England has a long history of innovation and over the years it has paved the way for the rest of the world in several industries. As well as being home to the world’s first motorcar and being the first ground of several of the world’s first sports, England has also led the way in tourism.
With the first ever English Tourism Week taking place this week (10th – 18th March), VisitEngland takes a look back at some of the country’s tourism contributions that have shaped how we holiday today.
First Afternoon Tea
The tradition of taking Afternoon Tea is said to have been started at Woburn Abbey by the wife of the 7th Duke of Bedford, Duchess Anna Maria, during the 1840s. The Duchess felt that taking tea and delicate sandwiches, cakes and biscuits bridged the long gap between luncheon and dinner. We couldn’t agree more. Today, afternoon tea is still our preferred way to break up the afternoon, meet friends, or celebrate – and it is still served in traditional form in the Duchess’ tea room at Woburn Abbey. £12.50 per person. www.woburn.co.uk/abbey
First Stamp
What goes around the world and stays in a corner? The answer… a postage stamp, and the first method of pre-paying to send mail in a convenient way was invented right here in England. The first stamp in the world was posted from Bath in May 1840. The Penny Black officially came into use on 6th May 1840 and was sold in 1990 for £55,000. To learn more about England’s postal history, visit Bath Postal Museum. Adults: £3.50, Child over 6: £1.50.
www.bathpostalmuseum.co.uk
First Pier
Ryde Pier on the Isle of Wight is thought to be the oldest pier in the world. Built in 1813 and opened in 1814, the pier certainly made the experience of coming ashore more pleasant than being carried on a porter’s back or walking half a mile through wet sand in your fineries. The pier has recently been renovated to preserve its Victorian heritage and today is home to the Wightlink catamaran service between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde. Return crossing on the Catamaran from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde is £16.
www.wightlink.co.uk
First Flight
2010 marked the 1,000 year anniversary of the first flight, when Brother Eilmer, an 11th century Benedictine monk, attached wings to his arms and legs and attempted man’s first recorded flight. He jumped off Malmesbury Abbey tower in Wiltshire and managed a downward glide of some 200 metres. You could say this was the precursor to Hang Gliding. To learn more about aviation, visit the flight gallery at the Science Museum in London, which is brimming over with extraordinary exhibits reflecting both British and international achievements in aviation. Entry is free but charges apply for the IMAX cinema, flight simulators and some special exhibitions.
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/galleries/flight.aspx
First Deckchairs
Englishman John Thomas Moore, the man who bought the deckchair to world, took out a patent for an adjustable folding chair made of wood and fabric in 1886. Mass production of the deckchair started in Macclesfield in Cheshire, before becoming part of the furniture on ocean liners travelling all over globe - including the doomed Titanic. They became - and still are - an essential part of British piers, beaches, promenades, cricket grounds and back gardens. Beer beach in Devon is a picturesque beach with striped deckchairs and charming beach huts. Head out mackerel fishing, or simply recline in a deck chair for the afternoon and watch the world go by…
www.visitdevon.co.uk/things-to-do/beer-beach-p640103
First Package Holiday
It was a 32-year old cabinet-maker named Thomas Cook who pioneered the very first package holiday back in 1841, when he organised a rail journey from Leicester to Loughborough to allow 500 people to attend a temperance meeting on July 5th that year. During the next three summers, Thomas arranged a succession of trips between Leicester, Nottingham, Derby and Birmingham on behalf of local temperance societies and Sunday schools. His first commercial venture took place in the summer of 1845, when he charged patrons to join an organised a trip to Liverpool. Today, Thomas Cook is the UK’s largest retailer of breaks on home turf, as well as being the official provider of short breaks to the London 2012 Olympic Games and providing more trips to UK sports events than anyone else.
