VisitBritain and Turkish Airlines have launched a global marketing partnership to attract more visitors to Britain from Saudi Arabia, India and other Gulf markets.
The partnership will see VisitBritain and Turkish Airlines develop an international marketing campaign over the coming 12 months focusing on the airline’s five regional gateways – Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh, Heathrow and Gatwick.
It is the first time the airline has partnered with a national tourist board on a global partnership.
VisitBritain chief executive Sally Balcombe said: "There are significant growth opportunities in the markets served by Turkish Airlines, including the emerging market of Saudi Arabia, using the airline’s global connectivity and rapidly expanding network.
In India, VisitBritain’s partnership with Turkish Airlines will see the launch of a tactical digital campaign in early 2016.
India is one of Britain’s most important emerging visitor markets, with almost 400,000 visits from India in 2014, a 4% increase from the previous year.
Turkish Airlines is also supporting VisitBritain’s ‘Bollywood is GREAT campaign’, focusing on promoting Britain’s culture and countryside. ‘¨
VisitBritain is partnering with film studio, Dharma Productions, in promoting regional Britain destinations that were used as locations for the Bollywood movie ‘Shaandar’ including Yorkshire and Durham, to be released in Indian cinemas this week.
In the Gulf, the marketing activity kicks off this week with a promotional campaign focusing on Saudi Arabia, an important emerging market for both organisations.
In 2014, Britain saw 144,000 visits from Saudi Arabia, with that figure expected to almost double by 2020.
The 12-month marketing partnership marks the start of a longer term alliance between VisitBritain and Turkish Airlines.
