Latest Speaker Announced - Lady Cobham, Chairman of VisitEngland

ABTA is reminding delegates not to delay booking their accommodation for the 2012 Travel Convention in Turkey. On Wednesday 5 September any unsold discounted accommodation at both the five star Cornelia and Susesi resorts will be released back onto general sale and with the all-inclusive nature of the resorts delegates must stay in either hotel to be able to attend the Convention.

In a year that has seen the UK take centre stage with the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations,the Olympics and Paralympics, ABTA is delighted to welcome Lady Penelope Cobham, Chairman of VisitEngland to speak at this year’s Travel Convention. Lady Cobham is expected to share her thoughts on the ‘tourism legacy’ that will see VisitEngland actively seek to engage with every sector of the travel industry in the months to come.

Mark Tanzer ABTA Chief Executive said: “The all-inclusive nature of this year’s Convention means delegates must stay at either the Corneila or Susesi resorts to be able to attend. Both resorts are extremely popular at this time of year and I would urge delegates who haven’t booked yet to do so now to avoid  disappointment. We have attracted a very high calibre of speakers to the Convention and in a year which has seen the UK take centre stage, I am particularly delighted to welcome Lady Cobham, Chairman of VisitEngland, who will share  her thoughts on how she intends to develop and grow closer ties with the UK travel trade.”

Lady Cobham previously served on the boards of the English Tourist Board, the Countryside Commission and Historic Royal Palaces before moving to act as the Special Adviser on tourism and heritage in the Department of National Heritage.  She has also held positions at the V&A, British Waterways and the London Docklands Development Corporation, where she led on tourism.  VisitEngland has committed to working more closely with the trade following the mixed reaction to the organisation’s advertising campaign promoting domestic tourism earlier this year.