things to do,
shopping and places to stay, eat and drink’. These familiarisation visits are
important to ensure these organisers have first-hand experience of the area so
they are well positioned to return with their groups on future visits or for
tour operators to add to their itineraries.
The response we are now getting back from the tour
planners augers well for Salisbury and Wiltshire overall – they can see that
the city and its businesses really does have it all where groups are
concerned.”
Salisbury is a highly popular
visitor destination and a key contributor to the local economy worth almost
£400,000 a year and it employs approximately 10% of the local workforce.
For more information on Salisbury
please visit www.visitsalisbury.co.uk
Ends.
For further Information:
T:
01722 341309
M: 07436
588860
E: flowallace@visitwiltshire.co.uk
W: www.visitwiltshire.co.uk