VISITENGLAND – Growing Tourism Locally
Regardless of the typical British weather, the summer of 2012 has been amazing. The achievements of gold medal-winning athletes like Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis have made many of us proud to be British. And the overall success of the Games has given us a spring in our step that make us want to shout about what a fun, friendly and vibrant place this is to be.
Now it’s time to put our money where our mouths are.
VisitEngland, the national tourism board, wants us to dig our heels into British soil when we think about taking a holiday. Its new £41 million marketing campaign, Growing Tourism Locally, aims to boost tourism at home creating more than 9,000 jobs and an additional £365 million in tourism spend.
Since 2005, when the bid was won, the focus has been on attracting global tourism with huge international campaigns to woo visitors to Britain. But VisitEngland has spotted the home advantage and is now keen to branch out to the domestic traveller too. The campaign is rooted in our renewed sense of national pride and reminds us that we don’t have to travel far to enjoy a world class holiday.
James Berresford, VisitEngland's chief executive, said: "This is a great time to launch and we hope that by riding on the crest of a wave of a successful summer of sport we will harness the swell of national pride and inspire Brits to holiday at home this year and beyond."
The three year project is funded by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund and supplemented by contributions from VisitEngland and private business.
The spadework begins in Cumbria with an advertising campaign called Go Share Great Moments and Go Take Your Breath Away which feature the countryside of the Lake District and other parts of the region famous for food, adrenaline pursuits and family fun. Posters will soon be appearing in London’s busiest railway and underground stations.
Other destination campaigns will be rolled out over the next six months and themed campaigns will begin early next year to boost bookings for Easter and summer 2013. Themes will celebrate the things for which England is most loved – its fascinating and often bloody heritage, spectacular coastline, beautiful countryside and inspiring culture from arts and literature to sport and recreation.
Business Tourism will also receive support from the Regional Growth Fund and will build on VisitEngland’s work to increase the value of international conferences, events and conventions.
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