In partnership with Make It York, Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021) and TXGB (Tourism Exchange Great Britain), a new digital booking platform ‘Squad Trips’ has this week gone live for York’s tourism businesses to connect to fans of the tournament.
Now live at york.rlwc2021.com/ fans will be able to purchase their Squad Trip for all of the York Rugby League World Cup games alongside offers from local tourism and hospitality businesses including hotel stays, day trips and York Pass cards.
‘Squad Trips’ provides fans with a one-stop platform allowing one easy place to book their RLWC2021 experience including match tickets, accommodation and activities. The digital platform supports all businesses across the tourism sector, celebrating the diversity of the industry by being accessible to businesses of all sizes – aiming to grow the value and volume of tourism in England.
‘Squad Trips’ shows live availability, pricing and content to fans, whilst providing suppliers with sales data to analyse trends, grow their business and access new markets and customers. Tourism suppliers interested in becoming part of the York ‘Squad Trips’ page by offering their accommodation, activity or attraction to fans should contact membership@makeityork.com. There is no fee to join ‘Squad Trips’, with only commissions and booking fees payable.
TXGB was developed in partnership with VisitEngland in 2019, with technology partners Rainmaker and V3, to address the fragmented tourism distribution landscape. It allows tourism businesses to broaden their distribution and allows distributors access to a wide range of bookable product. The collaboration with RLWC2021 is the first dedicated channel within TXGB for a large scale sports event.
Jonathan Neill, RLWC2021 Commercial Director said: “Squad Trips provides an efficient and valuable platform to the thousands of fans wanting to attend matches at Rugby League World Cup 2021, whilst also supporting and celebrating the tourism sector in our host towns and cities.
“We want to play a part in the recovery of the sector moving forward, provide positive social impacts within our communities, and help drive tourism across England. With over 80% of RLWC2021 matches being played in the Northern Powerhouse, ‘Squad Trips’ will help drive value and volume across the country and create memorable experiences and engagement for our fans.”
James Berzins, TXGB Director said: “We’re delighted to support RLWC2021 in their mission to maximise the impact that the tournament has on the local visitor economies, within each of the host destinations. This fits well with our purpose, to unlock the full potential of the tourism sector.
“The “Squad Trips” channel will help suppliers generate business in the run up and during the tournament and it will also leave a lasting legacy of digitally enabled and distributed tourism products in the regions of England.
“TXGB has provided the technical infrastructure to make this innovative approach to fan travel a reality, and we should also applaud the forward thinking of RLWC2021 and the hard work that the host regions are putting in to engage businesses.”
Helen Apsey, Head of Marketing and Communications at Make It York said, “This is a great opportunity for the city’s tourism and hospitality businesses to promote their business to Rugby League World Cup fans across the world – who are already looking to book their trip to York next year. Accessible to businesses of all sizes across the city, the platform allows for a broader distribution of the wonderful accommodation, tours and experiences we have in York, and allows for those businesses to engage with new markets and grow.”
The ‘Squad Trips’ platform can be viewed via: http://york.rlwc2021.com/
Fans who wish to purchase official match tickets, will also have to purchase at least one other accommodation or activities product on ‘Squad Trips’. Fans who have already secured their match tickets to RLWC2021 can also use the platform to book accommodation and activities.
ENDS
Notes to Editor
Make It York
Make It York’s purpose is to develop and promote the city and its surroundings – nationally and internationally – as a vibrant and attractive place to live, visit, study, work and do business. The company’s remit covers leisure and business tourism, city centre management, festivals and events, business support and inward investment.
One of Make It York’s strategic aims is to promote York as a brilliant place to do business, helping to support business growth and innovation across a range of business sectors, such as financial & professional services, rail and high value manufacturing and to stimulate greater inward investment.
For further information please contact:
Amy Goodman – Consumer Communications Manager
Email: amy.goodman@makeityork.com
