The Discover England Fund (DEF) aims to drive inbound visits and spend and support the domestic market through delivering world class, stand-out, bookable tourism products – in response to market opportunities and consumer needs.
At Active England we run a range of different adventures expanding and enhancing tourism in England, and are involved in DEF projects, ‘Great West Way’, ‘Uncover the Cotswolds’ and ‘Connections’, ranging from cycling, walking and cultural weekends in the Cotswolds through to heritage and active trips across England, which are perfectly suited to current consumer needs and which are constructed and conducted in an environmentally friendly way.
This project encompasses the Cotswolds, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Forest of Dean and Wye Valley.
The aim of the project is to uncover hidden gems, especially in lesser known parts of the Cotswolds and Forest of Dean, helping to extend the season of visitor interest and encouraging more people to stay here longer – and spend more money while they’re here. It’s experience-led, but will benefit all our tourism businesses including accommodation, food and drink providers and our many wonderful shops.
We at Active England Tours are delighted to be involved in this project, creating an ‘active’ branch of this project by creating active itineraries throughout this region, examples of which can be viewed below and through the TXGB platform, in partnership with Visit England.
Cheltenham & The Cotswolds Way
Cirencester & The South Cotswolds
The Forest of Dean
Sustainable North Cotswolds
The North Cotswolds Way
US Connections, a Discover England Fund project, is a large-scale collaboration between 13 destinations, led by Destination Plymouth, and is set to develop a series of new, immersive, bookable themed visitor experiences specifically for the American market.
Active England Tours is proud to be a partner in delivering a product with a pivot towards a UK domestic market, in light of Covid. Our goal is to create immersive and experiential itineraries with this new focus, and with some international travel trade engagement. Examples of our itineraries, helping people to escape the everyday, explore their WWII connections, re-connecting with their history and family, can be found below.
Plymouth Ancestry and Migration
Hampshire United Allies
Bristol Ancestry and Migration
Kent United Allies
Devon Ancestry
Bath Ancestry and Literature
England’s ‘Great West Way’ is a new touring route, stretching between London and Bristol. It follows a 125 mile route based on the one of the first Great Roads commissioned by the Kings of England.
The route encourages visitors to travel by car, rail, boat, bike, or on foot and to get off the beaten track to discover the towns and villages that make up this diverse meandering path through southern England. From Cotswolds villages to exploring the Kennet and Avon Canal by narrowboat, the route joins up both key icons and lesser known destinations.
Active England is proud that many of its tours make full use of the Great West Way, included specific Great West Way itineraries, with downloadable versions below: