08.45 Registration & Coffee

 

09.30 Welcome by Conference Chairman

• Chairman: Paul Kelly, Chief Executive, BALPPA, the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers & Attractions

 

09.35 Heat, VAT & Jellycats

Speaker: Bernard Donoghue OBE, CEO & Director, ALVA, the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions

 

10.00 The Big Interview

• Julie Dalton, CEO, Gulliver’s Theme Parks
• Liz Terry, Managing Editor, Attractions Management

 

10.30 VAC Market Insights Briefings

• Speaker 1: Richard Nicholls, Head of Research & Forecasting, VisitBritain
• Speaker 2: Nathaly Kambakara, Associate Director, Ipsos
• Speaker 3: David Reece, Chief Strategy Officer, Baker Richards

 

11.05 Tea & Coffee Break, Networking & Exhibition

 

11.40 VisitBritain

• Patricia Yates, CEO, VisitBritain/VisitEngland

 

12.00 Torrential Rain followed by Strong Easterly Winds (Panel)

• Chair:  Paul Kelly, Chief Executive, BALPPA, the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers & Attractions
• Speaker 1: Abbigail Ollive, Visitor Attractions Director, Castle Howard
• Speaker 2: James Cox, Director of Marketing, Sales and PR, Blackpool Pleasure Beach
• Speaker 3: Olly Reed, Marketing Director, Navigate Agency
• Speaker 4: Alison Wood, Head of Public Weather Service, Met Office

 

12.45 Visitor Attraction Excellence

• Speaker: Jimmy Doherty – Jimmy’s Farm

 

13.00 Lunch, Networking & Exhibition

 

14.00 VAC Seminar 1: Diversifying Income Stream  

Magic Little Giants will share their real-world experiences of working with their performance-based affiliate marketing model that offers risk-free access to a wealth of digital partnerships. Learn how you can expand your visibility, increase average order value and introduce your brand to incremental audiences through the power of affiliate marketing.             

• Speaker 1: Scott Williamson, Chief Executive Officer, Magic Little Giants
• Speaker 2: Jamie Turner, Marketing Director, Twycross Zoo
• Speaker 3: James Cox, VP Business Development, CJ

 

14.00 VAC Seminar 2: Neurodiversity Matters

Designing inclusive visitor experiences that make a positive contribution to your P&L and building a Neurodivergent-ready workforce.

• Chair: Ross Calladine, Accessibility and Inclusion Lead, Visit England
• Speaker 1: Prof. Peter Jones, The CRUMBS Project, Bournemouth University
• Speaker 2: Dr Justine Reilley, The Neurodiverse Museum
• Speaker 3: Steph Graham, CEO, GoodCRM

 

14.00 VAC Seminar 3: AI is an Opportunity

Smarter Experiences, Leaner Operations

Unlocking AI’s Commercial Potential for streamlining sales and ordering processes and helping visitors find the information they want about your attraction.

• Speaker 1: Holly Hipkins, Chief Financial Officer, St Aubyn Estates
• Speaker 2: Marshall Tuten, Co-Founder, Infin8 Growth
• Speaker 3: Jack Harris, Founder, Tally Ho Experiences

 

14.55 Beyond Physical Visitors

• Speaker 1: Julie Montagu, – the American Countess
• Speaker 2: Nik Wyness, Director of Marketing and Communications, The Tank Museum

 

15.30 Tea & Coffee Break, Networking & Exhibition

 

16.00 Tourism Alliance Policy Update

• Speaker:  Eddy Leviten, Executive Director, Tourism Alliance

 

16.20 The Price is Right – Ticket pricing strategies in today’s competitive market

• Speaker 1: Robin Cantrill-Fenwick, CEO, Baker Richards
• Speaker 2: James Tortise-Crawford, Head of Strategic Projects, Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge
• Speaker 3: Rhodri Davies, Head of Brand, Audiences & Marketing, Museum of Wales

 

16.50 The VAC Power Panel

Bernard Donoghue OBE, CEO & Director, ALVA, in discussion with a panel of speakers (TBC).

 

17.20 Closing Remarks & Conference Reception – all are welcome