We recently collaborated with Visit Wirral and Steve Reed Tourism to deliver a series of trade-focused initiatives aimed at promoting Wirral as a prime travel destination in the UK.
The campaign featured a blend of networking events, workshops, and site visits designed to highlight the region’s tourism potential.
Arranged by Steve Reed Tourism Ltd and working closely with VisitLiverpool, VisitWirral and the Village Hotel and Spa in Bromborough, the two day event took in attractions and venues around the Wirral. Featuring a showcase series of visits, it also shone a light on the superb seaside resort of New Brighton.
The primary goals of the initiative were:
- Introducing Wirral’s Tourism Products: Tour operators were introduced to a variety of tourism offerings unique to Wirral, encouraging them to incorporate these into future travel itineraries.
- Positioning Wirral as a Standalone or Add-On Destination: The campaign aimed to establish Wirral as either an independent travel destination or a complementary addition to existing Liverpool and Chester itineraries.
Key Activities
1. Networking Event and Workshop
A dynamic networking event and workshop were hosted at the Village Hotel Bromborough. The event provided an interactive platform for tourism professionals to engage directly with local suppliers and discuss potential partnerships including BIG Heritage and National Museums Liverpool.
2. Familiarisation (FAM) Visit
A carefully curated FAM visit allowed participants to explore key attractions across Wirral, offering a comprehensive view of the region’s tourism appeal. Highlights included:
- New Brighton Waterfront: A vibrant coastal area known for its scenic views and leisure facilities.
- Floral Pavilion Theatre & Conference Centre: A cultural hub hosting performances and events.
- Fort Perch Rock: A historic coastal defence fort offering unique heritage experiences.
- Port Sunlight Village: A beautifully preserved village showcasing remarkable architecture and history.
- New Brighton Street Art: An evolving open-air gallery featuring striking murals and artistic displays.
Industry Engagement
The event attracted travel trade professionals and coach operators from across the UK. They gained valuable insights into Wirral’s tourism offerings, enhancing their understanding of how the region could fit into future travel packages.
Whilst members of the media including Coach Tours UK, Business Live, The Liverpool Echo and Group Travel World created engaging content from the visit, highlighting the region’s extensive visitor offering.
Wirral Council played a key role by delivering a detailed presentation on the region’s tourism strategy and proposed new developments in Birkenhead. This forward-looking perspective underscored Wirral’s commitment to enhancing its tourism infrastructure and appeal. With its blend of cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and vibrant communities, Wirral is well-positioned to become a must-visit destination for travellers in the UK and beyond.
Travel Trade Film
Part of the excitement was to produce a high quality short film for the travel trade – to help them plan their tours and excursions to this brilliant part of the world. The film, now completed, is being distributed to coach and tour operators and group travel organisers around the UK. It reflects some of the attractions, sights and venues of the Wirral. The whole occasion was filmed by Eastwood Media of North Wales. Watch the video below!
James Wood, Marketing Manager at Marketing Liverpool said:
“This was the first project of its kind we’ve worked on with Wirral and is already proving fruitful with new business opportunities already in the pipeline.The collaborative initiative successfully connected industry stakeholders, showcased Wirral’s unique attractions, and set the stage for future tourism partnerships. There is a great appetite to repeat this in the future to further introduce Wirral’s tourism offer to the domestic travel trade.”
Steve Reed of Steve Reed Tourism Ltd said:
“We were so glad to be asked to work in the Wirral and to be able to meet such an amazing group of people. The tourism businesses there really made a top effort for the tour planners and were able to show them some excellent attractions as well as some up and coming potential tour products.”