Dream now, travel later: where GTOs are looking forward to visiting

That’s especially true for group travel organisers who, despite the circumstances, are still planning ahead for 2021 and 2022.

We’d love to hear from you too, so add your own comments at the bottom of this story, or send the editorial team an email and tell us where you’re dreaming about. 

Here are just some of our favourite responses so far…

Jim Godsell, who has been organising trips for his group, Jim Godsell and Friends for more than 60 years, said: “Even at 82 years old I am still planning a full year in 2021 and researching 2022. My chums are so keen, enthusiastic and joyful, it keeps me young and fit and helps the old brain box tick over.”

He said that one of the experiences to ‘dream’ about at the moment is their visit to Kynren - An Epic Tale of England in County Durham next year. He explained: “It’s supposed to be magnificent. While up that way we will also be taking the chance to visit Beamish Open Air Museum.”

Sylvia Saxon of Saxon Group Travel and chair of the New Meridian Association, said she had rescheduled a holiday to Tallinn for next year and hoped that the New Meridian AGM would still go ahead in Cyprus as well as an organised Christmas Markets trip to Berlin later this year. 

Ian Wilde, Birmingham National Trust Association, said he would love to take an ocean cruise to Iceland and Greenland or a river cruise from Budapest to the Black Sea while Sue Poole, who runs Wooburn Outings, said she was really looking forward to a cruise on the Moselle. She said: “It is a cruise I have already done with one group a few years ago and I want more people to see it.”

She added: “I am also hoping that I can get a small group to India next November. My husband and I made a private visit last year and loved it so much – we enthused about it to the group and a couple of people said how about going back with them. 

“Like other GTOs I am currently sitting tight and looking forward to the time when outings can resume again. Happy days ahead – I hope!”

Joan Hanks, St Andrews Ladies Luncheon Club used a Zoom video meeting with her group to ask about their ‘dream day out’. She reports back: “It was a split between Hampton Court, which is a real favourite, or Newmarket”.

She added: “Although not possible this year my ladies would not wish to go to exotic places far away but do something which will bring us all together, be in our lovely countryside surrounded by friendly people. We would just pop over the border into Cambridgeshire, perhaps travelling by luxury coach to Newmarket Racecourse.

“There, dressed in our finery we would enjoy our first Pimms or Champagne of the day, then eat a sumptuous buffet lunch of the finest local produce served on silver platters by attentive staff. We would visit the Paddocks to see the horses parade and see jockeys in their colourful silks. The atmosphere would be exhilarating as they leave for the Starting Post.

“Time also for some people watching as this is the centre of fashion for the day and then it would be time for afternoon tea or maybe more Champagne to celebrate the end of a traditional very British day out at the sport of Kings.”

Olivia Goodfellow, Enfield Over 50s Forum, was due to travel to Bulgaria in May this year which has now been rearranged to next May. She said: “I’m really looking forward to this historic tour with a fun group.

“The other trip which had to be postponed was an annual girlfriends’ trip (this year to Northern Ireland’s north coast). We have postponed flights until the end of October and we will just have to wrap up more when clambering over the Giant’s Causeway!”

Elizabeth Hodgson, Barnet U3A, said depending on when things start getting back to normal, “we have Dorney Court (Buckinghamshire) and The Abbey, Coggeshall (an Invitation to View property) rescheduled for September and October. We’ll probably have to forego Ely but have fingers crossed for Thursford Christmas Spectacular in November and Windsor Castle at Christmas in December.”