This edition is jam packed with news and developments in east London, including the capacity expansion at ExCeL London, 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the new Docklands Light Railway City Airport service to name but a few.

We hope you find this service useful and look forward to receiving your feedback.

Use the contents menu on the left to browse articles in this newsletter, or simply scroll down the page.

The next edition of this newsletter will be published in May 2006. Please send us any interesting news, or information by 28th April and we will consider it for inclusion. E-mail: info@visiteastlondon.co.uk.

Best Wishes

TourEast London

N.B. Should you not wish to receive this quarterly update, please reply with UNSUBSCRIBE in the Subject line.

TourEast London Update

Launch of New Website

TourEast London's new website is live! The development of separate home pages for business and leisure ease navigation and simplify an ever-growing website. Now, users can choose whether to access the homepage for visitors and local residents or the separate corporate homepage for travel trade, MICE buyers, press and industry members. In addition, a search function has been added to the visitor homepage, making it easier than ever for visitors to locate specific information on the site.

All events on the new website are segmented by target market, with families, heritage seekers, quirky explorers and locals now able to view information on events that interest their group. In addition, with a strong emphasis on targeting the local market and encouraging Londoners to get out and explore East London, the new website includes a specific section for local residents.

To visit the homepage of the new website, please click here.

New Visitor Guides

TourEast London is in the process of updating its comprehensive Leisure Guide, which will be available from April 2006.

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Docklands Light Railway has Landed at London City Airport

The Docklands Light Railway extension to London City Airport is now open with rapid and reliable connections for travellers to the City and Canary Wharf. With trains leaving every 7–10 minutes, this new overground service offers passengers the quickest direct airport transfers to and from central London, with services from the new London City Airport DLR station reaching Bank in 22 minutes and Canary Wharf within 14. Up-to-date information on the extended line and journey times is available on the DLR website.

Pontoon Dock Station Connects Thames Barrier Park

The new route to King George V also stops at Thames Barrier Park, the green symbol of East London's regeneration. Now, the moment visitors arrive at Pontoon Dock Station, they are greeted by 32 fountains playing in a stone courtyard and can grab a cup of tea at the Visitor Pavilion and Coffee Shop. Families can then head to the children's play and picnic areas or to the riverside for stunning views of the Thames Barrier, a wonder of structural engineering. Definitely one of the hidden secrets of London's Eastside!

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ExCeL London Plans Major Capacity Expansion

Following the completion of Phase 1 of its development in 2004, ExCeL London will be inviting input from the exhibition, conference and events industry on plans for Phase 2. The venue will be carrying out a consultation process with the industry from February 2006, to determine how its business can be best developed in line with market demand. This second phase, taking ExCeL towards 100,000 sqm of flexible space, will be on stream in late 2009, completing the management’s vision for the venue and builds on the success of the last four years of operation.

For further information, please contact Gemma Parkhouse at ExCeL London on 020 7069 4739 or email gemmaparkhouse@excel-london.co.uk

Click here to visit the ExCeL London website

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New Tourism Development Manager for East London
Niall Brolly

Niall Brolly is new East London Tourism Development Manager for the London Development Agency (LDA) and will be based at TourEast London’s offices. He is responsible for managing the delivery of the current East London Tourism Development Strategy.

To recap, one of the key objectives of the Mayor’s Plan for Tourism is for the LDA to encourage visitors to all parts of the capital rather than just central London, creating benefits for all local businesses. To see the current strategy and actions for east London, click here.

For more information on how your organisation can influence and benefit from the London Development Agency’s East London Tourism Development Strategy, please register by email for the quarterly Strategy Newsletter. You will then automatically receive up-to-date information on progress and opportunities.

For further information, please contact Niall by calling 07976 065565 or email niallbrolly@lda.gov.uk.

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FOCUS: The Pool of London Partnership

The Pool of London, from London Bridge to just past Tower Bridge, has been an area of change ever since Roman times. There have been a few bridges built over the years, a couple of major fires, marshlands have been replaced by warehouses and blue collar workers have given way to white collar workers. Further changes are now afoot, though they are not as dramatic!

The riverside path between City Hall and Tower Bridge is currently being widened and refurbished to provide a more aesthetic frontage to Potters Fields Park and, so the riverside can cope with the ever-increasing hoards of visitors that TourEast London help to attract to the Pool of London.

