GLT Show: Simon Calder completes celebrity speaker line-up

“Great exhibitions are all about great content,” according to GLT Show director Graham Yandell MBE who recently revealed the full confirmed speaker line up for this year’s GLT show. 

He said: “We value our visitors and want to make their day at the Group Leisure & Travel Show as enjoyable and as productive as possible.

“The show has a brilliant and diverse range of exhibitors and there is sure to be a wide range of show offers and competitions. We also make sure there is plenty of seating, visitors get a free show guide and free parking, and we provide a bacon butty breakfast and a light lunch to ensure the day is as relaxed and enjoyable as it can be.”

Yandell confirmed that travel expert, Simon Calder, would be back at the one-day event, adding: “Our celebrity speakers are always a top draw each year and of course, Simon is the country’s go to expert on travel and is hugely popular with our visitors and exhibitors. It is brilliant that he can be with us again and that he endorses the show as one of the highlights in his annual calendar.”

Simon Calder said: “The Group Leisure & Travel Show is an annual highlight because I meet a whole range of group organisers and travel professionals who together are enriching so many lives by providing tourism experiences. I’ll learn a lot about what’s happening across the sector, and I also know if I turn up early I’ll be able to grab a bacon butty!”

Joining Simon for their individual presentations will be gardening expert Adam Frost from TV’s Gardeners World as well as Antiques Roadshow’s Mark Smith, a renown expert on battlefield tours and military history.

The Seminar Theatre is always a very popular feature at the annual show, where each year celebrities and experts share stories and advice from their careers and give GTOs and coach operators various ideas for visits and trips. Entry to the seminar theatre is free to all show visitors.

Adam Frost will be offering some great suggestions on gardens for groups to visit and is a first-time speaker at the Milton Keynes based event. He also regularly presents the BBC’s coverage of multiple RHS Flower Shows and has featured on The One Show and DIY SOS, plus The Alan Titchmarsh Show.

Like Adam, Mark Smith is making his first appearance at the Group Leisure & Travel Show this year. Recognised as one of the Antiques Roadshow’s most popular experts, Mark captivates audiences with his deep knowledge and engaging storytelling. Mark has also featured on numerous television programmes, including Deep Wreck Mysteries, Who Do You Think You Are?, Bargain Hunt, The One Show, and BBC Breakfast, making him a familiar face to millions of viewers.

Graham Yandell added: “The Group Leisure & Travel Show offers group organisers and coach tour operators the unique opportunity to meet the best of the travel trade and discover ideas, offers and advice from exhibitors, and of course our visitors can also look forward to some really entertaining and knowledgeable speakers again this year.

“The market leading GLT Show promises to be a great day out, full of ideas and inspiration for those organising group trips and holidays.”