12 March 2008

England’s Northwest leads coach tourism drive

• NW has most coach-friendly destinations in England
• New report reveals £336m value of coach tourism

England’s Northwest is home to more coach friendly destinations than any other English region, according to the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT), which awards the Coach Friendly title.

The market town of Bury received the prestigious accolade, which is voted for by coach operators, at the British Travel Trade Fair in Birmingham today (Wednesday 12th March). Bury is the fourth destination in the Northwest to receive the honour, joining Chester, Southport and the Eden Valley in Cumbria, who have all previously been officially recognised for their positive pro-coach policies. 

The award coincided with the publication of a report into the £336 million coach tourism industry in the Northwest, jointly commissioned by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and CPT.

The report identifies the volume and value of coach tourism to the Northwest and identifies future potential and opportunities for development, including improving existing coach facilities, developing more itineraries based around regional events and increasing training opportunities in handling group visits.

James Berresford, Director of Tourism at the NWDA, said:
“Coach tourism is an important sector in the Northwest, and four Coach Friendly Awards is testament to how seriously we take it here in the Northwest. This new report goes a long way to demonstrating the significance of the coach tourism industry in the Northwest and will help us to tailor our products and services further to meet the needs of this significant market.”

Leonard Green, CPT North Western Regional Manager, said:
“Group Travel is a key part of the Northwest visitor economy and generates an additional visitor spend of £336 million, plus sustaining additional employment in the tourism and coach industry.

“CPT members are delighted to have recognised those Northwest towns who have won the award and CPT’s North West Coach Commission is keen to work with other towns to grow their group market by creating a visitor experience that will encourage recommendation and repeat visits. There remains tremendous scope for the region to introduce new themed tours, combined packages and the warmth of welcome that only the Northwest can deliver.”

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Notes to editors
Other Coach Friendly Award winners are: Stratford-on-Avon, Rochester, Windsor, Salisbury and Scarborough.

The full report can be accessed at www.nwda.co.uk/publications

For further information please contact Helen Batte, Tourism Press Officer on 01925 400235 or 07764 239856 or Helen.Batte@nwda.co.uk 

For urgent out of hours press enquiries please call 01925 400259.

For further information and to view previous press releases visit us at www.nwda.co.uk  

For CPT press enquiries please contact Chris Nice on 0207 240 3131 or chrisn@cpt-uk.org

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and is responsible for:

• Supporting business growth and encouraging investment
• Matching skills provision to employer needs
• Creating the conditions for economic growth
• Connecting the region through effective transport and communication infrastructure
• Promoting the region’s outstanding quality of life

The Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT) is the national trade association representing bus, coach and light rail operators.