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Posted by Adele Youngs
30 October 2015
Tomorrow, it will be Halloween and so, in honour of things that go bump in the night, here is our pick of some of the best scary locations and monster attractions in Europe PLUS our very own Halloween tribute video.
PARENTAL ADVISORY WARNING - Due to the spooky contents below, children or people of a nervous disposition are advised NOT to read this blog post OR watch our special Halloween video!
Edinburgh
Edinburgh Castle - If you are looking for ghosts, look no further than Edinburgh Castle, said to be one of the most haunted spots in Scotland. The Castle plays host to many ghosts, including a headless drummer boy who only appears when the Castle is about to be attacked and a piper who disappeared in the tunnels between the Castle and the High Street. Reports include sightings of the spirits of French prisoners from the Seven Years War and even the ghost of a dog wandering around the Castle's dog cemetery.
Edinburgh Ghost Tour - Prepare to be scared as your ghostly guide spirits you off to explore the darker side of this historic city. Walk the streets of Edinburgh by night, hear the ghoulish tales of the city's murky past including tales of witchcraft, grave-robbing, plague, torture and more!
Visit Mary King’s Close in Edinburgh. Explore this maze of underground streets and spaces with a costumed character who will tell you all about the Close's myths and mysteries.
York
York Terror Trail - Discover the untold secrets of the city of York, the many faces it has shown to the world and the weapons it has used. Explore the back streets and hear the many tales of horror, battle and murder spanning thousands of years throughout the history of York.
London
Jack the Ripper Tour - after dark, why not try a Jack the Ripper walking tour in London, on a journey through the very streets where the infamous Whitechapel murders occurred...
Harry Potter Studio Tour - just north of London, visit the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio tour to see how the tale of modern day witches and wizards was created for the silver screen.
The Tower of London - also known as the Bloody Tower, the Tower was the prison of Sir Thomas More, Sir Walter Raleigh and the future Queen Elizabeth I, and the execution place of Lady Jane Grey (British sovereign for 9 days), Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's second and fifth queens as well as many other "unlucky" guests...
Salzburg region
Schloss Moosham - Approx 1.5 hours from Salzburg, the medieval Castle of Moosham (also known as the Witches Castle) is one of the 10 most haunted destinations in the world. During the Salzburg Witch Trials of the 17th century thousands of people were accused of witchcraft, imprisoned here and tortured. Over 100 were beheaded and it is rumoured that their tormented souls still roam the dungeons. Others claim that the Castle was the lair of a werewolf in the early 18th century. Many visitors claim to have heard voices and experienced strange sensations while touring the Castle.
Nuremberg
Medieval dungeons - Located in the cellar vaults of the Old Town Hall, the Medieval Dungeons of Nuremberg were used during the 14th century to hold prisoners awaiting trial or execution. A guided tour will take you through the very bare cells and into the 'chapel', used as a torture chamber to extract confessions! The municipal court itself would decide on the method of torture to be used....
Rothenburg
Medieval Crime Museum - Offering an insight into the intricacies of law, Rothenburg's Museum of Medieval Crime has many horrors on show in its vaults. Learn about the some of the more unpleasant details of jurisdiction, correction methods and the death penalty. Discover the history of witchcraft and witch-hunting in Bavaria. Recommended for those of a bloodthirsty disposition!
Night Watchman Tour of Rothenburg - Explore the dark alleyways and squares of Rothenburg as you accompany the Rothenburg Night Watchman on his rounds of the city. Reciting tales of the city's dark history, the Night Watchman will reveal to you how the people of the city lived during the Middle Ages. Soak up the atmosphere of another age.
Paris
Opera Garnier After Hours Tour -The Opera Garnier is the largest opera theatre in the world with enough staging for 450 performers. Made famous by Gaston Leroux in his novel, The Phantom of the Opera, it is a sumptious building to visit. You can also visit when the Palais is closed to the public. Lose yourself in its silent corridors, be amazed by its rich architecture and the abundant décor.
Paris Catacombs - The Catacombs, which form a veritable labyrinth beneath the very heart of Paris, were created in the galleries of the former quarries whose stone was used to build the capital. Situated twenty metres below ground, the ossuary contains the remains of approximately six million Parisians, transferred there gradually between the late eighteenth and mid-nineteenth centuries as graveyards were being closed because of the risk they posed to public health.
