World video travel guide

News • London • Great Britain • 2012-11-21

What\'s new for the Travel Trade November 2012

Welcome to the November newsletter. Keeping you up to date with all that\'s happening in London.

For enquiries, please email [email protected] or dial the travel trade helpline on +44 (0)20 7234 5821.

Jersey Boys

Christmas Lights

Food and Drink

Over 450,000 additional tickets released for 2012. Read More...

An array of magical Christmas light displays. Read More...

From luxurious restaurants to cheap eats and cocktail bars to pubs. Read more...

London & Partners News

London Guide 2013

The new London Guide launched at World Travel Market is the official London Guide to help you plan you plan and sell London to your clients. It contains themed itineraries and comprehensive listings on everything from hotels and restaurants to transport and tour companies. If you haven’t yet got a copy of the guide and would like one, please email [email protected] or download it now from here

London & Partners voted Top Tourist Office 2012!

London & Partners has been voted Top Tourist Office 2012 by those in the know – travel agents. London was chosen by the 800 participating agents as the Tourist Office of the Year for UK and Ireland in the Travel Agents Choice Awards 2012. The awards, organised by Selling Long Haul, give recognition to those tour operators, tourism boards, destinations, airlines and airports, cruise lines, hotels and resorts that agents in the industry have nominated and voted for. London topped the poll and Louisa Jackley, Industry Relations and UK Leisure Tourism Marketing Manager, collected the award at World Travel Market. She said: “Any award which acknowledges our efforts to drive business and add value to the travel and leisure industry is a huge compliment to all at London & Partners who work hard to make that happen. This award means a great deal because it is voted for by those in the industry. We will continue to work hard to ensure that we build on the momentum and platform that the Olympics has given to London this year to attract ever more people to the world’s top visitor destination in 2013 and beyond.” For more info visit our website

New leisure Consumer Campaign - London, Now see it for yourself

The new visitor campaign ‘London, Now see it for yourself’ aims to capitalise on the success of summer 2012 by converting viewers into visitors. The face of the campaign, Rufus the Corgi, will help visitors to explore a specially designed digital map and microsite on the new and improved visitlondon.com site. Designed and beautifully hand drawn by artist Jenni Sparks, the map for London shows key attractions across the capital and gives a guide to what’s new for 2013, as well as highlighting some of the city’s hidden gems. For more information go to www.visitlondon.com/see

Partner Offers and News

The Household Cavalry Museum

The Household Cavalry Museum has decided not to increase admission charges for 2013. For a central capital city attraction the Museum offers exceptional value for money particularly when combined with the must-see ceremonial guard changes on the hour from 10am until 4pm outside at Horse Guards. Martin Westwood - Director said “Admission fees have not increased since the Museum opened in 2007, undoubtedly an important factor in the significant growth in visitorship in recent years. For more info visit www.householdcavalrymuseum.co.uk

Science Museum – Opening New Gallery Spaces

2013 will be an exciting year at the Science Museum, with the opening of major new gallery spaces. From spring 2013 a new 1,800m² venue, Media Space, will be showcasing the National Photography Collection from the National Media Museum alongside other installations and events. Come November the Museum will transport visitors to the heart of one of the greatest scientific and engineering endeavours of our time: the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva. For more info email Pippa Henson or visit www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

Tiger Territory at ZSL London Zoo

Opening April 2013, Tiger Territory is the new flagship exhibit at ZSL London Zoo. It will inform and inspire a generation of people to treasure the tiger and understand their role in its survival. It will also help fund ZSL’s tiger conservation work in the field, providing a lifeline for years to come. For more info email Rebecca Smith

Emirates Air Line

Glide above the Thames in the Emirates Air Line, an easy way to get from the Greenwich Peninsula to the Royal Docks. The cable car trip takes six minutes. The cars, which accomodate 10 people, arrive every 30 seconds. You can use your Oyster card. Costs from £3.20. For more information on opening times, visit our website

What’s New Christmas Activities in 2012

For a full comprehensive listings of Christmas events and activity happening across London this year visit the What’s New Travel Trade

