August 2009 Products Update
Product of the Month
SeeWales Tours
SeeWales are now available for VisitBritain’s online shop, great for our regional spread!
SeeWales tours offer a unique guiding experience visiting majestic ruins, sandy beaches, green hilltops, roman forts and even the depths of a famous Welsh coal mine.
Their tours are designed for all ages and abilities - independent travellers, families and groups.
Tours are £45 for adults, £40 for children and £140 for a family of 2 adults and 3 children. This includes all admissions. Commission is 15%. Please click here for fact sheet.
Other New Products
Afternoon Tea
We are pleased to inform you that Afternoon tea is now available for all shops. Customers have the choice of enjoying tea in Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair or in Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly. Afternoon tea costs £33.75 at Fortnum and Mason and £32.00 at Grosvenor Hotel.
The experience takes approximately 1 hour and it is set up as by vendor fulfilment. Commission is 20%.
Twickenham Stadium Tours
Our newest addition to our sport category, Twickenham Stadium Tours is now available for all the VisitBritain online shops.
The tour takes an exciting journey through the history of rugby. From humble beginnings at Rugby School through to modern-day professionalism, the World Rugby Museum has it all and boasts the biggest collection of rugby memorabilia in the world.
Tickets are £14 for adults and £8 for children, they also offer a family ticket for £40 (2 adults and 3 children). Commission is 20%. Click here for fact sheet.
Evan Evans- Select tours at 25% discount!
All Evan Evans Select Tours have been discounted by 25% (25% to the customer at 25% commission), giving our customers great value for their money!
3 of Evan Evans Select tours are now available as stand alone tours on the shop, these are:
Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral, white cliffs of Dover
Salisbury, Stonehenge and Bath
Windsor, Stonehenge and Oxford
Please note that the 25% discount DOES NOT include the Classic Tours.
Existing Product Updates
Imperial War Museum- Duxford feedback required
Imperial War Museum, our supplier for HMS Belfast and Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms also do Duxford. Duxford has been part of the Imperial War Museum since the 1970s, but its history dates back to the closing stages of the First World War. It is one of the finest-preserved examples of a First World War, Second World War and Cold War airfield.
It achieved everlasting fame as the first RAF station to operate the Spitfire, for its role in the Battle of Britain and as an USAAF fighter base. Continually updated and improved during its time as an operational station, Historic Duxford contains some of the best-preserved RAF buildings in the country. Over 30 of these are listed as buildings of special architectural and historic interest, and as a group they form the finest example of a pre-1945 fighter station.
Duxford also has the American Air Museum - Norman Foster designed and containing one of the largest collections of American warplanes outside of the US + they have an American Air Day in the summer each year which explores the history of the site as a base for many Americans throughout the war.
Do let us know if this is a product you would like to feature on the shops. More information about Duxford can be found on, http://duxford.iwm.org.uk/
National Trust Touring Pass- copy
National Trust has informed us that there is some discrepancy with their copy on our shops. We think that this depends on when you set it up on your shop as the copy changed last year. Please make sure that your copy match with the copy on the fact sheet. Fact sheet is available on ViBE.
National Trust of Scotland- attraction list
Please click here for National Trust of Scotland’s 2009 attraction list.
Premium Tours- booking number reminder
Please make sure that you are communication Premium Tour’s new booking number to all your customers. The number is; +44 (0) 207 713 1311.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not - World Famous Fertility Statues!
Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, the global authority on the weird, strange and bizarre – adds an unusual twist in the form of two authentic African fertility statues, which 2,000 women believe may have helped them become pregnant.
The five foot high wooden statues originate from the Ivory Coast of West Africa and after they were originally displayed at Ripley Entertainment’s head office in Orlando, Florida, some 13 office staff and visitors became pregnant.
Following a world tour of Ripley’s museums in 1996 the company received over 2,000 letters from women who had become pregnant shortly after touching the statues, even though many had been told by doctors they would never conceive.
The good news for any would-be mothers who are having problems is that the statues are now back on the road and have arrived at the new Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum at 1 Piccadilly Circus – ready and waiting to be touched.
So why not make the summer even hotter. Anyone who fancies what could be the cheapest fertility treatment in the world is welcome to come and try their luck at Ripley's Believe It or Not!
TfL Investment program
As you may know TfL is currently undergoing an investment program to improve London’s transport system.
The program begun in 2005 and it includes:
Renewal and upgrading of the Tube to improve reliability and capacity;
Schemes across London to make pavements safer, install new crossings and improve street lighting;
New bus radio system to improve reliability and real-time passenger information.
