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VisitWiltshire Launches New Group Visits & Travel Trade Guide

26 January 2012

VisitWiltshire has launched its new Group Visits and Travel Trade Guide, offering a greater product range than ever before.

The new guide comes as VisitWiltshire prepares for a busy year, as the company is now working with 450 members across a range of tourism businesses. Major brands working with VisitWiltshire include Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, Longleat, Bowood, STEAM, McArthurGlen Swindon Designer Outlet, English Heritage and the National Trust.

The forthcoming year is also shaping up to be a busy time for VisitWiltshire with a number of special events planned to ensure that 2012 will be a year to remember! Amongst the amazing line up of events and activities for visitors will be the 2012 Torch Relay, the illumination of Wiltshire’s famous White Horses, an elemental fire garden at Stonehenge and Le Concert du Feu in the medieval city of Salisbury.

The new guide details a whole range of attractions and accommodation which actively welcomes groups. Furthermore all accommodation providers listed will provide a complimentary room for one for every 30 paying guests.

David Andrews, chief executive of VisitWiltshire commented: “With a record number of members in the 2012 guide we are increasing our focus on travel trade activity in 2012. Tourism plays a vital role in Wiltshire’s economy generating an estimated £1billion and creating 20,000 jobs. We’re delighted to have had such strong industry support for our travel trade activity this year, and we look forward to welcoming more groups to the county in 2012.”

Amongst the new product for 2012 are:

  • Guided tours of Bowood’s private walled gardens with their expert head gardener
  • Speciality cruises along the Kennet & Avon Canal with Kenavon Venture
  • New gorilla colony and giraffe watering hole at Longleat plus four specific new guided tours of Longleat House and Gardens
  • Trail around Salisbury Cathedral for fans of Ken Follett’s novels Pillars of the Earth and World Without End with fast track entry for groups
  • Salisbury Cathedral’s Avenue of Champions, Olympic themed sculpture exhibition

Bowood is one of the new products within the guide: “With the opening of Bowood House’s private walled gardens for groups and individuals this coming season, we believe inclusion in VisitWiltshire’s new group travel guide is an ideal way to promote our new venture,” comments Bowood House & Gardens’ Visitor Manager, Katrina Druitt. “Wiltshire serves as a major destination for groups with so many attractions from historic houses and gardens to ancient monuments and golf courses - and for those looking to stay in the area our own Bowood Hotel provides just the answer!”

Also commenting on the launch of the new guide, David Coulthard, Director of Marketing and Communications at Salisbury Cathedral, said “Wiltshire has always been a popular destination for groups and when VisitWiltshire brings everything together and shows off the full extent of attractions and activities you certainly realise why! There are some great ideas and itineraries to consider and it’s great to have the support and knowledge of VisitWiltshire helping us to continue to increase our work with group and travel trade visitors.”

VisitWiltshire’s team of staff offer a full support and planning service for group organisers, meaning that each group can enjoy bespoke itineraries. Alternatively the new guide offers a range of suggested itineraries lasting between one and three days. Each itinerary is themed from those based around movies which have been shot in Wiltshire, through to tours taking in Wiltshire’s art, history and culture.

For more information about group visits to Wiltshire or to obtain a copy of the new guide visit www.visitwiltshire.co.uk or call the Group Visits and Travel Trade hotline on 01722 341760.

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For media information please contact Samantha Marsh or Ian Fulcher on 015395 30393, 07711 265666 or 07515 152699. Alternatively email Samantha Marsh / Ian Fulcher

Notes to editors:

VisitWiltshire Ltd was established in August 2011 and is the official Tourist Board for Wiltshire. It is a private sector membership organisation representing over 450 members. VisitWiltshire's priority is to grow the county's Visitor Economy by raising awareness of the destination and generating additional tourism visits and spend. Wiltshire's Visitor Economy currently generates an estimated £1billion and supports over 20,000 jobs.

VisitWiltshire literature will be distributed at the following events:

  • Excursions –28 January @ Alexandra Palace, London
  • Bletchley Park Group Travel Fair – 11 February, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire
  • Arundel Castle Group Travel Fair – 3 March, Arundel Castle, West Sussex