Upcoming Temporary Attraction

Permission has just been granted by Southwark Council for a temporary indoor winter sports centre adjacent to Potters Fields Park. ‘The Ice Box’, as it will be known, will be made of ice. Visitors will be given a long coat and a souvenir pack of hat, gloves and leg warmers to wear. Subscribe to the Pool of London e-newsletter to be kept up-to-date on news regarding this and other issues. Subscribe here.

Updated Pool of London Visitor Planner

Comprehensive 'what, where, when and how much' guides to destinations are always prized by the travel trade. The Pool of London Partnership is currently enhancing their Pool of London Visit Planner for the travel industry. The updated Visit Planner will not only include run-downs on attractions, timings, costs and group discounts but also will include suggestions for things to do in the area for different target groups such as families, couples, heritage seekers and theatre and arts culture vultures. The updated Visit Planner will be downloadable from the Travel Trade section of the Pool of London website, and a message will be sent to e-newsletter subscribers to notify them when it’s ready.

Click here for further information about the Pool of London Partnership.

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Be a Tourist in Your Own Neighbourhood Campaign

Over the weekend of 25th and 26th March 2006 only, key tourist and leisure businesses in Tower Hamlets will open their doors for free to residents of Tower Hamlets in possession of a utility bill not more than three months old. Cafes, bars, restaurants, leisure centres and shops will also be offering special discounts and promotions to attract residents onto their premises.

This important event is a first for London and is being co-ordinated by a partnership between the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and TourEast London. Similar events have been successfully held in major tourist destinations such as York and Birmingham. The aims are; to encourage residents of the borough to visit local attractions; to encourage local residents to invite visiting friends and relatives to these attractions in the future and finally to broaden the audience for visitor attractions. Over 40 local businesses have already signed up offering local residents a huge variety of discounts, events and activities to enjoy over the weekend.

To find out more about the campaign click here or look out for publicity in the local press or on the DLR.

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The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

With the focus on East London in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, TourEast London will include an industry update in future editions of the Corporate Newsletter.

Walk the Bid Guide

Residents and visitors to the capital can now see London’s Olympic Games sites for themselves thanks to a new Walk the Bid guide launched recently. The guide, which provides illustrated maps and information about the existing landmarks, the Games and the proposed venues, allows people to explore the 500-acre Olympic Park in the Lower Lea Valley and the venues in and around Greenwich. To request a copy, please click here.

To view an interactive map displaying what's planned and where, click here.

For more information on the Olympics, please follow this link: www.london2012.org

Tower Hamlets Fact sheet for Local Businesses

Tower Hamlets, one of the host boroughs for the forthcoming games has produced a fact sheet for local businesses. It answers some common questions about businesses and the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and gives sources of further information and support. To view the document click here.

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National Tourism Information Conference at Greenwich

Greenwich will be hosting the next National Tourist Information Conference, a bi-annual meeting of TIC Managers and tourism officers from the entire English TIC Network, on 27th - 29th March 2006. It is possibly the first time in thirty years that a TIC conference has been held in London and certainly it's the first time in Greenwich. The England Network comprises some 550 TICs and there will be up to 250 represented at the conference.

For further information contact valentina.fox@greenwich.gov.uk

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Capacity Expansion on the DLR and Jubilee Lines

Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is going to upgrade its busiest route from Bank to Lewisham to accommodate three-car trains at peak hours. The improvements are due for completion in late 2009 and represent a £130 million investment.

This upgrade is crucial in catering for Canary Wharf's relentless business growth. The present 70,000-strong work force is anticipated to grow to 100,000 by 2010 and is predicted to serge by up to 150,000 over the next 15 years. The news of further improvements for the DLR comes as the network continues a programme of extending the railway to London City Airport, Woolwich Arsenal and Stratford International.

For more information, visit the DLR website.

An extra carriage has been introduced on every Jubilee Line train. Four new trains have also be added on the line, increasing the fleet from 59 to 63.

The Jubilee Line allows visitors to stop at vital East London destinations including Canary Wharf, North Greenwich, Canning Town and Stratford. ExCeL London is connected to the Jubilee Line via a 2-stop DLR journey from Canning Town. It is the only line on the underground, which is connected to all other routes and provides one of the quickest routes to ExCeL London.

For further information on travel to ExCeL London please click here.