A cleaner, greener London
Quieter and cleaner buses;
Enhanced cycling network and improvements to encourage walking.
In order to be able to carry work not all tube lines a running during evenings and weekends. Please advice your customers to check before they travel. To get more information about the program and planned closure please follow links below.
LU Planned Engineering Works http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/by-date.aspx?offset=weekend
Investment Programme http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/4214.aspx
TfL - network map
Achim in Germany found a very useful map on TfL’s website. It shows which rail connections our oyster cards are valid on. Please see link below.
http://www.visitbritaindirect.com/de-DE/download/oyster-payg-on-national-rail.pdf
Your Ticket for Liverpool- new prices
Your Ticket for Liverpool increased their rates from 1st August. Please see fact sheet for full details.
Encore Updates
Sister Act opens at The London Palladium
On 2 June Sister Act opened at the London Palladium taking over the 'habit' from The Sound of Music. Hollywood legend Whoopi Goldberg who starred in the smash hit movies Sister Act I & II is Executive Producer of the show.
Sister Act opened to great reviews from critics and audiences alike, with particular praise for the show’s star Patina Miller. She is making her West End debut as Deloris Van Cartier after playing the role of Dionne in last year’s celebrated Central Park production of Hair. Joining Patina is multi BAFTA Award winner Sheila Hancock as Mother Superior.
Legally Blonde – The Musical opens in London December 2009
After a successful run on Broadway, London audiences will now be able to enjoy the hilarious adventures of college sweetheart and homecoming queen Elle Woods. This all singing, all dancing, feel good musical comedy will be the highlight of the year! Legally Blonde will take you from the social whirl of California Campus life to Harvard's Halls of Justice with the West End's brightest new heroine. Based on the hit movie of the same name, Legally Blonde is the award-winning Broadway sensation created by a top-of-their-class creative team, led by Tony Award-winning director and Olivier nominated choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray).
The role of Elle will be played in London by Sheridan Smith. Sheridan is perhaps best known for her TV work including her role in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Grown Ups (specially written for her), Love Soup and Benidorm.
Calendar Girls – new cast announced!
One of the big hits to arrive to the West End this year is Tim Firth’s Calendar Girls.
A group of extraordinary women, members of a very ordinary Yorkshire WI, spark a global phenomenon by persuading one another to pose for a charity calendar with a difference! As interest snowballs, the CALENDAR GIRLS find themselves revealing more than they'd ever planned... A very British story, with a very British heart, CALENDAR GIRLS is based on an uplifting and very inspiring true story that is quirky, poignant and hilarious. The 2003 film starred Helen Mirren, Julie Walters and Penelope Wilton and Celia Imrie.
The production currently features Lynda Bellingham, Patricia Hodge, Siân Phillips, Gaynor Faye, Brigit Forsyth, Julia Hills and Elaine C. Smith and was recently extended through to January 2010 however with some cast changes from 28 July.
The new line-up will feature model Jerry Hall, Anita Dobson, Jill Halfpenny, Gemma Atkinson, Sara Crowe and Eastenders legend June Brown, aka Dot Cotton, tv soap’s second longest serving character and ex-Eastender Jack Ryder.
Calendar Girls opened on 4 April at the Noel Coward Theatre.
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
Following its sold-out run on Broadway, the explosive 2008 production of TENNESSEE WILLIAMS' Pulitzer Prize-winning classic Cat on a Hot Tin Roof will be opening in London's West End in December this year. Featuring a dynamic all black cast led by Academy Award nominee and two-time Tony winner James Earl Jones, Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad, Olivier Award winner Adrian Lester and Tony Award nominee Sanaa Lathan. The production is directed by renowned Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning director, actor and choreographer Debbie Allen, who is best known for playing Lydia Grant in the original film and television series of Fame.
In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, a powerful Southern family gathers at a birthday celebration for patriarch Big Daddy (Jones), who does not know that he is dying of cancer. In a scramble to secure their part of his estate, family members hide the truth about his diagnosis from him and Big Mama (Rashad). Tensions mount between alcoholic former football hero Brick (Lester) and his beautiful but sexually frustrated wife Maggie "the Cat" (Sanaa). As their troubled relationship comes to a stormy and steamy climax, a shockwave of secrets is finally revealed.
Cat on a hot tin roof opens at the Novello Theatre on 21 November.
Forthcoming Products
Celebrity Planet
Celebrity Planet provide a selection of celebrity tours around London.