www.thomascooklondon2012.com
First Hard Rock Café
You can go all around the world from Aruba to Sharm El Sheikh and find a Hard Rock Café. But if you want to find the original, head to Old Park Lake in London. In June 2011, the Café celebrated its 30th birthday; the brainchild of Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, the central London restaurant offered first-rate American food, a fascinating collection of memorabilia with live music. Still housing the first ever piece of memorabilia donated to Hard Rock Café, Eric Clapton’s Lead II Fender – originally donated to reserve a space at the busy bar – the London café today is as authentic and popular as ever.
www.hardrock.com
For events and offers taking place this week for English Tourism Week, visit www.enjoyengland.com/English-Tourism-Week
Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tourism. Show all posts
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Thursday, 4 August 2011
British tourists are learning to behave
According to official government figures, it seems that British tourists are learning to behave, as the number of Britons arrested overseas has fallen by over 10%, according to the new Foreign and Commonwealth Office British Behaviour Abroad report. Drug arrests have decreased by almost 20% over the past year.
Despite this positive trend, Foreign Office staff still handled 5,700 arrest cases last year with Spain and USA showing the highest figures. Drug arrests continue to be a significant problem for some countries, particularly parts of South America and the Caribbean where a high proportion of total arrests are drug related.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office report, which discloses the number of consular cases handled across the globe from 1 April 2010 – 31 March 2011, provides a unique insight into the number of Britons who get into difficulty overseas.
Minister for Europe, David Lidington, pointed out: “We work hard to warn British nationals about the consequences of breaking the law abroad so it is really encouraging to see the overall number of cases of arrests and drug arrests falling. But last year there were still 5700 arrests of British nationals overseas.
Despite this positive trend, Foreign Office staff still handled 5,700 arrest cases last year with Spain and USA showing the highest figures. Drug arrests continue to be a significant problem for some countries, particularly parts of South America and the Caribbean where a high proportion of total arrests are drug related.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office report, which discloses the number of consular cases handled across the globe from 1 April 2010 – 31 March 2011, provides a unique insight into the number of Britons who get into difficulty overseas.
Minister for Europe, David Lidington, pointed out: “We work hard to warn British nationals about the consequences of breaking the law abroad so it is really encouraging to see the overall number of cases of arrests and drug arrests falling. But last year there were still 5700 arrests of British nationals overseas.
“Prison conditions in some parts of the world can be very poor, overcrowded and, in some cases, dangerous and sentences can be much tougher than in the UK. People are mistaken if they think the Foreign Office can get you out of jail. We can’t, but we will work hard to try and ensure your safety, and that you get a fair trial.”
New consumer research launched today by the Foreign Office reveals that 43% of 18-24 year olds know someone who has taken illegal drugs whilst abroad. It also showed that over two thirds (69%) of people in Britain don’t always find out about the laws of the country they are visiting before they go abroad – putting themselves at risk of unknowingly breaking the law.
New consumer research launched today by the Foreign Office reveals that 43% of 18-24 year olds know someone who has taken illegal drugs whilst abroad. It also showed that over two thirds (69%) of people in Britain don’t always find out about the laws of the country they are visiting before they go abroad – putting themselves at risk of unknowingly breaking the law.
Most worryingly nearly a third (32%) of people are not aware they will always be prosecuted under local law if they break the law abroad - with 6% of people thinking they will be prosecuted under UK law, 22% thinking it depends on the country they are in and 4% admitted to not knowing at all.
Aside from arrests, the British Behaviour Abroad report shows that the number of Brits hospitalised abroad has increased to 3,752 cases, despite fewer people from the UK travelling abroad last year. Medical treatment abroad can be very expensive and to avoid being faced with large bills if taken ill or after having an accident, the Foreign Office is urging people to take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy before they go away this summer. Previous research suggests that 15% of Britons travel abroad uninsured.
