Which stories were most popular in 2025? Here are your top 14…

14. Northern Ireland’s most famous filming locations revealed

This feature again proved popular again, inspiring groups with a selection of attractions and destinations inked to the Game of Thrones, Transformers: The Last Knight, Dungeons & Dragons and more. The research, by City Tours Belfast, found that the most visited destination was The Giant’s Causeway has been used as a filming location for the likes of Hellboy II: The Golden Army and Dracula Untold. 
Inspire me with Northern Ireland >>

13. Best in group travel and tourism honoured at GLT Awards 2025

Once again in 2025, we came together to celebrate the best of group travel, announcing the winners as voted for by readers at the Group Leisure & Travel Awards ceremony in London. What a fantastic occasion it was at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington! Hosted by the fabulous Gary Wilmot, the event was attended by 300 guests and winners included LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort, the Coronation Street Experience and RHS Garden Wisley. 
Winners recognised at GLT Awards >>

12. Eight of the most beautiful places in… Somerset

The vibrant and historic cities of Bath and Bristol, the picturesque Mendip Hills and historic Glastonbury - just some of the many reasons Somerset is a firm favourite with groups. We looked at a few of the highlights incuding the Grade I listed Clevedon Pier and Weston-super-Mare known as the ‘seaside heart’ of North Somerset. 
Ideas for a group trip to Somerset >>

11. Filming locations linked to Downton Abbey which are great for groups

Downton Abbey stole the show again in 2025 with the release of Downton Abbey: The Grande Finale at the cinemas. And lots of you wanted to read this article on our website about which locations to visit that have been used to film parts of the iconic drama. On the list is the stunning Highclere Castle, used as the striking Abbey and home of the Crawley family while Cogges Farm in Oxfordshire featured as Yew Tree Farm in several episodes of Downton. 
Downton Abbey filming locations >>

10. Chichester Festival Theatre: Top Hat among 2025 line-up

Chichester Festival Theatre is well-known for its show stoppers and Top Hat was no exception. Irving Berlin’s classic tap extravaganza was said to be the musial equivalent of a fine vintage champagne – effervescent, elegant and exhilarating. Running at the theatre in Kent from July until September, the show has its final stop at King’s Theatre in Glasgow in February 2026. 
Top Hat musical steals the show >>

9. Coach trips, communities and choirs: our GTO of the Year® finalists

It’s only right that the 2025 Group Travel Organiser of the Year Award® finalists caught your attention - they are all brilliant GTOs. Well done to Jackie Ames Unity 70 Travel & Leisure), Carol Dixson-Smith (Sawbridgeworth U3A), Ray Spiller (Broomfield Coach Trips) and Emma Durrant (The Sound Collective) - and an extra congratulations again to Emma who won the award, taking home £2,500 to spend on a future holiday! 
The 2025 GTO of the Year® finalists >>

8. Faulty Towers The Dining Experience: 1970s dining and unscripted chaos

If you haven’t been yet, the reviews of Faulty Towers The Dining Experience are glowing and lots of you were interested in this article at the start of 2025 about the show’s remarkable journey. It has been celebrating its 13th year, having started in 1997 and has toured more than 40 countries - an incredible feat! Will you go and see it in during its 14th year?
1970s dining and unscripted chaos >>

7. Sandringham estate to host Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé concerts

The Royal Sandringham Estate was awash with international artists in the summer, not least Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, Nile Rodgers and Beverley Knight. It seemed lots of you were keen to find out more about the performances - and hopefully many of you ended up going along and enjoying them! There’s a great line-up for next year too including Eric Clapton and Richard Ashcroft. 
Summer concerts at Sandringham >>

6. Cirque du Soleil: the Royal Albert Hall as you’ve never seen it before

This one caught your attention - and unsurprisingly so. What an incredible spectacle the 2025 Cirque du Soleil production at the Royal Albert Hall was. Corteo, meaning cortege in Italian, took the show to a new level with a completely different central stage separating each half of the audience. It went down very well indeed with one GTO describing the performance as “amazing”. 
The Royal Albert Hall as you’ve never seen it before >>

5. Strange-cations: 11 weird and wonderful places to visit in the UK

The quirkier the better, right? We know you’re always looking for unusual places to take your group so it’s no wonder this feature was popular in 2025. From a bewitching part of Lancashire and a poison garden to the smallest house in Britain and an eerie Victorian garden cemetery, there are plenty of ideas for weird and wonderful days out with your members. Where will you take them in 2026?
The strange places that made the list >>

4. Where Wonka was filmed and how locations were transformed

The Roald-Dahl inspired movie was a huge hit in 2024, and is still pulling in tourists with groups wanting to head to the places it was filmed, the likes of Lyme Regis, Oxford and Bath. In fact the city of Bath was transformed for the filming with exciting sights of the cast and vintage cars in and around the centre. The Abbey provided a magnificant backdrop in the movie while the riverside Parade Gardens also played its part in the on-screen performance. 
Wonka film location inspiration >>

3. Nine great places in Europe for a group holiday

Our third most read story of 2025 was this - a fantastic list of countries, cities and towns across Europe to look out for. There are some amazing itinerary suggestions for group visits, not least a trip with a twist… fancy visiting two countries without crossing a border? Well you can - head to Nova Gorcia, one of two European Capitals of Culture in 2025. Groups can cross between the Modernist town of Nova Gorcia in Slovenia and Gothic Gorizia, which is in neighbouring Italy, even standing with a foot in each country! 
European highlights >>

2. Itinerary idea: discover the charm of historic St Albans

In second place was this itinerary for a day trip to St Albans. The Hertfordshire city, packed with Roman history and beautiful architecture, has lots to offer groups. The suggested itinerary features visits to the impressive St Albans Cathedral, the award-winning Verulamium Museum with plenty of time for lunch and refreshments!
Plan a day to St Albans >>

1. Crackin’ Gavin & Stacey filming locations in Wales for groups

And in first place, our most popular story of 2025, was a look at the “tidy” Gavin & Stacey filming locations in Wales. Lots of you were clearly interested in visiting some of the iconic places featured in the hit BBC series such as Gwen & Stacey’s house in Barry, Smithy’s local, the Colcot Arms and of course Nessa’s Slots - you can even see the change booth where Uncle Bryn and Nessa practised their rendition of Somethin’ Stupid. That’s well lush! 
Follow in the footsteps of Gavin & Stacey cast >>