Having received my copy of GTO (190, March), I feel I must voice my opinion about the British Travel Trade Fair (BTTF).

I have been to BTTF on many occasions as a GTO and feel that it has been going downhill from what it once started out as. I find that now it seems to be just hotels and transport exhibitors and very few attractions, which is unfortunate because, as a GTO, I like to find out about new places to take groups. I decided not to go to this year’s BTTF for two reasons. Firstly, due to the bad weather in the west country and, secondly, the last couple of times I have been I only spent between an hour and an hour and a half there. On both occasions, I saw everything that might be useful and returned home. I live in Cornwall and it is a drive and a ferry to Plymouth, then a train to The NEC. I don’t mind the journey if I am going to get what I am after, but for the last few years I haven’t. As for moving it to ExCeL, that’s a no no. I gave up on the World Travel Market (WTM), which is hosted at the venue, about three years ago. First, I have to get to London and then have almost an hour on top to get to ExCeL. It’s much more difficult to get to ExCeL than Earls Court, so that now finishes me with both BTTF and WTM!

No one has the understanding of how a GTO works and their needs. New EU drivers’ hours legislation is causing havoc for coach operators running tours over six days and parking attendants in London seem to see coach groups as a good way to earn ‘brownie’ points, fining them for picking up at theatres – the list goes on!

Barry Jones
Group Travel Organiser
Stage and Scene, Cornwall