Destination UK - Welcoming the World in 2012

ATLANTA – Sept. 3 – A chance to ride on the London Eye or win passes to some of Britain’s iconic heritage sites are in store for attendees at the Around the Rings Newsmaker Tea in Chicago next Wednesday.

Travel and tourism to Great Britain is the topic of the Newsmaker event, set for Sept. 9 at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. The event is jointly sponsored by VisitBritain and UK Sport. It precedes the U. S. Olympic Team Media Summit.

Anyone who can’t attend but who has questions about what’s in store for tourism and travel to Britain in the lead up to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London can submit questions in advance to breakfast@aroundtherings.com.

“We know journalists and others involved with the Games want to see all that Britain has to offer over the next three years. We also know they have lots of questions about topics such as accessibility and pricing, and we want to make it easy for them to get those answers,” says ATR editor Ed Hula.

Panelists include Simon Bradley, regional director for the Americas for VisitBritain, Mark Lewis, president of Jet Set Sports, and Laurie Borman, former editorial director of Rand McNally.

A drawing for two pairs of tickets to the London Eye and four Great British Heritage Passes will be held at the close of the event.

The discussion also will be recorded and available at www.aroundtherings.com shortly after the event ends.

An authentic British tea kicks off the event from 4 to 4:30 p.m. ATR editor Ed Hula will introduce the topic and panel at 4:30 p.m. Following a Q&A with his guests, the floor is turned over to questions from the audience for the remainder of the event.

Newsmaker Breakfasts began as casual meetings led by Hula during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. They continued in Sydney, Salt Lake City and Beijing. Previous Newsmaker guests have included IOC President Jacques Rogge, then president of the European Olympic Committees; NBC sports chairman Dick Ebersol; Gianna Angelopoulos, chair of Athens 2004, and Prince Albert of Monaco.

Space is limited. RSVP via email to: breakfast@aroundtherings.com, or call Sheila S. Hula or Janice McDonald at +1 404 874 1603, ext. 102.

To schedule an interview with Ed Hula, contact Sheila Scott Hula at Sheila@aroundtherings.com or call +1 404-874-1603, ext. 102.

For a two-week trial of Around the Rings, email twoweektrial@aroundtherings.com.

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About Around the Rings

For nearly 20 years, AroundTheRings.com has been the only publication devoted to providing original, on-the-scene reporting about the $5 billion dollar business of the Olympic Movement. Based in Atlanta, Ga., with a worldwide team of correspondents, Around the Rings provides thorough international sport business news coverage with daily email blasts, a weekly newsletter and special edition magazines.