Other key findings from the British Behaviour Abroad report include:
• Spain continues to be the country where most Britons require assistance (4,971 cases) but when you take visitor and resident numbers into account, you are most likely to need consular assistance in the Philippines, Thailand and Pakistan
• The number of rape cases in Greece almost halved since 2009-10 from 27 to 15, although the numbers of sexual assault cases rose significantly
• The number of Brits hospitalised abroad has increased with Spain handling the most cases (1,024) followed by Greece. Proportionally Brits are most likely to be hospitalised in Thailand
• In total Foreign Office staff handled 19,228 serious consular cases last year
For details on how the Foreign Office can help if you get into trouble abroad, please visit www.fco.gov.uk/travel
The Foreign Office is encouraging people to sign up to Facebook and Twitter feeds to ensure they are informed of the latest travel advice: www.facebook.com/fcotravel or twitter.com/fcotravel
Aside from arrests, the British Behaviour Abroad report shows that the number of Brits hospitalised abroad has increased to 3,752 cases, despite fewer people from the UK travelling abroad last year. Medical treatment abroad can be very expensive and to avoid being faced with large bills if taken ill or after having an accident, the Foreign Office is urging people to take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy before they go away this summer. Previous research suggests that 15% of Britons travel abroad uninsured.
Other key findings from the British Behaviour Abroad report include:
• Spain continues to be the country where most Britons require assistance (4,971 cases) but when you take visitor and resident numbers into account, you are most likely to need consular assistance in the Philippines, Thailand and Pakistan
• The number of rape cases in Greece almost halved since 2009-10 from 27 to 15, although the numbers of sexual assault cases rose significantly
• The number of Brits hospitalised abroad has increased with Spain handling the most cases (1,024) followed by Greece. Proportionally Brits are most likely to be hospitalised in Thailand
• In total Foreign Office staff handled 19,228 serious consular cases last year
For details on how the Foreign Office can help if you get into trouble abroad, please visit www.fco.gov.uk/travel
The Foreign Office is encouraging people to sign up to Facebook and Twitter feeds to ensure they are informed of the latest travel advice: www.facebook.com/fcotravel or twitter.com/fcotravel
Monday, 20 June 2011
Go TPOTY: Fantasic prizes for photographers in Travel Photographer of the Year awards
The 2011 international Travel Photographer of the Year awards (TPOTY) offer some fantastic rewards for successful entrants. Prizes include trips to Marrakech, Oman, Botswana and Cambodia, cash bursaries, photographic equipment and tuition - and a paid photographic commission in England and Scotland; the first such prize in the awards’ history.
All winning photographers would see their prizewinning shots published in the next TPOTY book, Journey Four, and displayed at a major TPOTY exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in London during the Olympic games. And for the Overall Winner there’s a further, unique opportunity within that exhibition.
With entries open until October 9th, and the awards open to photographers of all levels and all ages (including children, too), there’s plenty of time to for all the family to pick up their cameras and get shooting…
The Overall Winner of the awards – the 2011 Travel Photographer of the Year - will be given a unique personal showcase within the TPOTY exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in the summer of 2012. The showcase will contain not just their eight TPOTY-winning images but also a selection of their other, non-TPOTY work.
The Overall Winner of the awards – the 2011 Travel Photographer of the Year - will be given a unique personal showcase within the TPOTY exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in the summer of 2012. The showcase will contain not just their eight TPOTY-winning images but also a selection of their other, non-TPOTY work.
This will give them an outstanding opportunity to demonstrate their talents to the large numbers of visitors expected to attend the exhibition in London’s cultural quarter at a time when the Olympic Games will make the city a focus for millions of visitors from around the world. In addition they’ll receive a £1,000 TPOTY cash bursary, plus Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium 5.5 and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 software, a Plastic Sandwich personalised leather iPad portfolio case, complete with Apple iPad2, and a Lexar Professional 600x 32GB CompactFlash memory card + Lexar Professional Dual-Slot card reader.