Ireland
Dunluce Castle - Dunluce Castle, located on the rocky Northern Ireland coast, has stories about ghosts, mermaids and of how, one stormy night in 1639, the castle kitchens fell into the sea... Visit at your peril!
The Dublin Ghostbus Tour - Join Dublin's tour of terror and discover a world of terrifying histories, ghostly events and untold horror as you tour some of Dublin's most haunting sights. Will you play a hand of cards with the devil in the haunted museum? Have you the nerve for grave digging in the haunted graveyard? And what of Christ Church Cathedral's Crypt? Be prepared for the supernatural.
Music and sound effects courtesy of www.freesfx.co.uk and www.purple-planet.com
Posted by Adele Youngs
15 May 2015
A bit of light relief that your parents would approve of
Everyone we speak to at the moment is busy...and I am sure that includes you too!
When we're busy, we sometimes need a bit of light relief to help energise us for the ongoing "stuff" that just needs to get done but isn't the most, well, exciting thing in the world to be doing.
So, in this latest blog post, we are giving you our latest top 3 "useful-but-quite-entertaining-as-well" videos that would be approved by your parents. That is to say, they are "educational", but also pretty fun! So, you can quite legitimately stop looking at those rooming lists for 15 minutes and catch some screen time without feeling bad.
Oh, and we've sneaked a bonus in about carpets as well. Intrigued? Read to the end of the list below and stop counting tickets for 15 minutes....you know you want to!
1) European highlights, and shopping! - Click here to see the European Tour Operators Association's videos on Europe, made in partnership with the BBC. Get inspired for your groups' next trips!
2) Show Me Britain - Go here to see Visit Britain's YouTube channel for highlight videos on destinations in Britain. Don't know your Bath from your Edinburgh? Want to know what's pumping in Pembrokeshire and lively in the Lake District? Sigh no more...
3) Berlin - Got groups interested in Germany? Want to know all about Berlin before you talk to them? Here's what you need to watch.
4) Finally, we promised you a bonus about carpets... Best. Website. Ever. Maybe...
Posted by Adele Youngs
10 April 2015
How NOT to sell an international tour
Here in the UK, we are in the middle of General Election "fever". This is the time, every five years, when the country re-elects all its political representatives. The winning party (or parties...) form the government and their leader becomes Prime Minister. Last time we got a coalition - who knows what we will get this time!
It struck me that an election is the most powerful and expensive form of sales and advertising that there probably is. The parties will all do their best to out-perform each other, sling plenty of mud around and try to promise "the electorate" that they are the best people to run the country. This is whilst simultaneously kissing lots of babies and being seen drinking lots of cups of tea like all "normal" British people do, of course.
There are lots of lessons in it for us lesser mortals, not least how NOT to do things. Most people in most countries distrust politicians, no matter what their beliefs. But, in our particular industry, distrust is a killer blow.
On that note, and bearing in mind the lessons that our political masters can "teach" us, here is my top 3 list of politician-inspired ways to NOT sell an international tour...and our top 3 resources to tackle each one.
1) Say you can offer a destination when you can't. Politicians love to make all kinds of promises to the voters, from lower taxes to better standards of living. The challenge for voters is to spot the liars... and it's the same for groups. Anyone offering something to a group that can't be done, or a tour in an area that they really don't know, runs the risk of being found out and never believed again.
If you don't know an area, there are many people who do and who can help you, including receptive operators, tourist boards, DMCs etc. It's OK to ask for help and it could just save your reputation. Click here to order our free book on how to choose a receptive operator.
2) Leave them waiting. Politicians love making manifesto pledges, and then when they win...finding lots of reasons not to fulfill those pledges. Groups, like voters, want to see results quickly. So, when a group leader approaches you, make sure you have samples and ideas ready to send to them fast.
Struggling to see the requests due to all the other emails in your inbox? Here are some tips on how to set up filters to make sure you see what is important, and file away information for future reference.
3) Fail to follow up. In the run up to an election, voters are bombarded with emails, flyers, calls and visits from the candidates and their teams. Once they've got elected, do you ever hear from them again?? Quite. In the same way, groups are not going to be insulted if you follow up with them - in fact, most will appreciate it. Statistics show that 80% of sales are made on the 5th to 12th contact with a prospect...that's a lot more than most people would assume.
Following up is critical to business success. Click here for a short video on how to do this and why it's so important.
Now I'm off to re-read my list of local candidates and decide who to vote for....