In this issue you can read:
- Chris’ intro
- In memory: Melissa Tilling
- Press trip to China
- Invitation to stay at St Austell’s Brewery, The Pier House and other St Austell Brewery Properties
- The BGTW Annual Awards Dinner
- Enter the International Tourism Awards and Members’ Excellence Awards
- BGTW Summer soiree – 8th August, Cotswolds
- Reports on the BGTW Summer Party, sponsored by Destination Canada and the BGTW social event in Glasgow
- BGTW podcast update
- Guilded News reminder – deadline for submissions 12th July
- Membership: update from Sara Rodrigues, celebrating members’ successes and remembering David Churchill
- Global Responsible Tourism Awards, from Debbie Hindle
- Isle of Man coverage – reminder to send to Charlotte
Chris’ intro
So many smiling faces! That was the scene at our Summer Party so brilliantly put on by Destination Canada last week on Canada Day. It was so good to see! Canada laid on the perfect event for us in a light and airy venue, with a garden. The food was great, our hosts were amazing so a big thank you to all who made the evening special.
And a big “thank you” must go to Explore Charleston for all our invitations to the Hampton Court Flower festival which started the following day. It was a lovely event which most of us got to see in the sunshine. Through the Guild, Doug also commissioned a Guild photographer, Diana Jarvis, to take his press photos.
The Board is still three members light, and this is now starting to be felt as we have so many things going on in the second half of the year. We need a PR & Comms Director, a Finance Director and a Board Secretary. These are probably the least time demanding roles so please step up if you can help. Thank you to Alicia Sheber and new member Steph Parker (who only joined 2 weeks ago!) for volunteering to help with events and the awards.
The contrasts of the week could not have been more stark with the sad news of the passing of the inspirational Melissa Tilling. For many of us, Mel was a shaft of sunlight, and in a turbulent and often self-serving world, she put others first. She worked tirelessly to do that and many who are less fortunate than all of us have had their lives transformed by her efforts and her vision. Charitable Travel will be our chosen charity at this year’s Gala Dinner, so let’s make a special effort to mark her legacy and help the organisation continue its brilliant work.
This Gala Dinner venue has now been chosen and it’s going to be a spectacular event, which we expect to be a sell out. More info below.
With our events programme coming together, we’re delighted to tell you that there will now be a face-to-face event every month for the rest of the year. The next ones will be in August in the Cotswolds, and career/skills development events in September and October. A lot of work goes into setting these up, so it’s now down to you all to support as many of these as you can.
Finally, an update about the next AGM in 2025. As yet, we don’t have a venue confirmed and some overseas destinations have proved difficult due to budgets and political sensitivities. However, we have several overseas and UK destinations under consideration and the team is also in talks with partners around the AGM 2026. We will update you as soon as we have more news.
In Memory: Melissa Tilling
The BGTW is devastated to hear the heartbreaking news that Melissa Tilling, our beloved friend and colleague, died suddenly last weekend. We send our condolences to her loved ones and if members wish to send their own messages of love, support and remembrance they should send them via Gosh PR who are collating tributes. Please email these to barry@goshpr.co.uk
Melissa has been a true stalwart of the travel industry for decades, a champion of minorities and those often forgotten by tourism, and has dedicated her life not just to serving our industry but to making the world a much better, caring and kinder place—an unwavering legacy that will certainly live on.
As the founder of Charitable Travel, Melissa’s work has touched many often overlooked communities within the tourism industry, providing support and continually striving for a more consistent future. The Guild is grateful for the opportunities Melissa afforded us to work as charity partners on many occasions. Melissa’s passion for a more mindful style of travel, with Charitable Traveller and Sustainable Journeys, also brought her in close contact with the BGTW, and many of our members who shared her passion for sustainable and responsible travel have become colleagues.
But more than anything, Melissa has become a dear friend to many of us. A beacon of light in uncertain times and the champion of a different kind of tourism—a type of tourism that she, without fail, eloquently and passionately championed while teaching us all to travel the world with different eyes. Melissa is tragically no longer with us, but the Guild pledges to keep her legacy alive by continuing to partner with and support her charity work.