The winner of the Spirit of Adventure portfolio category will be awarded an exclusive commission from Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky to shoot a number of photographs in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Cutty Sark will use up to 20 of the commissioned images for internal brand education and the winning photographer will be paid a fee of £4,000, with accommodation and transport for the trip being organised and paid for separately by Cutty Sark. The commissioned images will be used under license only and will be credited to the winning photographer, who will retain the copyright.
Cultures & Traditions – the winner of this portfolio category will travel to Cambodia on a 13-day tailor-made trip with Explore, the adventure travel experts. During their time in this atmospheric country they will see the temples at Angkor Wat and Siem Reap, the caves at Takeo, take a tour of Phnom Penhn and visit the ‘Killing Fields’.
The winner of the Exotic portfolio category will journey to Botswana with Tselana Travel, the luxury tailor-made travel specialists. They will experience a superb safari in the heart of Africa, discovering the Okavango Delta and its breathtaking wildlife. They will go on game drives in open vehicles, enjoy water activities like safaris in Mokoro, and have the chance of some wonderful bird watching. This trip is for two people, so they can take a guest!
The Oman Ministry of Tourism and Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, have teamed up to provide a fantastic holiday prize for the winner of the Natural Elements portfolio category. The Oman Ministry of Tourism will host the winner for seven nights in Oman. They will stay in Muscat, Nizwa, Wahiba Sands and the Jebel Akhtar mountains. The prize also includes a city tour of Muscat.
The winners of all four portfolio categories also receive Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 software plus a Lexar Professional 600x 16GB CompactFlash card + Lexar Professional Dual-Slot card reader. And the winners of the Best Single Image award in each of the four portfolio categories will receive a beautiful 24” exhibition print of their winning entry from Genesis Digital, who make the TPOTY exhibition prints, along with a print of one of the fascinating historic images from the archive of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).
The 2011 New Talent winner will travel to Marrakech with award-winning tailor-made sustainable travel specialists Tribes Travel and stay in a riad (traditional townhouse) in this colourful and highly photogenic town. They will also receive Adobe, Photoshop Lightroom 3 software, plus a Lexar Professional 600x 16GB CompactFlash card + Lexar Professional Dual-Slot card reader, a personalised Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio case or iPad cover and two TPOTY/Photo Iconic image critiques – one before their prize trip and one afterwards.
The winner of the One Shot, Wild Moments single image category receives £500, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 software and a Lexar Professional 600x 16GB CompactFlash card + Lexar Professional Dual-Slot card reader.
There will be two winners of the beginners’ single image category, First Shot - Work, Rest, Play. They will each receive Adobe Photoshop Lightroom3 software and a Photo Iconic photography course, or an online image critique. The two Runners-Up and four Commended entrants each receive critiques.
The Young Travel Photographer of the Year will receive £500, plus Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3, Lexar Professional 600x 16GB CompactFlash card + Lexar Professional Dual-Slot card reader, personalised Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio case or iPad cover and an image critique session. The winner of Young TPOTY 14 & Under and the winner of Young TPOTY 15-18 each receive a Lexar Professional 400x 8GB CompactFlash card plus an online critique, while the runners-up receive a Lexar Professional 400x 8GB CompactFlash card.
Finally, the winner of the Young Photographers’ Alliance Emerging Talent Award, for the most interesting entry submitted by a photographer aged 25 or under in the New Talent or Young TPOTY categories will be given a place on the YPA mentoring programme.
The TPOTY awards are open to amateur and professional photographers from all countries and images can be submitted as prints or uploaded online. Entries for the 2011 TPOTY awards close on October 9th. Entry fees start at £10 and Young TPOTY is free to enter. Images can be submitted online or as prints. Full details on how to enter can be found at www.tpoty.com.