Their signature offering is The Celebrity Tour of London, an intimate coach tour of London’s greatest Celebrity Homes, Famous Film Locations, Music Landmarks, celebrity hangouts, pop culture history, popular tourist attractions, and much more besides.
Evan Evans- Discounted Select Tours
Evan Evans has given us 50% commission (25% to be passed on to the customer) on three of their Select Tours
Salisbury, Stonehenge and Bath
Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral and White Cliffs
Windsor, Stonehenge and Oxford
These will shortly be available to all shops.
Existing Product Updates
Bath and Cambridge Visitor Cards- attraction lists
As the number of participating attractions and shops changes on a frequent basis our supplier World City Solutions have requested that we link to www.bathvisitorcard.co.uk and www.cambridgecard.co.uk
for information about the cards.
This way people can see what the latest offers are. The Fitzwilliam museum had some people using the old leaflet on the VB shop and there have been some complaints that the leaflets are out of date. Removing the PDF and using the sites to check the offers would be better for people and ensure we have no complaints. When visitors get to Bath or Cambridge and redeem their sales voucher they get the latest version of the leaflet as well.
English Heritage- Overseas Visitor Pass
Due to summer Solstice last weekend Stonehenge closed its normal visitor operation at 15:00 on Saturday, 20th June and re-opened again at 09:00on Monday, 22nd June.
GBHP Price increase
At the GBHP Committee meeting, held 10th June, it was decided to increase the retail price of the pass by 20%, effective July 1st. The increase is necessary to catch up with increasing attraction prices and improve the yield to the attractions, something that has declined dramatically over recent years. Any further decline in yield will undoubtedly see the loss of key attractions, completely undermining the attractiveness of the pass to consumers.
The new rates will be...
Individual
Duration 2009 Rate + 20%
4 £32 £38
7 £45 £54
15 £60 £72
30 £80 £96
Family
Duration 2009 Rate + 20%
4 £72 £86
7 £99 £119
15 £135 £162
30 £180 £216
GO-SIM launches Voice2Email so travellers can pick up their email on the move
GO-SIM has launched a new service giving people access to email anywhere in the world on their mobile. The new service enables users of its international SIM card to access their email and manage it by simple voice prompts.
Access to the new Voice2Email service will be provided to all GO-SIM customers free of charge enabling them to connect with their email accounts anywhere within the 175 countries currently covered by the GO-SIM mobile service.
By setting up a profile with GO-SIM online, the user can then call a special access number using their International SIM card and listen to their emails whenever they travel. Users can also manage their email, create new mails, and reply and forward them.
The new Voice2Email product will appeal to anyone wanting quick and easy access to their email without connecting to the Internet or using special hardware. The service is capable of being integrated with POP3 or IMAP email accounts, and users can also manage their calendar and import contacts from Outlook Express, Windows Live, Yahoo and Gmail.
If that’s not enough, you can also update the status on Twitter by using voice commands which we believe will be of real interest to our customers.
Historic Scotland- Homecoming Pass brochure
Historic Scotland has sent us their new brochure for the Homecoming Pass, this includes the property list and Historic Scotland has requested that we replace our current property list with this as this list is more up-to-date. Click here to access the brochure.
London Duck Tours- Urgent changes
London Duck tours have made some urgent changes to their terms and conditions, please inform your customers about the following;
ALL passengers must be instructed to arrive 15 MINUTES PRIOR to their departure time
Late passengers that MISS their departure will be CHARGED as a NO SHOW
If there is space on a later tour the passengers will BE CHARGED FULL PRICE on the spot
The tours are in English only – if your group/passengers require an interrupter you must book an exclusive hire so not to disrupt other passengers or our tour guide
Tickets are non refundable and non transferable on day of travel
Cancellation of leisure tickets MUST BE DONE 24 hours prior to travel DATE & TIME
Cancellation of Exclusive Hires and Large groups MUST BE DONE 7 Days prior to travel DATE
Madame Tussauds- new copy
During last year’s champion’s meeting we discussed having a bespoke Madame Tussauds London copy that would highlight the uniqueness of Madame Tussauds in London Versus the other Madame Tussauds in the world. Merlin has now sent us new copy, the fact sheet can be access on Vibe.
We have access to quite a few images for Madame Tussauds so do let us know if there are any images in particular you would like to promote the attraction.
London Zoo news
New at ZSL London Zoo - Giants of the Galapagos
As part of their Darwin 200 celebration, ZSL London Zoo will be opening its latest exhibit, 'Giants of the Galapagos' in July ready for the summer holidays.
