Group Travel Forum Welcomes Tour Buyers and Tourism Industry. 

The Lowry Art Gallery and Theatre in Salford Quays provided the ideal backdrop to a highly successful tourism industry set piece [14.10.19].

The annual Group Buyer Forum-North event took place at the Lowry near Manchester – an occasion when group buyers came face to face with hotels, attractions and destinations from all over the UK.

Organised by country-wide travel specialists Steve Reed Tourism Ltd from Hampshire, the Group Buyer Forum featured coach and tour operators and group travel organisers discussing group bookings directly with tourism businesses.

Arranged in conjunction with Classic Lodges Hotels, Group Travel World magazine and Travel World Association [TWA], the event attracted many exhibitors from around the country. Reading like a who’s who of UK tourism the exhibitors included the Royal Horticultural Society; Visit York; Ena Mill of Greater Manchester; The Royal Mint Experience from South Wales; Ramside Hall Hotel from County Durham and City Cruises of London, Poole and York.

Amongst the exhibitors was Ian Duff, Operations Manager of Stockport based Belle Vue Coaches: ‘The event proved to be of great value to our brand and we are really pleased to have participated in this top event, says Ian.

Nola Collinson is the Director of Sales at Staybridge Suites in Newcastle upon Tyne: ‘It was a great day and a super location too – your events are always about quality rather than quantity and we get to know lots of people as a result,’ says Nola.

The Forum attracted lots of tour buyers and Sue Cooper of Susan Cooper Events was one of them: ‘Thank you for arranging a great exhibition – we made some excellent new business contacts   and also said hello to existing clients,’ says Sue.

And Travel Editions of London said ‘Great event, we look forward to the next one!’

Some of the group buyers attended a showcase visit to the Northwest before the Lowry event. They firstly took in a welcome lunch and showround at the recently re-branded Bliss Hotel on the waterfront at Southport – all courtesy of Visit Southport.  The group then enjoyed a fam’ visit to Courtyard at Tarleton – a popular retail stop for coaches in the Lancashire Village of Tarleton.

And Farington Lodge Hotel in Leyland near Preston hosted a highly enjoyable dinner and overnight stay kindly provided by Classic Lodges Hotels.

The attendees also took in an after event Cruise by City Centre Cruises of Manchester where the buyers savoured a sightseeing tour of the ever changing Salford Quays attractions and developments.

There will be another Group Buyer Forum on Monday 21^st September 2020 and this will be at the beautiful venue of Denbies Wine Estate and Vineyard in Dorking, Surrey. Again, like the Lowry event the Forum will take place from 10.30 – 14.00 and will feature exhibitors and group buyers from all over the UK.

Any tour planner of tourism business requiring further information about the Denbies event should contact steve@stevereedtourism.co.uk or www.stevereedtourism.co.uk   Tel [01420] 560 288.