Image shown is by Eric Kruszewski - TPOTY 2010
The winner of the Spirit of Adventure portfolio category will be awarded an exclusive commission from Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky to shoot a number of photographs in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Cutty Sark will use up to 20 of the commissioned images for internal brand education and the winning photographer will be paid a fee of £4,000, with accommodation and transport for the trip being organised and paid for separately by Cutty Sark. The commissioned images will be used under license only and will be credited to the winning photographer, who will retain the copyright.
Cultures & Traditions – the winner of this portfolio category will travel to Cambodia on a 13-day tailor-made trip with Explore, the adventure travel experts. During their time in this atmospheric country they will see the temples at Angkor Wat and Siem Reap, the caves at Takeo, take a tour of Phnom Penhn and visit the ‘Killing Fields’.
The winner of the Exotic portfolio category will journey to Botswana with Tselana Travel, the luxury tailor-made travel specialists. They will experience a superb safari in the heart of Africa, discovering the Okavango Delta and its breathtaking wildlife. They will go on game drives in open vehicles, enjoy water activities like safaris in Mokoro, and have the chance of some wonderful bird watching. This trip is for two people, so they can take a guest!
The Oman Ministry of Tourism and Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, have teamed up to provide a fantastic holiday prize for the winner of the Natural Elements portfolio category. The Oman Ministry of Tourism will host the winner for seven nights in Oman. They will stay in Muscat, Nizwa, Wahiba Sands and the Jebel Akhtar mountains. The prize also includes a city tour of Muscat.
The winners of all four portfolio categories also receive Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 software plus a Lexar Professional 600x 16GB CompactFlash card + Lexar Professional Dual-Slot card reader. And the winners of the Best Single Image award in each of the four portfolio categories will receive a beautiful 24” exhibition print of their winning entry from Genesis Digital, who make the TPOTY exhibition prints, along with a print of one of the fascinating historic images from the archive of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).
The 2011 New Talent winner will travel to Marrakech with award-winning tailor-made sustainable travel specialists Tribes Travel and stay in a riad (traditional townhouse) in this colourful and highly photogenic town. They will also receive Adobe, Photoshop Lightroom 3 software, plus a Lexar Professional 600x 16GB CompactFlash card + Lexar Professional Dual-Slot card reader, a personalised Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio case or iPad cover and two TPOTY/Photo Iconic image critiques – one before their prize trip and one afterwards.
The winner of the One Shot, Wild Moments single image category receives £500, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 software and a Lexar Professional 600x 16GB CompactFlash card + Lexar Professional Dual-Slot card reader.
There will be two winners of the beginners’ single image category, First Shot - Work, Rest, Play. They will each receive Adobe Photoshop Lightroom3 software and a Photo Iconic photography course, or an online image critique. The two Runners-Up and four Commended entrants each receive critiques.
The Young Travel Photographer of the Year will receive £500, plus Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3, Lexar Professional 600x 16GB CompactFlash card + Lexar Professional Dual-Slot card reader, personalised Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio case or iPad cover and an image critique session. The winner of Young TPOTY 14 & Under and the winner of Young TPOTY 15-18 each receive a Lexar Professional 400x 8GB CompactFlash card plus an online critique, while the runners-up receive a Lexar Professional 400x 8GB CompactFlash card.
Finally, the winner of the Young Photographers’ Alliance Emerging Talent Award, for the most interesting entry submitted by a photographer aged 25 or under in the New Talent or Young TPOTY categories will be given a place on the YPA mentoring programme.
The TPOTY awards are open to amateur and professional photographers from all countries and images can be submitted as prints or uploaded online. Entries for the 2011 TPOTY awards close on October 9th. Entry fees start at £10 and Young TPOTY is free to enter. Images can be submitted online or as prints. Full details on how to enter can be found at www.tpoty.com.
Image shown is by Eric Kruszewski - TPOTY 2010
Thursday, 26 May 2011
Door2Tour nominated for Coach Tourism Awards but miss out on the night
Door2Tour.com may not have won on the night but congratulations should still be sent to the team for making it to the final. The Coach Tourism Awards 2011 took place at the Holiday Inn in Stratford-upon-Avon where over 350 coach tourism professionals gathered to celebrate excellence across the industry from coach tour operators to suppliers, coach-friendly destinations and attractions.
