| Picture: Image Bank |
The largest annual gathering of the UK’s domestic
tourism industry takes place next week at the Birmingham NEC, host
of the British Travel Trade Fair.
This year’s BTTF has attracted several new exhibitors, and
more than 3,000 buyers are expected to attend the two-day event,
which starts on Wednesday.
One of the new exhibitors, Kent Tourism Alliance, said it saw its
attendance at BTTF as an opportunity to “significantly
increase visitor figures by 2006”. Chief executive officer
Sandra Matthews-Marsh said: “We have an excellent range of
high-quality tourism products and it is imperative we inform the
trade what is on offer.”
To mark its debut at BTTF, the KTA will hold a champagne reception
on its stand at 2pm on Wednesday.
All four national tourist boards will have their usual large
presence at the event, which is owned by VisitBritain, and will be
joined by the majority of Britain’s regional tourist boards,
hotel companies, operators and visitor attractions.
An added draw is the free events programme and daily seminars,
which this year will include an unprecedented Question Time-style
debate between top politicians from all the main political
parties.
Chaired by ITN newscaster Alastair Stewart, the panellists will
include minister for tourism Richard Caborn, Conservative shadow
minister for culture, media and sport John Whittingdale, Liberal
Democrat shadow minister for culture Don Foster, Wales Tourism
Alliance chairman Julian Burrell and Scottish Tourism Forum chief
executive Alan Rankin.
Topics likely to come up include tourism infrastructure, terrorism
and security, quality standards and the launch of EnglandNet,
VisitBritain’s new system for getting tourism businesses
online.
The BTTF will be opened by Lord Marshall, who will be making one of
his first public appearances as the new chairman of VisitBritain.
Event director Graeme Barnett said pre-registration figures
indicated this would be the most successful show to date.
“We’re extremely pleased with the way BTTF 2005 is
coming together,” he said. “We are welcoming many new
exhibitors.”
Sales manager Ann Marie Meaney said she was confident the show
would be a sell-out. “The genuinely business-like nature of
BTTF is a real draw,” she said. “It may not have the
razzmatazz of a major event like World Travel Market, but it is
primarily and unashamedly a trade-focused show – it does what
it says on the tin.”
What’s on at BTTF?
All seminars and events are free, but get there early as places are
on a first come, first seated basis. Some are by invitation only.
Here are some of the highlights:
Wednesday March 2
9am-10am: the event kicks off with a breakfast
briefing from the national tourist boards of England, Ireland,
Scotland and Wales on the BTTF stage. They will tell
VisitBritain’s hosted buyers what’s new for the coming
year.
2.30pm: don’t miss the Big Interview on the
BTTF stage when Travel Weekly deputy editor Lisa James will put the
new chairman of VisitBritain, Lord Marshall, under the spotlight.
7.30pm: scrub up for the invitation-only BTTF Big
Night Out at the Birmingham Hard Rock Café.
Thursday March 3
11am-12pm: grab your seat for a Question
Time-style debate between top tourism politicians, chaired by ITN
newscaster Alastair Stewart. To e-mail your own questions for the
debate visit britishtraveltradefair.com and go to the seminar
page.
12pm-3pm: Challenge your Business is a series of
30-minute workshops in the presentation theatre. Tackling
everything from emerging markets, exchange rate fluctuations to web
marketing tips and tricks, the grey market and tips for group
travel organisers, it also includes a session on EnglandNet.
12.30pm-1.30pm: put your questions on standards in
tourism to the Britain Review Group chairman Alan Britten, AA hotel
services manager Albert Hampson, FarmStay UK chairwoman Christine
Ryder and VAQAS quality assurance manager Christopher Howard in a
seminar on the BTTF stage.
3.30pm-4.30pm: end of show drinks at the BTTF
Exhibitor Reception in the Reed Travel Exhibitions sales lounge.
