Visit County Durham showcases Durham’s group travel offer
9th October 2026
Visit County Durham has taken its visitor offer to one of the UK’s leading group travel events, showcasing the county to thousands of group travel organisers and travel trade from across the country.
The annual Group Leisure & Travel Show, held at MK Arena in Milton Keynes, is a one-day event bringing together key buyers and tourism businesses, attractions and destinations to inspire future trips, tours and holidays.
Visit County Durham were joined at the event by partners from across the county, including Raby Castle, Park and Gardens, Kynren, The Auckland Project, The Bowes Museum and Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, creating a powerful collective showcase of Durham’s group travel offer.
The event provided an opportunity to highlight the breadth and variety of experiences available across the county, from world-class heritage and museums to spectacular live entertainment, gardens, culture and immersive visitor experiences.
Michelle Gorman, managing director at Visit County Durham, said: “Group travel is an important part of our visitor economy, and events such as the Group Leisure & Travel Show give us a valuable opportunity to put Durham directly in front of the people planning the experiences and itineraries of tomorrow. What makes our offer particularly strong is the breadth of experiences we can bring together. By working alongside our partners, we can demonstrate that Durham is much more than a collection of individual attractions, it is a destination with stories, experiences and itineraries that can keep groups coming back. Collaboration is at the heart of a successful visitor economy. When we work together and connect our individual strengths, we create a much stronger collective offer for visitors and for the group travel market.”
The Auckland Project also attended alongside Visit County Durham, highlighting the importance of partnership in creating a compelling proposition for group visitors.
Arabella Lawler, Visitor Development Coordinator,The Auckland Project said:
“It was fantastic to attend the event alongside Visit County Durham and our fellow partners, showcasing everything the county has to offer the group travel market. Events like this are a great opportunity to make new connections and inspire organisers to discover more of Durham. We know that we are stronger when we work together. By bringing our individual experiences and expertise together as a collective, we can create a much more compelling offer for visitors and group travel organisers. It’s that spirit of collaboration and partnership that really helps put Durham on the map.”
With group travel organisers looking for fresh ideas and distinctive experiences, the event provided an important opportunity to build new relationships, strengthen existing connections and position Durham as a destination with something genuinely different to offer.
By working collectively with businesses and attractions across the county, Visit County Durham continues to develop a joined-up offer that makes it easier for group organisers to discover Durham, build itineraries and bring more visitors to the county.
