Delegate bookings for the Coach Tourism Association (CTA) 2025 Winter Networking event have opened ahead of the gathering in Perth and Kinross on 21-24 November.
It is sponsored by VisitScotland and Perth and Kinross Council and will see coach operators witness highlights for tours in Scotland along with business development opportunities for buyers and suppliers.
The event will open for earlier arrivals on 21 November with a stay at the Peebles Hydro Hotel and a visit to Abbotsford, home of Sir Walter Scott. The next day, the main proceedings will begin, including a cruise courtesy of Forth Boat Tours and a visit to Cairn Hotels’ Stirling Highland Hotel.
A base will then be taken at the Crieff Hydro Hotel and on 23 November delegates will travel to Scone Palace, Perth Museum and the Black Watch Museum on familiarisation trips, with lunch at the Salutation Hotel.
The final day, Monday 24 November, will see a showcase including CTA supplier members as well as a Scottish trade supplier selection ranging from hotels to attractions and service providers for the coach tourism market. Delegate transport will be provided by new CTA member Loch Lomond Travel, which is part of the McGill’s Group.
Robert Shaw, CTA Chair and director of Coventry-based coach operator Harry Shaw, notes that while Scotland has long delivered much for coach tourism, Perth and Kinross “offers gems to the market that are, as yet, relatively unexplored, and the area’s natural beauty is supported by excellent group-friendly accommodation and a range of engaging attractions.”
He continues: “As well as providing operators and wholesalers with new product ideas from around Scotland, CTA Winter Networking will bring together industry stakeholders to look at new ways of pushing business forward.”
VisitScotland Head of Business Development and Intermediary Marketing Denise Hill adds that Perth and Kinross “is coach friendly and ready to do business.”
She explains: “Group travel is an important contributor to Scotland’s tourism economy, with domestic travellers in particular travelling widely across the country and right through the seasons.
“Developments in coaches and the businesses that form their tourism supply chain mean that coach travel will continue to develop as part of Scotland’s sustainable tourism economy. This is a great time for the region to host and build relationships with the players that will help to make this happen.”
The networking event is open to CTA members, with further details and bookings available via the Association’s website. Other coach tourism stakeholders who are not members are welcome to join and book to attend the trip.
