Group travel organisers from all over the UK made a bee-line for North Yorkshire during a special showcase event. Organised by Daish’s Holidays, a national hotel and tour company, with support from travel trade specialists Steve Reed Tourism Ltd, the set piece took place at their popular Esplanade Hotel in Scarborough, https://www.daishs.com/

With help and assistance from Discover Yorkshire Coast, part of Visit North Yorkshire, and a variety of group-friendly tourism attractions in Whitby and in Scarborough, the GTOs took in two full days of tours to a variety of sites across this beautiful coastline, http://www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com/

A visit to Whitby commenced with a fascinating visit to the independent Whitby Museum; from there the next port of call was an enjoyable boat trip with Whitby Coastal Cruises – the Yellow Boats. This proved to be an appetiser for a delicious tasting lunch at the nearby Quayside Restaurant. English Heritage iconic site Whitby Abbey was next up before a superb gin tour at the Whitby Gin Company where various gins – and rums – were sampled.

After their first day tour, the tour planners enjoyed dinner and entertainment at their hotel where, like most Daish’s Hotels, this is provided every night. The group next took in a tour of Scarborough including Scarborough Castle where the attendees were entertained with a top tour of this historic site. The art deco magnificence of the Stephen Joseph Theatre was next on stage and very much associated with famous playwright Sir Alan Ayckborn. Continuing on the entertainment theme the GTOS visited Scarborough Spa right on the seafront. There they were treated to a first class tour of this historic seaside icon as well as lunch. Also fun was a trip to an attraction called Scarborough Fair – an incredible collection of vintage vehicles, fairground rides and fair organs. The final and fascinating visit was to the unique St Martins-on-the-Hill Church in Scarborough where the delegates found out about the beautiful pre-Raphaelite glass and decorations there.

‘We enjoyed the tours of this lovely part of the world and could see that the GTOS did too,’ says Martin Jenkins of Daish’s Holidays. ‘We have ten hotels in twelve resorts around the UK and most of them offer tours and excursions of the area around the hotel. We discovered that there is so much to see and do around the vicinity of the Esplanade Hotel and a coach tour could be the ideal way to visit most of the sites we experienced as long as coach parking is available.’

Daish’s Holidays, working in conjunction with Steve Reed Tourism Ltd, have two further GTO events coming up which tour planners can attend free of charge and they are at RHS Bridgewater Garden near Manchester on Monday 13th May and also Coventry Transport museum on Monday 28th October. Anyone requiring further information or to reserve places should email steve@stevereedtourism.co.uk