Galapagos tortoises are extraordinary. They're the largest tortoises in the world, they can live for over 150 years, and they carry around huge, bony shells that they can hide inside if they feel threatened. Sadly, despite their size they are gentle giants, and over the last few hundred years they haven't been too good at fending off predators.
ZSL and other organizations are helping keep the tortoises safe, by running field conservation projects in the Galapagos Islands, and finding out about disease threats to Galapagos flora and fauna.
Giants of the Galapagos will consist of indoor and outdoor areas with fantastic viewing points for visitors in a barrier free environment. The exhibit will be styled on the tortoises' natural habitat and will consist of watering holes and mud wallows and will also feature fun and educational interpretation giving all ages the chance to learn about the Galapagos, compare their weight to one of these gentle giants and hear some of Darwin's observations when he visited the islands in 1835.
Visitors will be able to view these gentle giants in their fantastic new enclosure from Friday 17th July.
Ripley’s Believe or Not
Great news! Our retail price is now lower than o the gate price. From 1st June Ripley’s Believe it or Not gate prices increased.
Ripley’s Believe it or Not have no plans to increase the trade rate so we will be offering a much more competitive price than at the gate for the foreseeable future. Hopefully this should push sales further.
Trade rate Gate rate Discount
Adult £19.95 £21.90 -£1.95
Concession £17.95 £19.90 -£1.95
Child £15.95 £17.90 -£1.95
Vinopolis
Vinopolis have changed their operational information; they are now closed Monday to Wednesday each week. Also tickets are now available to adults only. To avoid disappointments, please update your copy.
Updated fact sheet can be found on Vibe.
Imperial War Museum (IWM) Update
There are lots of news from IWM this month so we are giving it a whole section of its own!
Second World War Anniversary Events Programme
3 September 2009 marks the seventieth anniversary of one of the most momentous days in world history, the day Britain declared war on Germany and the Second World War began. The Museum is marking this period of history with an anniversary programme across its branches offering visitors the time to reflect and understand the early days of the war.
Highlights include – Outbreak 1939, a free special exhibition at Imperial War Museum London which will explore both the build-up to war and the early years of the conflict, Captured: The Extraordinary Life of Prisoners of War at Imperial War Museum North and Undercover – Life in Churchill's Bunker, a new display and events programme at Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms which will mark a unique anniversary – 70 years since the War Rooms became fully operational as the centre for planning and logistics throughout the war years.
To view the full programme for all five branches visit www.iwm.org.uk/wardeclared
New Provision for Overseas Visitors
The Museum's 2009 Travel Trade and Groups pack – which includes visitor information, groups offers and pricing across the five branches – is now available in French, German, Spanish and Italian. If you would like to receive a copy of one of these packs please email groupsandtraveltrade@iwm.org.uk.
Imperial War Museum London has launched a new multimedia guide which is available in all four of the above languages. In addition, a new family-friendly guide offers a shorter tour and new interactive content.
New Audio Guides
Audio Guides to Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms and HMS Belfast, which are included in the admission price, are available in French, German and Spanish, and Italian, Dutch, Hebrew and Mandarin (only at Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms).
Looking Ahead to 2010
Following on from 2009's commemoration of the moment the Second World War broke out, the Museum will take a more detailed look at key moments and the personal experiences of the war years, both on the front line and home front.
Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms will continue to focus on the role of the War Rooms and will celebrate the day Churchill became Prime Minister, 10 May 1940.
Imperial War Museum London's new exhibition The Ministry of Food (working title, February 2010) will examine the impact of the new rationing regime on people's lives.
Imperial War Museum Duxford will be marking its significant role as an RAF base during the crucial Battle of Britain with a new events programme.
All new exhibitions for 2010:
The Ministry of Food (working title). Imperial War Museum London, February – December.
Don McCullin's War Photography (working title). Imperial War Museum North, 6 February – 25 April.
A major retrospective of the war photography of Don McCullin, one of the greatest living photographers. This exhibition captures the ways in which war has shaped lives across the globe over the last 45 years, and is co-curated by Don McCullin and IWM North.
War at Sea (working title). Imperial War Museum North, May 2010 – January 2011
A major new interactive family exhibition, drawing on the wealth of personal stories and material from the Museum's collections about life at sea during conflict and wartime.
Lord Ashcroft Gallery Imperial War Museum London, autumn 2010. This new gallery will showcase the largest collection of Victoria and George Cross medals of its kind in the world. It will comprise 155 medals from the Michael Ashcroft Trust and Victoria Crosses and George Crosses already held by the Museum.
Further details for each of these programmes will be available later on in the year.