How to work with the travel trade to attract more visitors
Great West Way Travel Trade Connections
Great West Way Ambassadors can benefit from being part of a Travel Trade group known as 'Connections'. Terms of Reference for this group can be found here.
The objectives for this group are to raise awareness and increase Great West Way product being sold and distributed by domestic and international travel trade. It is also aiming to help shape, develop and implement the Great West Way travel trade strategy and raise awareness of and win additional business for participating Ambassadors.
Travel Trade Connection Meetings
June 2025
Great West Way Activity Update March - June 2025
VisitBritain's Market Update - Canada
VisitBritain's Market Update - USA
Great West Way Connections Meeting Notes - June 2025
February 2025
Great West Way Activity Update October 2024 - February 2025
VoltShare Slides
Great West Way Connections Meeting Notes - February 2025
October 2024
Great West Way Activity Update July - September 2024
VisitBritain's USA & Europe Market Update
Great West Way Connections Meeting Notes
Travel Trade Tactical Activity Plan
A travel trade strategic activity plan, identifying routes to market for both domestic and international trade is produced annually. You can view the latest Great West Way Travel Trade Tactical Activity Plan 2025/2026.
Travel Trade Opportunities
You can see the latest 2025 Travel Trade Opportunities and the Travel Trade Directory Advertising Opportunity. Please contact Flo to discuss and book.
Travel Trade Business Support
Great West Way works in partnership with VisitEngland, tourism organisations, Official Tour Operators and industry partners to deliver a new travel trade training programme for businesses and destinations along or within easy reach of the route. Last year we ran a virtual training programme consisting of 8 x 1–2-hour sessions. It aligned with DMOs along the route and aimed to assist tourism businesses/ destinations, become Travel Trade ready, enabling them to develop and implement future trade strategies to help boost tourism. It helped people understand markets and how to target the travel trade to generate additional visits and spend for your business or destination. It was free of charge for Great West Way Ambassadors to attend. It covered the following:
Foundation Course: An Introduction to Working with the Travel Trade - Facilitated by B2me, Tourism South East and Great West Way. You will receive a basic foundation and understanding of the travel trade with a domestic focus. It includes details on the Travel Trade landscape, group demographics and building relationships, sound bites from GTOs, Tour Operators and Coach Operators, positioning and first steps into market, developing a Travel Trade strategy/activity plan and working with your regional DMO. Ambassadors can access a recording of the session here.
Sharing Best Practice - Facilitated by UKinbound CEO, Joss Croft. Includes top tips for working with the travel trade from our supplier panel of experts - Windsor Castle, Holiday Inn Salisbury Stonehenge, English Heritage and Bombay Sapphire Distillery. Additionally, Joss will present a UKinbound update including COVID impacts for the inbound industry, Group friendly charter and post COVID initiatives. When registering please submit questions for our panel of experts. Ambassadors can access a recording of the session here.
Sustainable Tourism - Facilitated by the Great West Way team. It will included the importance of developing sustainable tourism product for the travel trade. Official Tour Operator partner, Vera Lett from Tour Partner Group presented how TPG are working to support sustainable travel trade programmes. ‘Off the route’ Ambassador Blenheim Palace presented on how they are working towards shaping a greener future and selling sustainable tourism to the travel trade. We also heard from Andrea Nicholas from Green Tourism who are keen to support the travel and hospitality industry. Ambassadors can access a recording of the session here.
Taking England to the World - x 3 sessions run by VisitEngland and Great West Way:
- Understanding Your Markets
- Product Distribution & Pricing
- Building Relationships, Travel Trade Marketing & PR
If you would like to find out more about how Great West Way can help you target the trade please contact flowallace@GreatWestWay.co.uk
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