Thank you, Melissa, for the laughter and learning, your friendship and support, and your unwavering commitment to being a force for good and perpetually leading improvements in our industry as tourism as a whole. We will always cherish the memories you have given us. You will be forever missed.
Melissa’s work with us will continue at this year’s Gala Dinner in November where Charitable Travel will be our chosen charity.
Press Trip to China
The Anhui Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and Make it China have extended an invitation to 10 members of the Guild to attend the 14th Anhui International Cultural and Tourism Festival.
As this is not an exclusive BGTW event, confirmed commissions/good social media numbers will be required.
The deadline for applications is 19 July 2024, which should be sent to me valery.collins@bgtw.org as soon as possible
Preliminary Schedule:
September 9th
Forenoon: Registration
Afternoon: The Investment and Financing Conference of Anhui Culture and Tourism
Evening: Welcome Banquet
September 10th
Forenoon: The Opening Ceremony of the 14th Anhui International Cultural and Tourism Festival
Afternoon: 2024 High-Quality Development Conference on Inbound Tourism
September 11th -13th
Experience of Anhui Tourism
September 14th
Departure
Anhui is an important part of the Yangtze River Delta. One of the most dynamic parts of China, the brilliant Anhui boasts a long and rich history featuring notable celebrities and fascinating cultures, a varied selection of beautiful mountains and rivers, and a superior location, which is a microcosm of beautiful China and an important birthplace of China’s modern tourism industry.
To celebrate and promote the growing high-quality development of Anhui’s culture and tourism, the opening ceremony of the 14th Anhui International Cultural and Tourism Festival is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, 10th of September 2024, in Hefei, the provincial capital of Anhui Province, and shall consist of a fantastic and unique selection of culture and tourism activities.
For more information please contact Valery Collins
Invitation to stay at St Austell’s Brewery, The Pier House and other St Austell Brewery Properties
St Austell Brewery is really excited to announce its huge renovation of the Pier House in Charlestown, Cornwall, is complete. The historic pub has undergone a partial rebuild and transformational refurbishment, following a devastating fire in January 2023.
We’re sensitively exposing the history of the building showcasing the grandeur of the structure and how it’s been used over the years. There will be a dedicated restaurant area, lots of cosy nooks to sit and watch the world go by, and a lovely new bar, fully stocked with our range of award-winning beers. The 23 rooms are also receiving a major makeover, with the introduction of new textures and materials to reflect the pub’s coastal surroundings. A selection of our rooms also dog friendly.
With the reopening fast approaching in June we’d love to invite writers able to contribute to national papers and publications for a stay with us.
We can offer 2x nights in the Pier House between mid-July to mid-August (August dates would be weekdays only, due to summer holidays) for 2x guests. One evening meal with two drinks will be part of the complimentary package, as well as a St Austell Brewery tour.
St Austell Brewery are also offering to host members at their other pubs. Here’s a link to the website which shows a map of their managed estate pubs, where they tend to book most of their press trips www.staustellbrewery.co.uk/
For more information please contact either myself for more information at valery.collins@bgtw.org or make a direct application to Charlotte charlotte.turner@staustellbrewery.co.uk
BGTW Annual Gala Awards Dinner
The BGTW Gala Awards Dinner will be held on Monday Nov 4, the eve of WTM, at the Bloomsbury Ballroom from 6pm to 11pm.
The theme this year is The Great Gatsby, and the venue fits this perfectly. Built in 1926 as the South Ballroom for The Liverpool Friendly Society, The London Cabaret Club now produces evening-themed performances in a great setting. And the show for November and December? The Great Gatsby.
We are now selling tickets to the BGTW Dinner. Tickets are £295 (inc VAT) and include a Champagne Reception, a 3-course dinner with wine, fabulous Great Gatsby entertainment, our awards ceremonies and an after-party bar.
Please do contact your favourite PRs to encourage them to buy a table so you can be sure to go to the dinner.
Members’ tickets are £95 (inc VAT). If you want to attend the dinner (and have not contacted any PRs), send your name and some details about you to Charlotte Copeman. She will add your name to the list she will send out to PRs who book tables and have spare places.
