The initiative has been organised and funded by NE1, with support from Newcastle City Council, the Confederation of Passenger Transport and Destination North East England. It aims to put Newcastle on the coach tour map, positioning the city as a must-visit destination at Christmas and throughout the year, by highlighting the city’s appeal to coach groups and tour planners.
By showcasing Newcastle’s seasonal attractions and all-year-round visitor experience, it is hoped the scheme will boost footfall, support local businesses, and strengthen the city’s profile on the national coach tour circuit.
Two pre-Christmas weekends have been set aside for the trial:
- Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th November
- Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th December
To make it easier and more accessible for touring coaches to visit and park in the city centre, designated, centralised city centre drop-off points and long-term parking bays will be set aside during the trial.
Visitors will be able to disembark from coaches in the heart of the city centre and be close to the Christmas Markets, the other city-wide festivities and all of Newcastle’s iconic architecture, culture, leisure, hospitality and top-class retail.
As well as making the city centre more accessible for coach operators, there will also be a warm welcome for the coach drivers with a package of food and drink vouchers over the pilot weekends. Passengers will also enjoy a range of exclusive discounts in city centre venues to ensure their visit is a memorable one.
NE1 has worked with Newcastle City Council to improve the Christmas offer and make Newcastle a must-visit festive destination in recent years. The footprint of the Christmas markets has expanded to include more high-quality local traders with the addition of a Christmas Village with family-focused and affordable activities and experiences. The city is keen to encourage visitors from outside the region to take advantage of this extended Christmas offer and the pilot coach scheme will showcase the city, test demand, and provide the facilities and infrastructure to support coach tourism in the future.
The pilot scheme will make it even easier for people to visit and experience Newcastle at Christmas, a must-visit destination for festive fun. Our Christmas Markets have expanded, and this year our popular Christmas Village returns, with a whole host of family-focused and affordable experiences to enjoy. Newcastle is a compact and walkable city, and visitors will be able to step off the coach into the heart of the action, with the Christmas markets and festivities close to all Newcastle’s iconic architecture, its thriving food and drink scene, its unrivalled hospitality and great shopping. Visitors can enjoy all of this before getting back on the coach to go home.
We’re delighted to have worked with NE1 on this pilot project and are confident that it will demonstrate to coach operators and their customers that Newcastle is a top-tier destination and a must-visit city for coach trips, especially at Christmas. By providing a streamlined and welcoming experience for both operators and passengers, we are confident that this will support future coach-friendly travel to Newcastle and grow visitor numbers.
Destination North East England has been working closely with our businesses, cities and attractions to ensure they are accessible and open to coach passengers. Newcastle's Christmas offer is one which gives us a fantastic opportunity to bring in visiting coach groups, so it is great that we have been able to work with NE1 on this project.
Coach operators can book directly with Newcastle NE1 by contacting: info@newcastlene1ltd.com.
Spaces are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
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