VisitBritain will host more than 120 international travel industry buyers for a series of educational trips throughout the country. The educational trade visits, which will begin on January 28, consist of a variety of three-to-five-day itineraries to destinations in England, Wales, and Scotland, showcasing the newest tourism products to international buyers and demonstrating that Britain is brimming with new and exciting experiences for visitors to enjoy right now.
Participating in the educational visits are representatives from the UK’s three largest inbound markets, the United States, France, and Germany, as well as those from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, India, Italy, the Nordic countries, South Korea, and Spain.
VisitBritain’s chief executive officer, Patricia Yates, stated, “We are delighted to be showcasing Britain to international buyers to drive bookings. From the beauty of our coast and countryside to the exciting variety of our cultural attractions to our world class dining and accommodation, buyers will experience first-hand the warmest of British welcomes and the outstanding and varied tourism products on offer.”
She added that working with the international travel trade is essential for ensuring that they are prepared to promote Britain and for expanding travel itineraries in order to encourage visitors to explore further and stay longer.
The in-country teams of VisitBritain have collaborated with DMOs and DMCs in England, Scotland, and Wales to build customised itineraries for each market. All itineraries begin in London before customers go to destinations such as Manchester, Liverpool, and the Lake District; Bath, Bristol, and the Cotswolds; Newcastle and Northumberland; Cambridge; Somerset; the West Midlands; the English Wine Region; Edinburgh; and Cardiff, among others.
The hosted visits are part of the national tourism agency’s “Showcase Britain” event, which kicks off on Thursday, January 26 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London with a networking event for international buyers and travel media. VisitBritain Chairman Nick de Bois CBE will officially welcome the buyers, who will then hear updates from the agency’s trade teams as well as London & Partners, VisitScotland, and Visit Wales on the newest products, experiences, hospitality, and accommodations.
On January 27, prior to embarking on their educational tours, the purchasers will also attend the “Britain & Ireland Marketplace” (BIM). There, they will spend an entire day meeting with tourism suppliers and destinations. VisitBritain is also preparing to conduct its premier international trade event ExploreGB Virtual from February 27 to March 2.
VisitBritain is set to launch a new GREAT Britain marketing campaign in February to increase bookings. The campaign will invite tourists to ‘See Things Differently,’ portraying Britain as a vibrant, interesting, and inclusive destination. The campaign is also capturing major events in 2023, such as the coronation of King Charles III in May, for which an additional Bank Holiday has been announced, and Liverpool’s hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine in May, both of which are timely and valuable opportunities to promote Britain’s hospitality, creativity, and ability to host events of the highest calibre.
VisitBritain’s most recent prediction for 2023 forecasts 35.1 million incoming visits to the United Kingdom, equivalent to 86 percent of 2019 levels and 18 percent more than in 2022. It is anticipated that foreign visitors to the United Kingdom will spend £29.5 billion this year, a new high for annual incoming visitor spending.
