VISITBRITAIN and Tourism Ireland launched their biggest business-to-business travel trade event, Destination Britain & Ireland (Debi), in Banglore, India. Now in its eighth year, this annual event, which moves to a new city each year, is the organisations’ biggest trade event of its kind in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa region (Apmea) and 2011 has once again been a good year for the show in terms of attendance with participation from 72 individuals from 60 companies comprising of UK and Irish attractions, hotels, ground handlers, regional and national tourist boards and transport providers. At this year’s event, VisitBritain announced the global launch of its ‘Goodwill Ambassador’ programme in conjunction with its four-year global ‘Britain You’re Invited’ campaign. The campaign is backed by public-private partnership funding of £100 million ($162.7 million) and aims to attract and invite visitors from all over the world to visit and explore the destination. Celebrities from different regions were chosen as Goodwill Ambassadors by Sandie Dawe, VisitBritain’s chief executive, including Karan Johar, a top Bollywood filmmaker, Asha Gill, well-known Asian TV presenter, and Alex Hua Tian, leading 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games event riding candidate. Apart from mega-events such as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Britain has much to offer visitors from India and the rest of the world in the next couple of years. Speaking at the launch, Dawe said: 'Britain welcomed more than four million visitors in 2010 from the Asia-Pacific and Middle East and Africa region. These travellers spent approximately £4.5 billion ($7.4 billion). As one of our major growth regions, Asia will be a key area for the global roll out of the ‘Britain You’re Invited’ campaign.' Laurence Bresh, VisitBritain’s marketing director added: 'We are delighted to have these ambassadors join us in our campaign to invite the world to celebrate with us in Britain. They are great representatives in their respective fields and we hope that potential visitors will find their personal stories of Britain highly inspiring.' The three Asian Goodwill Ambassadors all share one thing in common - they were all, in some way, inspired by Britain in their respective fields. Johar’s career was shaped by his early films, some of which were shot in Britain. He said: 'Britain has a certain soul that film cannot capture; you have to be there to experience it. No matter where you’re from or what your likes and dislikes are, Britain has not just a little something, but a lot for everyone.' Gill, who began her career in Britain’s media industry and eventually gained fame as a veejay on Channel [V], is drawn to Britain’s music scene while Chinese Olympic event rider Alex Hua Tian, who currently trains and lives in Britain, really sees the destination as the home of his sport. He said: 'It’s a great opportunity to promote the best Britain has to offer, especially the thrilling sport of eventing, which takes place in the most beautiful settings in the UK. 'The 2012 London Olympics equestrian events are being held at Greenwich Park – what a wonderful location.' ‘Britain You’re Invited’ is part of VisitBritain’s four-year marketing programme which will run in three phases – the 12 months in the run up to the Games; the Games themselves and the period after, converting the interest generated by the media exposure in the run up to and during the Games into bookings. There are plans to introduce an ambassador for other regions including the Middle East in the near future.