Tag Archives: London

Media Registration for Excursions™ Travel Showcase

Posted on by By Vivienne DuBourdieu

Journalists, travel writers and photographers… here’s an exhibition especially for you.

Beat the crowds to brand new Lee Valley Olympic 2012 venue.

Beat the crowds to brand new Lee Valley Olympic 2012 venue.

Alexandra Palace
North East London
Saturday 15th January, 10.30am – 4.00pm

All kinds of attractions: destinations, museums, castles, stately homes, gardens, theatres, river cruises, hotels, tour operators will be available for consultation under one roof on 15th January.

Register here for free entry into Excursions™ 2011 and your badge will be sent to you in advance of the show.

Alternatively, confirm your postal address and Excursions™ will send you a registration card.

Ironbridge Gorge Museums' Science, Sport, Life Festival

Ironbridge Gorge Museums' Science, Sport, Life Festival

There will be a press office in the Panorama Room to the side of the main hall, where you are invited for light refreshments.

Excursions™ is a major travel event organised by Tourism South East and Group Travel Organiser magazine supported by Visit London and East of England Tourism.

With around 220 exhibitors all UK tourism sectors will be well represented plus some from Europe.

Everyone who pre-registers and comes along to Excursions™ 2011 will be entered automatically into a free prize draw to win one of the many exciting prizes offered by exhibitors.

Here are some examples of what’s new for 2011 at Excursions™:

Henry Moore sculpture at Hatfield House

Henry Moore sculpture at Hatfield House

Hatfield House
This celebrates its 400th anniversary with a major exhibition of outdoor sculpture by the British artist Henry Moore (1898 – 1986) from 23 April – 30 September 2011.

Ironbridge Gorge Museums
A new science, sport, life festival will form part of the West Midlands’ Cultural Olympiad in the run-up to 2012. It runs from April 2011 to July 2012.

Isle of Wight Steam Railway
A year of celebration in 2011 to mark its opening in 1971. There will be a special programme of 40th anniversary events and two Gala Weekends.

Lee Valley Regional Park, Hertfordshire
This is the only brand new Olympic 2012 venue (canoeing and kayaking events) that opens to the public before the 2012 Games. Try rafting the rapids before the Olympians.

Maritime Greenwich
New developments here include the Sammy Ofer wing at the National Maritime Museum, the opening of Greenwich Pier – with new restaurants and an open plaza – and the re-opening of the Cutty Sark in autumn; plus three new hotels.

The Royal Collection – 12 February 2011 to 22 January 2012
Stunning new displays at Buckingham Palace, Holyrood House and Windsor Castle include one for HRH, The Duke of Edinburgh. This is an exhibition will celebrate his 90th birthday at the Drawings Gallery, Windsor Castle.

For further details, please call Pat Edgar at PR Matters on 01494 764932, email PRMatters@dsl.pipex.com, or visit the website: www.excursions.org.uk

Luxury Travel Fair, London, 4-7 November

Posted on by By Vivienne DuBourdieu
Colour and excitement at the Luxury Travel Fair, Olympia, Kensington

Colour and excitement at the Luxury Travel Fair, Olympia, Kensington

This year’s Luxury Travel Fair is fast approaching and looks set to be a hot destination for travel lovers.

Over 95 companies will exhibit at Olympia, Kensington, and many exhibitors offer exclusive travel deals – only available to those visiting the fair.

At the Meet the Experts theatre, you can get inside travel tips from speakers such as Josceline Dimbleby, Carol Drinkwater and Marcus Wareing.

Highlights

  • Seven nights for the price of five from ITC Classics at One & Only, Le Saint Geran, Mauritius.
  • Free return flight offers to Australia for the Kimberley Cruise on the Orion with Mundy Cruising.
  • 30% discount off winter room rates at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia.
  • Complimentary ski guiding and, for that special après-ski treat, a complimentary massage in Verbier, Switzerland, when you go with ITC Classics.
  • And for those who have yet to decide on their next travel destination, Mr & Mrs Smith are offering 50% off their guidebooks.
Image from Conde-Nast Johansens

Image from Conde-Nast Johansens

Celebrity speakers

Thursday 4 November – Michelin Star chef Marcus Wareing; 2009 Masterchef Champion Matt Follas and  Raj Joshi, the expert expedition guide for Comic Relief Trek.

Friday 5 November - History and wildlife presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff and food and travel writer Josceline Dimbleby.

Saturday 6 November – Olympic skier and Ski Sunday presenter Graham Bell and explorer and TV presenter Paul Rose.

Sunday 7 November – BBC presenter Dan Cruickshank and actress Carol Drinkwater.

Best known for her role as Helen Herriot in BBC Television’s All Creatures Great and Small (for which she was awarded The Variety Club Television Personality of the Year Award), Carol Drinkwater has enjoyed a long and distinguished career both as an actress and a writer.

Carol is also the author of series of bestselling memoirs, including The Olive Tree (shortlisted for Travel Book of the Year, Travel Press Awards, 2009). She is currently working on a ten-hour documentary film series based on The Olive Route and The Olive Tree.

France. Image by Bailey Robinson.

France. Image by Bailey Robinson.

Her latest book Return to the Olive Farm has been published in hardback by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

Tickets for The Luxury Travel Fair can be booked here.

You want the National Hall, Olympia, Hammersmith Road, West Kensington. The best way to get here is by taking a No. 9, 27, 10 or 28 bus from the bus station at Hammersmith Underground towards High Street Kensington or from Stop F at that end towards Hammersmith.