International Tourism Awards and Members’ Excellence Awards
Get your International Tourism Awards (ITA) nominations in quickly. There are 4 awards this year, and nominations close at the end of this month (26th July)
Click on the button below for details on the categories and the link to nominate your project(s) for the awards.
Now is also the time to enter the Members Excellence Awards (MEA). There are a couple of new awards this year and cash prizes for all winners.
Click on the button below for details on the categories and how to enter.
With our ITA and MEA awards now launched, we are now in the process of appointing judges.
If anyone would like to recommend a judge, please contact Charlotte as soon as possible. No PRs this year, please. We hope to announce the judges before the closing date for entries in just 3 weeks’ time.
Judges are also needed for Australia. Our sister organisation is looking for judges for their awards. Several Guild members have already stepped forward but they still need a few more people to step up. Some of their members will be judging our awards.
BGTW Summer soiree – 8th August, Cotswolds
From Valery and Renate:
We invite members to join the BGTW Board for a lovely early evening event for up to 30 members, which will be held at an atmospheric pub in the Cotswolds called The Horse & Groom.
The evening will include drinks and nibbles from 6pm for a couple of hours plus a social media competition with a prize of an overnight stay and dinner for two people (to be taken at another time).
Mini bus transfers will be arranged to and from the nearest train station Kingham at two set times outward and return: 17.30pm and a return transfer at 21.00 for onward train connections. There is also free parking on site.
RSVP is essential and based on a first come, first serve basis.
Diary Block: BGTW ‘beyond London’ social event, a soirée in the Cotswolds
Where: Top Cotswolds Gastro Pub, The Horse and Groom
When: Thursday 8 August 2024
Time: 5.30pm pick up from local train station Kingham and return transfer at 9pm
What: An early evening event for members including a welcome cocktail, canapés and two complimentary glasses of wine or beer, followed by a paid bar.
Who: Your BGTW Board hosting a summer soirée with up to 30 Guild members.
RSVP: Essential by email to Valery.collins@bgtw.org
Reports on the BGTW Summer Party, sponsored by Destination Canada and the BGTW social event in Glasgow
BGTW Summer Party
It was clear that we were in for a great evening as glasses of Prosecco greeted the members piling through the doors of Frederick’s restaurant in Islington on Canada Day. Canada and Destination Canada, headed up by the BGTW’s good friend, Nim Singh, had really pulled out all the stops for the 75 BGTW members who attended to celebrate July 1.
Welcomed by board members, Charlotte Copeman and Nim, members went down a few steps into the large dining space, where glass doors led out into a large, mature garden in the middle of Islington. Such a setting was perfect for catching up with old friends and chatting. Recently joined members sported a red dot on their biodegradable badges making introductions and new friendships easy.
Wine flowed, and superb canapes kept the evening going.
Destination Canada, supported by 10 sponsors, ran a great competition. Each sponsor had sourced a difficult question about their destination, airline or tourism association as part of their Race Across Canada competition. Even the members who were experts on Canada had a hard time. Okay, they might know Alberta’s oldest national park, but could they identify the tree whose bark was used to make the first canoes? (White birch, by the way). Heard the news about Wanuskewin in Saskatchewan? Do you know how many indigenous languages there are in Canada?
It was a fun competition and asking the questions led us into conversations about the different destinations that yielded yet more interesting and fun facts.
At the end, a lucky ten members won prizes that ranged from a goody bag of great food (Atlantic Canada) and a Nova Scotia wine case (Tourism Nova Scotia) to others like the Hudson Bay Company blanket (Travel Manitoba).
Truly a great evening and a happy Canada Day to remember. Many thanks to Nim Singh, Canada, Destination Canada and all the generous sponsors.
BGTW Glasgow Get Together
Thank you to the 30 members who joined the BGTW drinks get-together in Glasgow as part of our Out-of-London Event programme. It was fantastic to see such a great number of us together in a different part of the UK and we’re excited to have more events in other cities and regions already planned.
A special thanks go to Howard (and Glasgow) for hosting another excellent Media Getaway, and we hope all members who attended had a fantastic and productive time. For those who missed the announcement, the next Media Getaway will be in Bradford, the UK Capital of Culture 2025, in May next year.