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Novotel Brand Awarded AA Hotel Group of the Year 2005 - 2006

Novotel Hotels are delighted to announce that they have been awarded the prestigious title of AA Hotel Group of the Year 2005 - 2006. Novotel was awarded the title after demonstrating an outstanding commitment to improving and developing their hotels within their group, whilst maintaining a high level of consistency throughout. This is the highest accolade a hotel group can achieve and is true recognition that the Novotel brand is leading the way in continuously adapting to growing customer demands with the introduction of their design and service led "New Generation" Novotel hotels.

Click here for further information on Novotel London ExCeL

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New Thames Path Walking Guide from Tower Bridge to Greenwich and the Thames Barrier

The Thames Path is one of six strategic walking routes designated by the Mayor of London to set high standards for other trails in the capital. The path lends itself to leisurely walks for local residents and visitors alike along the river, and is signposted throughout with the words 'Thames Path' and the National Trail Acorn symbol. The new walking guide welcomes visitors to explore a stretch of the River Thames that's full of East End character, where the views are stunning and the riverside pubs alone are worth the walk.

Using the guide, individuals or groups can wind their way through some of the most evocative spots on the historic waterfront, from the Pool of London to Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs to the home of the Mayflower and the glorious Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.

Please click here to request a copy of the new Thames Path Guide from the TourEast London website.

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Cultural Industries Development Agency (CIDA) Announce Anwar Akhtar as New CEO

CIDA is delighted to announce the arrival of Anwar Akhtar as its new Chief Executive. Anwar comes to CIDA after completing the Clore Leadership Programme and was previously the Project Director for the Rich Mix Cultural Foundation where he successfully raised substantial capital and revenue funding whilst leading the business development, partnerships and planning for the centre.

Anwar will drive CIDA forward as the leading creative industries development agency in East London. The CIDA team will continue to offer information, advice, training, networking & showcasing opportunities, and champion creative individuals, businesses, and arts organisations in East London.

Click here to find out more about CIDA.

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New Time Galleries Open at the Royal Observatory, Maritime Greenwich

Visitors can now explore the importance of time in our lives through interactive exhibits at the new Time Galleries at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. The first stage of the redevelopment is now complete, with the opening of four new galleries about time:

Time and Longitude shows how the longitude problem was solved not once but twice
Time and Greenwich looks at the development of accurate timekeeping
Time in Society illustrates how we use timekeepers to make sense of our everyday world
Time for the Navy allows you to go behind the scenes in our horology workshop and see famous naval chronometers

Click here for further information about the new galleries.

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Greenwich Prepares to Welcome 2007 Tour de France

Greenwich Council has warmly welcomed London’s success in winning the bid to host the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in 2007.

Details of the route were unveiled on the 9th February, revealing that Stage One of the 2007 Tour, scheduled for Sunday 8 July 2007, will travel for approximately 11 km through the borough of Greenwich, entering at Deptford which is part of neighbouring Lewisham and leaving at Abbey Wood.

During its passage through the borough, the Tour will pass close to three of the venues that are due to host Olympic events during the London 2012 Games:

Greenwich Royal Park , venue for equestrian events, including show jumping and three-day eventing
The O2, venue for gymnastics, badminton and basketball
Woolwich Barracks, venue for shooting events

The passage through Greenwich of the world’s most famous and arduous cycle race will also serve to shine a spotlight on some of the borough’s world-famous heritage sites.

Click here for further information.

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Partner Update

Sharon Chou is the new Marketing Assistant at TourEast London. Contact her on 020 7345 5144 or sharon@visiteastlondon.co.uk

Valentina Diamanti-Fox is the new Tourism Officer at Greenwich Council. Contact her on 020 8921 6295 or Valentina.Fox@greenwich.gov.uk

Sneha Sangyam is the new Visitor Promotions Officer at Newham Council. Contact her on 0208 430 2079 (ext 47250) or Sneha.Sangyam@newham.gov.uk

Becky Jefcoate has now left the Museum of London Group. Emily Ransford is the marketing contact on 020 7814 5510 or eransford@museumoflondon.org.uk

Nosheen Karim is the new Corporate Sales Manager at Express Holiday Inn London Limehouse and London Royal Docks. Contact her on nosheen@splendidhotels.co.uk

Vanishing London Market Tours is a new partner. They offer visitors tours of London's oldest surviving markets. For further information contact Sandra Shevey on sandra_shevey@yahoo.com

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Useful Web Links

Visit www.visiteastlondon.co.uk for up and coming events listings this Easter and more information on our unusual and quirky products and leisure ideas.

www.london2012.org

www.lda.gov.uk

www.visitlondon.com

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