20 August 2009

UK tourism exhibition is ditched

Next year's Travel Trade Britain, due to take place at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in March, has been cancelled.

Instead, VisitBritain said all sectors of the industry will unite behind Best of Britain & Ireland 2010 (BoBI), scheduled for 17-20 March 2010 at London's Olympia.

Expo Management, the organiser of last March's inaugural Travel Trade Britain (TTB) show, has pledged its full support for the London event.

Its managing director Mark Griffin said: "Travel Trade Britain was launched in response to real industry concerns that the new format of BoBI might not fully meet the needs of coach operators and group travel organisers.

"Following BOBI's successful debut in March, we believe these concerns have been very largely met.

"As a result we are cancelling TTB and committing our energies and some 125 years of coach travel industry experience to work closely with VisitBritain and the BOBI organisers to help ensure that group and coach travel is raised up the agenda with Government, VisitBritain and the national tourist boards.

"Withdrawing TTB will allow everyone to galvanise efforts behind one national event and I would like to offer my sincere thanks to each and every exhibitor, visitor and sponsor who made TTB 2009 possible.

"Making this announcement now means that they can adjust their plans for next year with minimal inconvenience and I encourage them all to commit to Best of Britain & Ireland in 2010."


By Bev Fearis

• PRINT
• SEND TO A FRIEND
• SHARE

Post your comment

Your Comments (1)

, be the first to post a comment.
Your email:

Your comment title:


Your comment:

Email other comments made to this story

5 characters

• Once again the regions lose out
  
  

  No surprise is it really, we're used to it now. Once again the regions lose out to the bullying of the London big boys. Difficult to get to, costly, and time consuming for the majority of the UK, yet surprise surprise the big decision makers all live and work in London! What about the economy in the Midlands and outside London?, we have places where you CAN park and walk to the event easily, where it's easy for the whole of the UK to get to by road rail and air - does this not matter anymore? This London-centric bullying is just an extension of the Olympic attitude - and that's sod the rest of the UK - London is where it's at - makes me sick.

  By nigel harris, Thursday, August 20, 2009