Leaders from UK’s most important attractions come to Ipswich

CCT will be hosting a summit bringing together leaders of some of the UK’s most popular attractions on 10th and 11th May for the council meeting of The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA). 

Senior representatives will meet to discuss some of the important tourism issues in the UK and learn from their peers, all in the impressive surroundings of CCT and Suffolk Mind’s innovative wellbeing centre in St Mary at the Quay, now known as Quay Place. Alongside the formal meeting, they will have an introduction to the history of Ipswich during a guided tour of the city. They will also enjoy a tour of Quay Place and learn about mental wellbeing from Ezra Hewing of Suffolk Mind.  

Crispin Truman, Chief Executive of the Churches Conservation Trust says:  “we are looking forward to welcoming ALVA to Ipswich, and in particular to showing them the newly-finished Quay Place.   It is an example of a ground-breaking partnership between The Churches Conservation Trust, and Suffolk Mind; the transformation of a Grade II* medieval church, St Mary at the Quay, into a unique heritage and wellbeing centre.  The CCT welcomes nearly 2 million visitors to our 350 churches, including many beautiful sites in Suffolk and East Anglia.  We are a key member of ALVA and look forward to taking part in important conversations about UK tourism”.   

Bernard Donoghue, ALVA Director said:  "I am delighted that the Churches Conservation Trust will be hosting a summit of the leaders of the UK's most important and popular visitor attractions in Ipswich. The directors and chiefs executives of attractions ranging from Historic Royal Palaces, National Trust, English Heritage, Warner Bros. Studio Tours - The Making of Harry Potter, Westminster Abbey and many others, will be meeting to discuss the forthcoming General Election, the consequences for tourism of Brexit and the social impact of tourism. We are particularly pleased to be hosted by the CCT at their Quay Place Heritage and Wellbeing Centre as it's a superb example of heritage, tourism and the community working hand in hand for the benefit of local residents and tourists alike. Our Ipswich national tourism summit is also an opportunity to highlight Ipswich - and Suffolk more broadly - to the UK's tourism leaders." 

Find out more about ALVA

Find out more about Quay Place