The latest Daish’s and Friends GTO Roadshow event took place in late October. Working closely with Discover Dudley – and located in the group-friendly Dudley Canal and Caverns attraction next door to the Black Country Living Museum – the tour planners met Daish’s Holidays in an exhibition which also featured attractions and hotels from around an area often referred to as ‘Peaky Blinders Country’ in the Midlands.

This was the latest in a series of roadshow events arranged by UK travel trade specialist company Steve Reed Tourism Ltd, working in conjunction with Daish’s Holidays – a growing UK brand which has 12 hotels in 10 resorts around the country. The last one was at Samlesbury Hall in Lancashire, and more are planned for 2023.

Over 40 GTOs and tour operators attended the event, which showcased the unique Dudley Canal and Caverns boat trip as well as the adjoining Black Country Living Museum, and included a look at the brand new visitor reception building and development plans of this nationally important attraction. The delegates also met the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Sue Greenaway, who welcomed the attendees and drew the winning prizes for three lucky group travel organisers attending the event.

Exhibitors included the Village Hotel, Dudley and Copthorne Hotel – Merry Hill, Dudley; Discover Dudley; The Black Country Living Museum; the Dudley Canal and Caverns; Red House Glass Cone and Dudley Museum at the Archives; Stourbridge Glass Museum. From further afield were exhibitors such as the National Memorial Arboretum and the Olympus Restaurant from Bolton.

‘We were very happy to set up for the day at these wonderful twin attractions in Dudley,’ says Martin Jenkins of Daish’s Holidays. ‘Going out and about around the country is a great way to keep in touch with our tour planner customers and also an opportunity to meet new GTOS and coach and tour operators. We were able to tell them all about our hotels, our tours and also the four big familiarisations we have scheduled for next year in Weymouth, Torquay, Blackpool [and the Lakes] and Bournemouth.’

For further information about Daish’s Holidays please see https://www.daishs.com or email steve@stevereedtourism.co.uk; and regarding Dudley visit https://discover.dudley.gov.uk/welcome-to-dudley/ or email nicola.beckley@dudley.gov.uk