England’s Historic Cities (EHC), a consortium of 12 of the country’s most iconic destinations, unveiled a brand-new edition of the England Originals Travel Trade Guide at World Travel Market, taking place at ExCel, London, this week.
Those destinations are Bath, Cambridge, Canterbury, Carlisle, Chester, Durham, Greenwich, Lancaster, Oxford, Salisbury, Stratford-upon-Avon, and York.
EHC says the guide was developed following growing demand from the travel trade, and is designed to inspire and support tour operators, wholesalers, and travel agents in creating multi-city itineraries across England.
It features over 40 new trade-ready products, including attractions, activities, guided experiences, and accommodation providers, that together showcase England’s living history and cultural heritage.
Included are detailed information for 164 tourism businesses, including trade rates, group sizes, parking facilities, and direct trade contacts.
The guide introduces three new themed bookable itineraries – Quintessential England, Literary, Film & TV, and Faith & Religion – each featuring four or five historic cities.
These have been added to existing online itineraries such as Northern Cities by Rail and Southern Cities, as well as the original England Originals themes: Western Wonders, Thinkers & Writers, Time Travellers, Treasure Trove, andWall to Wall, each offering trade partners the flexibility to ‘pick and mix’ destinations and experiences for tailor-made touring programmes.
Florence Wallace, Head of Travel Trade at VisitWiltshire and EHC lead for trade engagement, said: “We’re delighted to launch this expanded resource for the travel trade, helping support product development and promote new bookable programmes.
Melanie Sensicle, Chair of England’s Historic Cities, added: “This guide is a cornerstone of our travel trade strategy and an invaluable tool to showcase our remarkable cities. England Originals remains a leading brand for international trade engagement and a testament to more than a decade of collaboration between destinations that have so much to offer to the international and domestic visitor.”
