Marketing Liverpool and Marketing Cheshire team up to showcase the best of the North West

Marketing Liverpool and Marketing Cheshire recently teamed up with the City of Derry Airport to develop a joint itinerary between the two cities for Travel Agents and Tour Operators from Northern Ireland. Using Liverpool John Lennon Airport as the gateway to the two cities, the visiting group were able to easily experience the best the North West has to offer.

Following discussions with Chester, The City of Derry Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Logan Air, a joint itinerary was put in place between the two cities, with accommodation, activities and places to stay, eat and drink chosen to compliment the best of each destination.

As one of the first joint familiarisation trips both destinations have worked on since the pandemic, one of the main objectives was to present a diverse and interesting twin city break for Northern Ireland tour operators and travel agents to include Liverpool and Chester in their trips.

On the development of the trip James Wood, Campaign Manager at Marketing Liverpool said:

“By combining the history and heritage of Chester with the culture and vibrancy of Liverpool I think we have developed a winning formula for tour operators to present to their clients. Additionally we have forged strong working relationships with our new friends across the Irish Sea.”

Arriving into Liverpool John Lennon Airport on Sunday 29 May, the day of the Liverpool Football Club Victory Parade, the group were able to enjoy taking in the atmosphere of the fans celebrating the team’s trophy wins around the city centre before getting on their train to Chester.

Liverpool has excellent transport links with Chester with frequent Merseyrail services direct to the heart of each city centre or a 50 minute drive making both locations perfect destinations for a day out.

Their itinerary in Chester, arranged by Fiona Bebbington, Head of Corporate Events, included an overnight stay at Leonardo Hotel and an evening meal at Hickory’s Smokehouse.  Followed by Sick To Death Museum, located on Chester’s medieval rows, DEVA Roman Discovery Centre, a Roman Soldier Walking Tour, a trip to Chester Cathedral and a show round of Chester’s Storyhouse theatre.

On their return to Liverpool, the group checked into StayCity Hotel for the evening before heading off on a River Explorer Cruise with Mersey Ferries, a tour of the Royal Liver Building with RLB360 and dinner at Marco Pierre White at the Indigo Hotel before ending the night at the Cavern Club, the most famous club in the world.

Ending their trip in Liverpool with a walking tour from BBC Radio Merseyside's Paul Beesley and a visit to The Beatles Story, the world’s largest permanent exhibition dedicated to the Fab Four, they departed for Liverpool John Lennon Airport for the return to Derry.

Fiona Bebbington from Marketing Cheshire said: “It has been a real pleasure to collaborate with our gateway partners at Liverpool John Lennon and City of Derry airports, and Marketing Liverpool on this joint city showcase, with fantastic support from our destination partners.  The travel trade group fed back that they particularly enjoyed experiencing the cultural diversity that both cities had to offer, and several contacts are already following up directly with hotels and visitor attractions to put new packages in place to promote to their clients.”

Positive feedback from the trip highlights the ease and accessibility of Liverpool as an ideal short break from Northern Ireland through John Lennon Airport. With a whole host of group friendly attractions, places to eat, accommodation and easy access to Chester on train services, Marketing Liverpool are hopeful that the two North West cities will be included in future itineraries.