Domestic tourism firms urged to support inbound push

UK tourism businesses are being urged to back a new series of overseas marketing initiatives from VisitBritain. The campaigns are aimed at increasing the 24.7 million foreign visitors to the UK in 2003, who spent a total of £11.8 billion. The tourist organisation’s three-year international marketing strategy includes a focus on city breaks, good living and touring. VisitBritain renews a city breaks campaign in the autumn, aiming to increase the number of short stays by Europeans. The touring campaign is aimed at increasing the 7.3 million annual visitors by car by encouraging them to stay in B&B’s guest houses and pubs. The good living element is designed to position the UK as a destination where tourists can recharge their batteries and “enrich mind, body and soul,” according to VisitBritain. The campaigns will be promoted through consumer brochures, advertising, direct mail, exhibitions, online and through public relations efforts in key countries. VisitBritain international marketing director Kenny Boyle said the new campaigns had been developed following research. “This work has enabled us to develop unique insights into inbound tourism trends, to continually improve our understanding of what motivates potential visitors to travel and to establish how we can best position Britain’s fantastic tourism product to meet these needs,” he said. Report by Phil Davies