Tour Planners Given VIP Treatment.
One of the UK’s top group travel and holiday companies has just showcased the tourist attractions of Dorset to the travel trade. Daish’s Holidays – founded over 40 years ago and offering 12 hotels in 10 resorts around the country – last week conducted a familiarisation event for group travel operators [GTOS].
Working closely with Steve Reed Tourism Ltd of Hampshire and Visit Dorset, the tour planners were based at the Prince Regent Hotel on the Weymouth seafront. The idea was to encourage GTOS to bring their groups back to this attractive part of England.
Two full days of fact-finding tours commenced with a visit to Monkey World where the group heard about the marvellous work being done there to conserve monkeys. Poole Harbour was the next port of call where the group visited the new Hennings Group Hire facilities prior to a relaxing fish and chip cruise courtesy of City Cruises.
The attendees next had the honour of meeting the Mayor of Swanage as she greeted them on board the popular Swanage Railway before a pleasant steam train ride which also took in the iconic sight of Corfe Castle.
Day two began for the group travel organisers with a visit to Athelhampton House and Gardens where the group were treated to a fascinating tour of the ornate gardens and the ancient house. This was followed by a tour of Abbotsbury Swannery which included the spectacle of the feeding of hundreds of swans at this superb attraction. A highlights visit to Bovington Tank Museum was next for the GTOS on a busy day which concluded with a discovery tour of the Weymouth Sealife Adventure Park.
The VIP guests also enjoyed an optional day of attraction visits around the county to sites as diverse as Mapperton House; Sherborne Castle and Gardens; Nothe Fort; the Museum of Jurassic Marine Life; Blue Pool; Dorset Museum and the Weymouth Land Train. They also took in Portland Bill Lighthouse and Lulworth Castle and Park.
‘We are very grateful to Visit Dorset and to the various attractions that opened their doors to the GTOS,’ says Martin Jenkins of Daish’s Holidays.
‘Dorset is such a beautiful and unspoilt county offering so much to groups, making it easy for them to put together their group tours.’
The Visit Dorset team funded by Dorset Council were pleased to be able to assist with showcasing some of the area’s attractions to the tour planners:
‘Group travel organisers and their tours – whether holidays or day excursions form an important part of the 1.8 billion pound visitor economy of Dorset and we very much welcome the opportunity to work with Daish’s Holidays and Steve Reed Tourism in this respect. The attractions really pulled out all of the stops in an effort to encourage the GTOS to bring their groups back.’
