GTOS ARRIVED ‘TWO BY TWO’
10/26/2026
Chester Zoo Roadshow Welcomes the UK Travel Trade
26 October 2026
Monday
19 October proved a memorable day at one of the North West’s best-known visitor
attractions, as Chester Zoo welcomed a different kind of gathering alongside
its usual crowds: tour planners and group travel organisers (GTOs) from across
the UK.
They
had signed up for the Group Travel Roadshow, organised by Daish’s Holidays and
Steve Reed Tourism. Judging by the response from attendees, the event was a
roaring success. Coach and tour operators, together with active GTOs, met a
strong line-up of destinations, attractions, hotels and venues to discuss
future group business — and, according to Daish’s, some bookings were already
being made.
“Each
year, we invite GTOs to one of our northern, Midlands or southern roadshows so
we can meet face to face,” said Martin Jenkins of Daish’s Holidays. “The
Chester Zoo event gave me the opportunity to tell attendees all about our
excellent seaside hotels and group tours.”
Martin
also confirmed that plans are already under way for Daish’s major 2027 GTO
familiarisation trip, showcasing the soon-to-be-refurbished Sandringham Hotel
in Weston-super-Mare from 11–15 November 2027.
Chester
Zoo also had the opportunity to demonstrate its first-class conference
facilities by hosting the roadshow.
“We
knew the team at Chester Zoo were experts in attracting coach parties, but the
quality of the venue exceeded even our expectations,” said Steve Reed of Steve
Reed Tourism.
The
exhibitor line-up read like a who’s who of the tourism industry. Organisations
taking part included Viva Blackpool; West Midlands Safari Park; Kynren; The
Lowry; Visit County Durham; Olympus Restaurant, Bolton; Classic Lodges Hotels;
Visit Chester And Cheshire; Port Sunlight Village Trust; ChesterBoat; Mersey
Ferries; The Moxy Chester Hotel; Royal Airforce Museum, Midlands; Leighton
Hall; Gulliver’s Resorts; Snowdon
Mountain Railway; Fragrance Hotel Collection c/o RBH Hospitality; Visit Northumberland; HotelCo; Royal British Legion National Remembrance; Starboard
Hotels; Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement; Yarn Market Hotel Dunster; Elizabeth Gaskell House,
Manchester; Ribble Valley Borough Council; Vale of Rheidol and Brecon Mountain Railway.
The next Group Travel
Roadshow will take place at the Bush Hotel in Farnham, Surrey, on Monday 19
April 2027. Tour planners and potential exhibitors interested in taking part
can contact Steve Reed Tourism at steve@stevereedtourism.co.uk.
ENDS