British & Wales Tourism Week
The fourth annual British Tourism Week (BTW) takes place from 15 - 21 March 2010. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales will once again be Patron for this series of inter-related events, which aims to raise local, regional, national and international awareness of the size, value and importance of Britain's £114 billion visitor economy.
BTW 2009 saw over 230 events take place across the country, culminating with the inaugural Best of Britain & Ireland Travel Trade Forum (formerly the British Travel Trade Fair) and a new two-day consumer show. Building upon this success, British Tourism Week 2010 will highlight the contribution made by businesses large and small, public and commercial, and aims to galvanise the commitment of organisations and individuals to further improve and develop the industry.
Be Part of It, and get involved. Whether you work in the industry and wish to organise an event; a politician wanting to visit your local tourism businesses; a member of the media looking for information on what’s happening that week; or you are a consumer looking for tourist information, you will find this website contains lots of ideas and resources to help you.
British Tourism Week is organised by VisitBritain with the support of The Tourism Society, and an Executive Committee comprising the Tourism Alliance; Wales Tourism Alliance; Scottish Tourism Forum; VisitEngland; VisitScotland; Visit Wales; Visit London; the English Regions; British Hospitality Association; ABTA the Travel Association; UKinbound; Local Government Association; Association of Leading Visitor Attractions; Travelodge; Hoseasons; Holiday Cottages Group; British Beer & Pub Association; Coach Tourism Council; Group Travel Organisers Association; Virgin Trains; and Best of Britain & Ireland Events (organisers of the Best of Britain & Ireland Travel Trade Forum and the Best of Britain & Ireland consumer show).
Wales Tourism Week, led by the Wales Tourism Alliance will run concurrently, and Scottish Tourism Week will be held from 1-8 March to coincide with the ScotHot, Scottish Hospitality three-day event.
Wales Tourism Week provides tourism organisations with an outstanding opportunity to demonstrate to Westminster (with a General Election in the offing), to the Assembly and to Local Authority politicians how important tourism is to the economy of Wales.
The British / Wales Tourism Week will be launched on Monday 15 March at Newport’s Celtic Manor Resort - to mark the staging of the Ryder Cup in October. It will have a huge significance for the industry across Wales, with a high profile dignitary guaranteeing widespread media interest in the event.
The Welsh Assembly Government’s new First Minister and the Minister for Heritage are also expected to attend, along with leading industry players from across the UK and Wales.
In London, a Parliamentary reception will follow the Celtic Manor launch on Monday 15 March, on Tuesday, a reception for the tourism industry will take place at a high profile venue and on Wednesday, the four day Best of Britain and Ireland Event will open.
To promote Wales Tourism Week, the Wales Tourism Alliance will host a high profile reception at the Senedd prior to the week itself (on Wednesday 10 March at 6pm) where we will have an opportunity to help Tourism Minister Alun Ffred Jones to promote the wider series of events and the key messages of the week to other Assembly Members.
The Minister will feature heavily throughout the week in Wales and we are waiting to hear where he will be on Friday 12 March, when the photo opportunities begin in earnest and the industry profile is raised around Wales prior to the beginning of Wales Tourism Week.
That will signal the start of a set of widespread, Wales-wide promotional opportunities and this is where your organisation (sectoral, regional or local) needs to play its part by organising awareness-raising events and meetings – without doubt, this is not an opportunity to be missed!
So start planning now how your organisation can take advantage of Wales Tourism Week; please contact us if you require any advice or guidance. All events can be featured on the high profile British Tourism Week web site
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