Door2Tour.com was nominated in the category for Coach Tour Operator Website of the Year but Lucketts Travel was the overall winner. Door2Tour.com provides coach operators with a commission-based extra marketing facility to further promote its products and increase holiday bookings.
Door2Tour.com was nominated in the category for Coach Tour Operator Website of the Year but Lucketts Travel was the overall winner. Door2Tour.com provides coach operators with a commission-based extra marketing facility to further promote its products and increase holiday bookings.
The company uses the Internet to attract new customers to the coach tourism industry and thereby deliver the 'next generation' of coach tour passengers. Coach holidays operators only pay when a customer books a commissionable holiday and the commission is not collected until after the tour has travelled, no commission is payable on tours that cancel. Other finalists in this category were: Eddie Brown Tours, Interchoice Holidays and Shearings Holidays.
The Awards are the only scheme in the UK that specifically focuses on the coach tourism community and are organised by leading industry magazine, Coach Monthly. The event was hosted by Coach Monthly's editor Stuart Render and Kay Alexander from BBC Midlands Today. The Coach Tourism Awards are an extremely popular event and one that regularly attracts support and sponsorship from some of the UK's leading tourism organisations such as VisitEngland, the Coach Tourism Council and the Confederation of Passenger Transport.
A Coach Tourism Workshop took place in the afternoon before the Awards Ceremony and this allowed for coach tour operators from across the UK to take the opportunity to meet up with other representatives to discuss business opportunities for 2013 and beyond.
Adam Handy, general manager, Door2Tour.com said: "Although we didn't win, to be nominated for our third award in as many months is absolutely fantastic and the entire team is thrilled. It's great to be recognised within our industry and is a real reflection of all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. We're looking forward to building on the success of last year."
FACTFILE:
Door2Tour.com is a consolidation of national and regional tour operators creating a diverse choice of UK, European and worldwide touring holidays including New Year breaks and Christmas breaks, Blackpool Illuminations, coach holidays, Floriade 2012, day trips, river cruises and holidays by air to many exciting destinations. All have live availability and offer the customer the opportunity to book online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Door2Tour.com features over 35 operators, including Cosmos holidays, and Leger Holidays (coming soon).
www.door2tour.com
The Awards are the only scheme in the UK that specifically focuses on the coach tourism community and are organised by leading industry magazine, Coach Monthly. The event was hosted by Coach Monthly's editor Stuart Render and Kay Alexander from BBC Midlands Today. The Coach Tourism Awards are an extremely popular event and one that regularly attracts support and sponsorship from some of the UK's leading tourism organisations such as VisitEngland, the Coach Tourism Council and the Confederation of Passenger Transport.
A Coach Tourism Workshop took place in the afternoon before the Awards Ceremony and this allowed for coach tour operators from across the UK to take the opportunity to meet up with other representatives to discuss business opportunities for 2013 and beyond.
Adam Handy, general manager, Door2Tour.com said: "Although we didn't win, to be nominated for our third award in as many months is absolutely fantastic and the entire team is thrilled. It's great to be recognised within our industry and is a real reflection of all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. We're looking forward to building on the success of last year."
FACTFILE:
Door2Tour.com is a consolidation of national and regional tour operators creating a diverse choice of UK, European and worldwide touring holidays including New Year breaks and Christmas breaks, Blackpool Illuminations, coach holidays, Floriade 2012, day trips, river cruises and holidays by air to many exciting destinations. All have live availability and offer the customer the opportunity to book online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Door2Tour.com features over 35 operators, including Cosmos holidays, and Leger Holidays (coming soon).
www.door2tour.com
(EDITOR: That's Holiday would like to say 'well done' for getting to the finals! And better luck next year!')
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