Shopping, Food & Nightlife

The Dover Street Restaurant

The Dover Street Restaurant, Set in the heart of London’s fashionable Mayfair, offers a combination of fine French/European cuisine and nightly live music ranging from Jazz & Blues to Latin & Soul with dancing to a resident DJ until 3.00 am. With a unique atmosphere that is equally suited for both individual diners and larger groups. Dover Street will be offering a favourable commission to the travel trade throughout the year. For more info email [email protected] or visit www.doverst.co.uk

Chinese New Year

Celebrate the year of the snake this Chinese New Year on Feb 10th in the heart of London where you can watch parades and dancing full of colourful costumes and experience one of the best celebrated events in the West End. For more info visit www.leicester-square-films.co.uk

Valentine’s Day February 14th

For those who want to treat that special someone in their life, why not book a table at the Criterion Restaurant or one of the hidden gems on Jermyn Street. For an unforgettable and romantic evening. Beautiful décor, exquisite menus and superb service will make for a memorable date. Or cosy up together at one of the world-class cinemas on Leicester Square or Shaftesbury Avenue and watch that film you’ve been waiting to see, an evening sure to bring back first date memories or the chance to get close to your Valentine. For more info visit www.leicester-square-films.co.uk

Theatre & Entertainment

Burn the Floor Global Dance Smash Returns To London in 2013

Special guest stars Robin Windsor and Kristina Rihanoff (BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing) take to the floor in the global dance hit, BURN THE FLOOR, at the Shaftesbury Theatre from 6 March 2013. Before Strictly Come Dancing turned ballroom dancing into must-see TV, one incredible show enthralled audiences around the world. BURN THE FLOOR totally reinvented Ballroom and Latin dance and has dazzled audiences in more than 40 countries, and this latest production promises not to disappoint. Currently booking 6 March – 1 September 2013. For more info visit www.burnthefloor.com

Shakespeare’s Globe Announces 2013 Season

Shakespeare’s Globe, one of the world’s most famous theatres, has announced productions for its 2013 season. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest and Macbeth will sit at the heart of the season, while three new plays (The Lightning Child, Blue Stockings and Gabriel) will receive world premieres. Public booking for the 2013 season opens on 11 February 2013. For more info visit www.shakespearesglobe.com

War Horse Celebrates 5th Anniversary in London

The National Theatre’s award-winning production of War Horse celebrated its 5th anniversary in London last month with a special performance. Since its early experimental days at the National Theatre Studio, War Horse has become a national and international phenomenon. It opened at the National’s Olivier Theatre in October 2007 and transferred to the New London in March 2009. More than 1.6 million people have seen the show in London with over 2.4 million people seeing the production worldwide. War House is currently taking individuals bookings until 26 October 2013 and groups (10+) until 16 February 2014.For more info visit www.warhorseonstage.com

Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA

Royal Albert Hall, from 5 January 2013

Since its premiere in April of 2007, KOOZA has captivated close to 4 million spectators. Written and directed by David Shiner, KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil combining two circus traditions – acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show presents an unprecedented approach to the high wire and a breath-taking wheel of death – an act that Cirque du Soleil has never before presented under the big top. Contact the press team on 020 7959 3004 / [email protected]

Attractions, Exhibitions & Tours

A Midwinter Celebration at Chelsea Physic Garden

Join Chelsea Physic Garden at London’s oldest botanic garden and discover dozens of fascinating types on the Snowdrop Trail and displayed in the Snowdrop Theatre. A wide selection of snowdrops and other winter-flowering plants will be on sale.Take a free guided tour, visit the shop and enjoy brunch or a warming lunch at the Garden’s Tangerine Dream Café. Open daily from Sat 2 February to Sun 10 February, 10am – 4pm. £9/£6 (Groups £8/£5). For more info visit www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk

V&A Opens New Permanent Furniture Gallery

The V&A will open its new Furniture Gallery in December, providing a permanent home for the Museum’s internationally renowned furniture collection. The Museum has always displayed furniture in other galleries, but this will be the first ever V&A gallery dedicated to furniture and the only gallery worldwide devoted to a comprehensive display of furniture, telling the story of its production across six centuries. This beautiful gallery will display more than 200 outstanding pieces of British and European furniture, from the Middle Ages to the present day, as well as examples of American and Asian furniture. For more info visit www.vam.ac.uk/page/f/furniture

