VISITBRITAIN, the UK’s national tourism agency has entered into a $3 million partnership with Emirates airlines of the UAE as part of a drive to further promote Britain overseas.
In April, the UK’s culture, media and sport secretary Maria Miller launched a tourism partnership strategy for Britain which calls for the travel industry and the government, together with key public and private sector bodies, to unite behind a long-term ambition for growth that would see Britain welcome 40 million overseas visitors by 2020, spending £31.5 billion ($47.7 billion) and supporting an additional 200,000 jobs across the country.
The strategy is built around four objectives: building on Britain’s improved international image, increasing engagement with the travel trade, broadening the product range on offer for inbound tourists and making it easier to get to Britain.
As part of its strategy, the authority also announced a £2 million ($3 million), two-year partnership with Emirates to promote Britain overseas. The deal will include a combination of marketing in kind and cash payments.
The GCC region now signifies great potential for inbound visits to Britain. By 2016 VisitBritain forecasts that 700,000 visitors will be welcomed representing a 32 per cent increase, and as part of the growth strategy the organisation is opening a new regional hub in Dubai which will enable it to reach across the main GCC cities including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Kuwait City and Doha.
VisitBritain’sGreat activity for 2013/14 will seek to maintain the awareness and image boost created by London 2012. The campaign will target strongly performing growth markets, Brazil, China, India and the Gulf along with established markets US, France and Germany.