VisitBritain and British Airways held a special event late last week with children, parents and an adorable bear.
The two companies asked industry colleagues to bring their young-ones along to a special screening of Paddington Bear at Hoyts in Sydney.
The move officially comes out on the bring screen tomorrow. In the meantime, VisitBritain has put together a list of five ways for fans of all ages to get the Paddington experience on the way to Britain.
1. Travelling with children
The key to making travelling with children as smooth and enjoyable a journey as possible is to keep them entertained. The team at British Airways provide children with entertainment packs as soon as they take their seats on long-haul flights to ensure they are kept amused throughout the journey.
The inflight entertainment system includes Skyflyer Kids’ Zone entertainment channels. As well as Disney and Cartoon Network programmes, blockbuster family movies and a dedicated audio music channel.
2. London for first time visitors
The young hero was named Paddington after the station he landed up in – and anyone who visits London will soon discover it’s the ideal place to start your own great adventure.
London is celebrating the celluloid debut of this favourite bear with the Paddington Trail. Designed by a host of artists, designers and celebrities the trail of 50 Paddington statues are placed across the capital taking in the key museums, parks and shops which track Paddington’s favourite haunts.
One of those places is the Natural History Museum in Kensington. Aside from the unparalleled dinosaur collection – from bones to animatronic velociraptors and an incredibly life-like Tyrannosaurus Rex – there are creepy crawlies, volcanoes, earthquakes, blue whales, fossils and all sorts of fun and games!
From April 2015, visitors to London will be able to embark on a three hour Paddington adventure with BritMovie Tours who are launching a tour dedicated to the Peruvian bear and the inspiration behind the film. Visitlondon.com/paddington
3. Real life Paddington encounters
Just a few hours from London is Chester Zoo where you can meet the inspiration for the beloved book and film character. Paddington comes from ‘darkest Peru’ – and the only bear that hails from South America is the Spectacled Bear (also sometimes known as Andean Bears).
Chester Zoo is home to two of these bears – with white rings around their eyes (no two bears have the same pattern).
In 2015 Chester Zoo will open the new Islands development, the most ambitious in UK zoo history. Islands will immerse visitors in an adventure where they will come face-to-face with residents ranging from warty pigs and banteng cattle, to Sulawesi macaques, Sumatran orangutans and sunda gharial crocodiles.www.chesterzoo.org
4. The best bear buys
London’s Paddington Station has a dedicated Paddington shop and you can stop and pick up a Paddington memento and have your photo taken with the Paddington statue that you’ll pass by on your way there. For all things Paddington – from cute keyrings, comfortable sweatshirts and cuddly bear toys – head to www.visitbritainshop.com.
You’ll also find memorabilia of your favourite bear at markets such as London’s Portobello market or pop into Hamley’s on London’s bustling Regent Street – and lose yourself in a cosy world of teddy bears and soft toys…including Paddington of course! www.hamleys.com.
And don’t forget to stock up on Paddington’s favourite snack – Marmalade. Fortnum & Mason offers a comprehensive selection of handmade marmalades in its flagship London store or sample one of the many Paddington-themed marmalade afternoon teas available around Britain.
5. Room for all your luggage
On British Airways flights, children and infants have a generous free hand and checked-in baggage allowance, which comes in handy when you consider all of the extra equipment required for travelling with kids, from bottles to nappies to their favourite bear. Furthermore, at the departure gate, families are invited to board first, and if passengers have a small folding pushchair, this can be taken right to the aircraft door at most airports.