BGTW podcast update
Our first pilot podcast, with John Carter and Jon Holmes, is now available to listen to, and we’d welcome any constructive feedback on the format, name etc., before publicising it more widely. It was recorded live in front of an audience at the Hyatt, London Stratford. The next pilot will be for a podcast with 3 sections featuring travel stories and members’ adventures. If you’d like to be considered for a segment on this, please contact Chris or Jon Holmes.
Guilded News reminder – deadline for submissions 12th July
The 4th issue of Guilded News will be published next week. Don’t forget to send us your submissions to be included. The deadline for submissions is 12th July.
For the new members, Guilded News is a quarterly publication which connects the talented writers, photographers, bloggers, vloggers and broadcasters from across the UK (and the wider world) that makes the BGTW what it is, with travel editors, PR and tourist boards – and vice versa.
Our aim with this quarterly bulletin is to inform the wider travel sector of the amazing work our members are doing, as well as the type of work and commissions they are seeking. It also allows editors, PR and tourist boards to inform our members of the type of content they will look favourably towards, as well as their current projects.
Click on the button below to complete the submissions form.
Membership: update from Sara Rodrigues, celebrating members’ successes and remembering David Churchill
From Sarah Rodrigues: It was fantastic to see some of our new members at the Summer Party last week, and great to see them welcomed and having a good time. The current Board is really keen to promote a sense of community among our members and it’s heartening to see this spirit flourishing at events.
We’ve had many applications in the past few weeks and I’ll be sharing details for gazetting shortly, but in the meantime, please join me in greeting new members Harley Young and Steph Parker. Both have loads of amazing ideas and bags of energy, and both are sure to be a huge asset to the Guild.
We are also delighted to welcome back a former member, Juliet Coombe. Juliet not only has years of experience in both photography and journalism, but is also full of excellent ideas for the Guild moving forward.
Let’s not forget our longer-standing members, either. If you’re not already following the Guild on Instagram / Twitter then please do so – it’s where our members are able to showcase their brilliant work, and where Kirsten Henton and Shebs Alom do a sterling job of sharing it.
Additionally, I now have access to our LinkedIn, so please post your work there and tag the Guild so that I can share. It may take me a little while to get my feet under this particular table, so feel free to nudge me if I miss anything.
Celebrating our members – from Sarah Tucker
“Love Laterally (Aurora Media) will be published on 3rd September at House of Lords hosted by Lord Bilimoria. The launch aims to trigger an initiative introducing thinking classes in schools and a posthumous honour for Edward de Bono who invented out of the box thinking at a time when the world really needs it. The biography shows how travel was a major trigger to de Bono’s thinking, and looks at how and why certain types of travel triggers lateral thinking. If you’d like to buy a copy of the book you can do so here
David Churchill In Memoriam
David Churchill (b 23 July 1951) died peacefully on 17 May 2024 at home in Maida Vale with his longtime partner Meg Leitch and his oldest friend, Alan, at his side. David devoted his working life to journalism and in a long career at the Financial Times found his niche as Leisure Industries Correspondent. That allowed him to combine his love of dining and socialising with his work.
He adored ballet and if not at work would be found in the Opera House, Covent Garden, followed by Stringfellows … always in a pin-stripe suit. His contribution to the world of business travel was second to none, he wrote for a financial newsletter until 2020, and he was the world’s go-to expert on Disney. His generosity knew no bounds and his optimism stayed with him to the end. David was a committed member of the BGTW since its inception and never missed a gathering until the onset of Alzheimer’s in 2021. The funeral service at West London Crematorium on 12 June was packed with David’s many friends. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. (Obituary written by Petra Shepherd).
Global Responsible Tourism Awards, from Debbie Hindle
Debbie Hindle has contacted the BGTW with information on the Global Responsible Tourism Awards. Please click here to read the press release which has more background on the categories and links to enter.
If you have any projects you think are worthwhile you simply need to register on this web page and they’ll be sent an application form to complete.
Isle of Man coverage – reminder to send to Charlotte
If you have yet to submit your published articles or media from the AGM & Convention, please send links / clippings to Charlotte.