Unexpected Pleasures: The Art and Design of Contemporary Jewellery

Design Museum, 5 December 2012 – 3 March 2013

Drawing on work from around the world, Unexpected Pleasures celebrates the work of contemporary jewellers who have challenged the conventions of jewellery design. This exhibition explores the essential meanings of jewellery: what we value and regard as precious, bypassing traditional perceptions and instead tracing the radical experiments of contemporary jewellers who have redefined jewellery design. The exhibition will feature prominent UK and international jewellers including Wendy Ramshaw, renowned for her complex geometric designs and Hans Stofer who produces irreverent, intricate wire form jewellery. For more information contact Ashley Woodfield on 020 7940 8787 / [email protected]

Mughal India: Art, Culture and Empire

This autumn the British Library will explore one of the most powerful and splendid of all the world’s great dynasties with Mughal India: Art, Culture and Empire. The ‘Great Mogul’ seated on a jewel-encrusted throne is one of the most enduring images of India. This exhibition will be the first to document the entire historical period, from the 16th to the 19th century, through more than 200 exquisite manuscripts and the finest paintings drawn almost exclusively from the British Library’s extensive heritage collection. Open until 2 April 2013. For more info visit www.bl.uk/mughalindia

Accommodation

Pestana Hotel and Resorts Group

The Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel & Spa is a modern contemporary design and custom built 216 room Hotel, perfectly located in the new Chelsea Wharf area, alongside the river Thames and Battersea Park. The hotel offers easy access to Buckingham Palace, Westminster and the City centre tourist attractions, popular shopping areas of Kensington, Knightsbridge and Kings Road, all within easy reach. Hotel facilities include the designer spa with heated pool and treatment rooms, international restaurant, bar and private Club floor. Pestana, welcome the opportunity to do business in the future, contact marketing for further information or visit www.pestana.com

onefinestay – Enter the “Unhotel”

onefinestay redefines city travel with its unique “unhotel” concept, letting visitors to London live like a local in a distinctive home while the owner is out of town. The company teams upscale homes with hotel services for guests, who enjoy 5* linens, fluffy towels, luxury toiletries and even a complimentary iPhone for the duration of their stay. Looking to work with travel partners and agents, onefinestay has recently created a telephone line for agents. For more info call + 44 0 844 6112960 or email [email protected]

Cafe Royal hotel

Cafe Royal will be launched as a luxury hotel on 1 December 2012. Its reopening heralds the return of an iconic London institution which has continually evolved to define and capture the mood and style of the capital throughout its 150 year history. Located on 68 Regent Street – with elegant Mayfair to the west and creative Soho to the east – Café Royal sits in the heart of London’s beating West End. It features 159 rooms and suites, an array of dining venues, a private members’ club, The Café Royal Club, high-tech meeting rooms and Akasha, a holistic wellbeing spa. For more information contact Mathura Premaruban and visit www.hotelcaferoyal.com

General Information

Follow us on LinkedIn!

We regularly talk to the travel trade via our LinkedIn group, ‘London & Partners - Travel Trade’, so if you would like to start a discussion or share something that will be of interest to London’s Travel Trade network, please join our group.

Travel Trade Website

Our travel trade website is designed to help you sell London to your clients, check it out now!

Post Office - Bureaux de Change

Visiting London or any other part of the UK and need to buy PoundSterling, you should visit the Post Office. They have the largestnetwork of bureaux de change in the UK, including 360 bureaux in Londonalone – so you’re never far from a Post Office. As the UK’s No 1 bureaux de change they offer competitive exchange rates and also offer helpful advice on mailing postcards and souvenirs!

Transport Disruptions

A list of planned station closures and track closures for the next sixmonths is available in PDF format. For this and further information ontravel in London go to www.tfl.gov.uk

Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace

www.changing-the-guard.com provides information on Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace andpublishes and distributes guide books including \'Changing the Guard atBuckingham Palace.

Coach Parking

For Details of coach parking facilities and other useful information for coach drivers in London, visit www.tfl.gov.uk

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