Culture Secretary Maria Miller today launched a tourism partnership strategy for Britain which demands the travel industry and the federal government, which include key private and non-private sector bodies, to unite behind an extended-term ambition for growth that will see Britain welcome 40 million overseas visitors by 2020, spending £31.5 billion and supporting yet another 200,000 jobs around the country.
Tourism is an industry that already employs 2.6 million people a year – supporting one in twelve jobs within the UK.
In the past two years a 3rd of all new jobs created were in tourism.
And tourism offers jobs across all skills levels and age ranges, particularly offering opportunities for children – 40 per cent of these employed in tourism are under 40.
International tourism is already an industry at which Britain competes well.
Last year Britain welcomed 31 million international visitors who spent £18.6 billion – a record amount.
The aim of this partnership strategy is to deliver an additional 29 per cent growth in visits by 2020, that increase would deliver an extra £8.7 billion in forex earnings.
The growth strategy is built around four key objectives:
- Building on Britain’s improved international image.
- Increasing engagement with the travel trade.
- Broadening the product range on offer for inbound tourists.
- Making it easier to get to Britain.
VisitBritain’s GREAT activity for 2013/14 will seek to preserve the notice and image boost created by London 2012.
The campaign will target strongly performing growth markets, Brazil, China, India and the Gulf in conjunction with established markets USA, France and Germany.
Over the last two years, VisitBritain’s marketing programme has directly contributed £900 million to the united kingdom tourism industry, a return on investment of 18 to 1.
VisitBritain has thus far secured £24 million in match-funding from the personal sector, doubling the federal government investment.
Emirates
And today VisitBritain is announcing a £2 million, two-year partnership with Emirates to advertise Britain overseas.
The deal will include a mixture of selling in kind and cash payments.
Emirates cover an enormous network of routes and destinations across South East Asia, Australia, India and the GCC and offer regional gateways across Britain.
The GCC region now signifies great potential for inbound visits to Britain.
By 2016 we forecast that 700,000 visitors could be welcomed representing a 32 per cent increase.
As a part of the expansion strategy the organisation announces its new regional hub in Dubai that may enable it to achieve around the GCC including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Kuwait City and Qatar.
VisitBritain – that’s already on the forefront of partnership working – will have a look at creative ways that existing resources, platforms and promotional material may be used by other organisations.
This is predicted to incorporate private sector partners and public diplomacy teams in source markets which include Mexico and South Korea.
Reflecting the responses from the consultation, the method reiterates the significance of industrial tourism and the ability of major events to extend visitor numbers, VisitBritain will build at the work already being achieved during this area – particularly in supporting major event bids, and using its overseas network to offer key insights and trade engagement.
Miller said: “Tourism is central to the Government’s economic growth strategy.
“It’s worth £115 billion to our economy a year and we have to ensure we retain a competitive edge and may compete with other destinations all over the world.
“With the good campaign we’re selling the suitable of england, building on strengths to enhance tourism income right around the country.”