What have you been reading in 2024? Our 10 most read stories…

1. Wonker filming locations

Clearly the Roald Dahl-inspired movie struck a chord with readers as this article was not only our most popular, but also one of the first to be published (on 4th January 2024). The prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Timothée Chalamet was filmed in the likes of Bath, Lyme Regis and Oxford, with plenty more places featured to tempt your group into a visit.
Read our round-up >>

2. Big names for Les Misérables arena tour 

Both Alfie Bow and Michael Ball returned to the cast of Les Misérables on a huge arena tour. The pair are synonymous with the production, which runs in the UK until 5th January 2025. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, many groups have been lucky enough to catch the duo on this particular run which has visited some of the UK’s biggest venues.
Read the article here >>

3. Gavin & Stacey returns

More filming locations, but this time centred around south Wales and Barry Island as the cast of the BBC’s Gavin & Stacey reunited for a final time to film the long-awaited Christmas special. Highlights for groups include Gwen & Stacey’s house, Pam & Mick’s house and of course, Nessa’s Slots. 
See the crackin’ ideas here >>

4. Important updates to the RHS schedule

We know how popular the annual RHS flower shows are to GTOs, so we wanted to give plenty of notice when we heard the schedule was changing for 2025. Published in May 2024, readers were keen to know all the key diary dates, along with plans for the second ever RHS Urban Show in 2026.
Find out more >>

5. “Following in my dad’s footsteps”

It’s always lovely being able to share the personal stories of our readers. Most notably of Nicola Haynes, GTO for Theatre Trips Essex, who explained to us how she took over the group from her dad, and grew it to have around 10,000 members. Yearly trips include multiple West End visits, short breaks and plenty of laughs along the way.
Read Nicola’s story >>

6. Faulty Towers mayhem extends

There was a real buzz in the group travel community when it was announced that Faulty Towers The Dining Experience had released thousands of new tickets for 2025. If you are interested there is still availability for those who want a dinner they will never forget, as Basil, Sybil and Manuel cause chaos and where most of the script is improvised… so anything can happen!
More about the experience >>

7. A poignant Remembrance display

Many were lucky enough to see Poppy Fields at the Tower of London which ran each evening from 8th until 16th November 2024, with artwork reflecting on World War One and Two, transforming the architecture of the iconic Tower fortifications. The show took visitors on a journey through specially-created sound and light installations.
Read the article >>

8. Northern Ireland’s links to the screen

A research project found that The Giant’s Causeway topped the table as the country’s most popular destination to visit for film buffs, closely followed by Mourne Mountains and The Dark Hedges. There were plenty of other iconic, group-friendly places that appeared, but can you guess which ones? Take a look for yourself… 
Inspire me with filming locations >>

9. Tour dates for War Horse

The National Theatre production, based on the extraordinary story by Michael Morpurgo, is currently touring until 8th November 2025. War Horse tells the remarkable story of a young boy called Albert and his horse Joey, set against the backdrop of World War One. This imaginative drama is a performance of inventiveness and filled with stirring music and songs, featuring ground-breaking puppetry work.
Find out more >>

10. Simon Calder on the new EU Waiver 

There’s still plenty of discussion about how the new EU Waiver and ETIAS system will affect group travel organisers in the future, but travel expert Simon Calder is one of the most informed travel experts around. So we made sure we asked him all about it when we had the opportunity to have a chat. Simon also discussed some ideas about where your group should be heading in 2025 and the top stores he’s covered this year.
Read the interview here >>