The Coach Tourism Association (CTA), the UK’s industry body for coach tour operators, is this year holding its summer networking event in Glasgow, aiming to increase visitors to the region by coach. The Summer Networking Event will take place from Sunday 24 to Tuesday 26 July. Coach tour operators and wholesalers, tourist attractions and hoteliers will use the event to plan tour itineraries to Glasgow and locations across Scotland.  

This is the first time the business generation event has been held in Glasgow and more than 70 delegates are registered to attend. The event will be based at the Crowne Plaza hotel and includes a Scotland Workshop where tourism businesses from across the country will network with coach tour operators to secure future visits. Sunday evening will also include a civic reception with the Lord Provost of Glasgow.

Pre-pandemic, in 2019, tourism was worth £775million to Glasgow and supported 32,500 jobs. The national tourism authority and CTA partner member, VisitScotland, is supporting the event, and the organisation says that coach tourism is an integral part of the recovery. Helen Campbell, Head of Market Development & Intermediary Marketing at VisitScotland, comments:

“We are very excited the Coach Tourism Association has decided to host their CTA Summer Networking Event for the first time ever in Scotland. It will be a fantastic opportunity to showcase the city of Glasgow, and Scotland as a whole, to all of the CTA members from across the UK.

“This event will bring UK coach tour operators, wholesalers and suppliers together to work jointly on future coach-friendly trips and programmes. By continuing to strengthen our relationship with the CTA, we aim to raise awareness of what makes Scotland an accessible and fantastic coach-friendly destination for our UK visitors.

“VisitScotland is working hand in hand with our partners CTA, Glasgow Life, Glasgow Convention Bureau and the wider tourism and events industry to rebuild this vital part of Scotland’s economy and provide the right support to lead the recovery.”

During the event, coach tour operators will take a tour of the Riverside Museum, the Clydeside Distillery, and Pollok House. The itinerary will also include The Burrell Collection museum, including works by some of the world’s most famous artists, newly reopened following an extensive multi-million-pound refurbishment.

“Glasgow is a fantastic city, and it has made strong, new efforts to encourage coach tours,” says CTA’s chair, Robert Shaw. “This event will present these opportunities from the region’s suppliers, as well as the enduring interest of those from across Scotland, to operators and wholesalers.”

The event is open to all CTA members. Non-members can also join the organisation and register for the event. For more information on the event and to book, visit the CTA website. Non-members interested in joining the organisation, should contact [email protected]

Ends

Images available from Dropbox: CTA – Summer Networking in Glasgow - 2022

The CTA chair Robert Shaw will be available for interviews/filming during the event.

For more information, contact:

Helen Bowron, CTA Communications Director

[email protected], 07803 131582

coachtourismassociation.co.uk 

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