Six Profitable Reasons for Planning A UK Trip Next September | Travel Research Online

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Six Profitable Reasons for Planning A UK Trip Next September

 

In a normal year, with the summer holidays over and kids returning to school, college and university, some of the UK’s annual September festivals offer you the possibilities for some late summer, GB-bound business in 2021. The Virtual International Agatha Christie Festival was introduced this week and; with the huge interest in Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and other great detective novels, movies and TV series; you could use this to generate interest in a tour customised to meet your client’s favourite characters.

There’s a great Whisky Festival in Scotland, an international Three Day Event at Burghley and the world’s greatest Jane Austen Festival in Bath; and, for garden lovers, the RHS Wisley Flower Show takes place at the same time as the Leeds Castle Festival of Flowers.

The Virtual International Agatha Christie Festival

Launched last Tuesday, build a list of clients you know to be fans of British crime dramas and invite them to attend this entertaining virtual event. The festival dates back to 1990 – the centenary of Agatha Christie’s birth, when there was a whole host of different events including gala dinners and appearances by David Suchet and Joan Hickson, television’s Poirot and Miss Marple (see image above). Normally, thousands of people attend the Festival over four to five days and experience a mix of speakers and events that connect in some way with Agatha Christie – be that through crime fiction, archaeology, or music.


The Spirit of Speyside

Why not schedule the visit for the final, late August days of the Edinburgh Festival so that a customised itinerary can be extended your visit to include visits to Scone Palace, Glamis, and the other great castles along Royal Deeside? Spend 3rd-4th September 2021 at the Spirit of Speyside Distilled Festival and meet award-winning whisky distillers, brewers, gin crafters, and food producers. Refine the visit by asking your clients to list their favourite single malt whiskies, and then let me put them together as a very special tour of Scotland, designed exclusively for them.


The Burghley Horse Trials

Normally, this week, I would have headed for Burghley House, near Stamford for their annual horse trials. If you stop and think for a moment, there may well be an equestrian centre or riding school near you, and you may have clients with a serious interest in horse riding. Let’s exchange some emails and offer them three different bites at this particular cherry. The Badminton Horse Trials will take place between 5th-9th May with the Gatcombe Festival of Eventing scheduled for 6th-8th August. Next year’s dates for the Burghley Horse Trials are 1st-5th September 2021.


The Jane Austen Festival

Every year since 2001, the Jane Austen Festival has taken place in Bath. It began as a weekend event, and has grown to be the largest and longest running Jane Austen Festival in the world with over 3500 people taking part. Next year’s living literature programme (10th-19th September) is likely to include the Regency Costumed Parade, an evening at the Guildhall, a Country Dance Ball at the Assembly Rooms, an Evening Reception by the Roman Baths, and a Masked Ball at the Pump Rooms. If you want to join in, I can recommend some local costume hire shops.


RHS Wisley Flower Show

Scheduled for 10th-19th September 2021, and set in their historic flagship home at Wisley, this six-day floral extravaganza features a variety of specialist nurseries and trade stands, with top quality plants and garden goodies. Seek advice from the experts on hand, buy from RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Place Garden Festival medal winners, and enjoy wonderful floral displays at the show itself – as well as enjoying Wisley’s extensive rose garden, colourful Mixed Borders, and Exotic Garden. With so much to see and do at Wisley, allocate a full day for a visit. You can’t do it properly in less.

Visitors admiring the Chrysanthemum display at the RHS Wisley Flower Show.


Festival of Flowers Rooms. Picture: www.matthewwalkerphotography.com

The Leeds Castle Flower Festival

Being busy in their gardens during the spring and with this festival taking place between 11th-15th September next year, you can offer your green-fingered clients a programme that includes the RHS Wisley Flower Show and this explosion of colour at Leeds Castle. Sitting on its own island, and the former home to the medieval and Tudor Kings and Queens of England, their sumptuous state rooms will once again be decorated by an impressive line-up of international award-winning floral designers. Set aside a few hours and enjoy their programme of floral demonstrations, specialist talks and daily garden tours.

 


Paull Tickner, owner of U.K-based Custom GB, is known for his expertise in creating and operating imaginative, value-added tours of Great Britain and Ireland. Visit his website at www.customgb.co.uk or email him at ptickner@customgb.co.uk.

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