VisitBritain aims to inspire travel to destinations outside of major British cities. The Countryside Collection represents the first time the national tourism board has developed a campaign using a mix of curated content from American travel experts and crowd-sourced itinerary ideas from their followers.
NEW YORK – VisitBritain, the national tourist board for England, Scotland and Wales, unveiled a new GREAT Britain campaign initiative, The Countryside Collection, with an unforgettable celebration in New York City. The night included an intimate performance by Katherine Jenkins, OBE, the world’s best-selling classical crossover artist and Dancing with the Stars finalist. Alexandra Richards, DJ, model and daughter of British rock legend, Keith Richards, served as the night’s DJ.
The event was hosted by Her Majesty’s Consul General Danny Lopez and saw over 150 of New York’s top media, taste makers and influencers including Lily Donaldson, Matthew Goode, Tennessee Thomas, Mikey Kay, Mickey Boardman, Lady Liliana Cavendish, Matthew Hitt, Ben Watts, Andrew Levitas and more, embark on an immersive experience to discover the unexpected side of Great Britain’s stunning countryside. As part of the Government’s successful GREAT Britain campaign, The Countryside Collection aims to grow the visitor economy and increase tourism in the rural areas of the country.
Katherine Jenkins, OBE, from Neath, Wales, is the world’s most prolific classical crossover artist and the fastest-selling mezzo-soprano ever. In her role as an official ambassador for Britain’s GREAT campaign, Katherine has recorded an exclusive track honoring her homeland, entitled “Home,” which was performed live at the event. Katherine dazzled in a dress designed by Stella McCartney, a fellow GREAT ambassador for the GREAT Britain Campaign.
The Countryside Collection launch was an evening of storytelling and memory-making as guests were welcomed into a large SoHo studio and transported to a ‘GREAT room’ of a contemporary British country house hotel. Once inside, guests were taken on a journey through the senses, bringing the surprising nature of the British countryside to life. A toast led by VisitBritain kicked off the evening and personal countryside memories were shared with the night’s guests, including foreign correspondent, TV host and world traveler Mikey Kay and Katherine Jenkins, OBE. Guests were surrounded by a mix of modern and traditional British textiles, delicious British winter comfort foods interpreted in a contemporary way and stunning photography and art – all showcasing the heart of the real British countryside, standing in stark contrast to what they thought they knew about Britain.
Of her involvement, Katherine Jenkins said, “The countryside of Britain offers American visitors a place alive with culture and blessed with stunning scenic beauty for all to enjoy. I am delighted to be working with VisitBritain and the GREAT Britain campaign to showcase the best of the British countryside.” Katherine’s tenth studio album, “Home Sweet Home,” will be released in the US on January 27 and draws on special moments and authentic experiences to showcase Katherine’s passion for her homeland to the world.
“Our research shows that Britain’s beautiful landscapes are often overlooked by our overseas visitors,” said Joss Croft, VisitBritain’s global Director of Marketing. “With this campaign, we want to re-energize Americans’ perceptions of the British countryside and encourage visitors to explore different parts of Britain. The ultimate aim is to increase the revenue international tourism generates for the rural economy.”
“Our countryside offers the very best of Britain,” said Danny Lopez, Her Majesty’s Consul General in New York. “Visitors will experience world-class museums and galleries, delicious local cuisine and first-rate heritage sites, just as they might in the big cities. And they can enjoy all this from the Highlands of Scotland to the tallest peaks of North Wales and throughout England’s beautiful villages. It truly is the best of both worlds.”
The Countryside Collection was curated by three esteemed American travel tastemakers, and the destinations and experiences were hand-selected, based on their passion points and the interests of their fans and followers. Specializing in a diverse mix of luxury, food, adventure and culture, Kirsten Alana, Rob Lloyd and Rachelle Lucas were all on hand to bring their curated collection of countryside picks to life. Travelers can follow their journeys and find inspiration at the visitbritain.com/countrysidecollection – the newly created campaign website.
The Countryside Collection represents the first time the national tourism board has developed a campaign using a mix of curated content from American travel experts and crowd-sourced itinerary ideas from their followers. Brand42, the London based Creative/Digital Agency, designed the UX/UI of the campaign site and also developed the fully responsive interactive experience to support the wider campaign.
The Countryside Collection Launch Event Partners
To help bring a taste of the British countryside to life in New York City, a diverse mix of exclusive British food and drink, cosmetic, fashion and decorative brands were integrated into the evening, giving guests a taste of the celebrated British countryside-chic lifestyle.
As guests entered the Boot Room, decorated in Farrow & Ball wallpaper, they were greeted by an assortment of cashmere Brora products and fashions. Once guests entered the kitchen and the aromas began to awaken their senses, they were greeted by a Welsh Rarebit bar courtesy of Visit Wales and the local New York Snowdonia Gastropub, named for the stunning Snowdonia Park region of North Wales. At this bar, guests selected toppings for their rarebit – a traditional Welsh cheese toastie – which was made on the spot.
As guests walked into the GREAT room, they encountered a GIF booth, also courtesy of Visit Wales, with a Welsh inspired photo wall showcasing all of the beautiful Welsh landscapes… Guests were then treated to wine from Ridgeview and Hattingley Valley wineries, ginger beer courtesy of the British mainstay Crabbie’s and scotch whisky from The Balvenie – all culminating in a special toast with a very rare, and very delicious, aged bottle of whisky. Guests also bellied up to the bar and enjoyed teapot cocktails with Hendrick’s Gin.
UK-based beauty and skincare company, The Organic Pharmacy, provided luxurious products for the restrooms and their candles were placed throughout. British designer and artist Jasper Conran’s debut book Country was placed on tables throughout the space to peruse. Jan Constantine’s original specialty products, including teapots and jugs situated at the tea station were admired by all. Car service for select VIP guests was provided by Hertz, which is an official campaign partner for Countryside is GREAT. What better way to explore the British countryside than to drive through its scenic landscape?
Statement from James Berresford, CEO, VisitEngland, in response to the announcement that Coastal Community Funding worth £36 million is being released to help coastal destinations boost tourism across the country: “England has a world-renowned coastline and this funding will build on VisitEngland’s ongoing work to drive job creation and growth in seaside and coastal destinations through targeted marketing campaigns. So far we have worked with around 35 seaside destinations benefiting from £1.2million from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund. We are also encouraging coastal towns to take advantage of the surge in short-breaks over the last few years. Our figures from 2013 show that 29.6 million tourists took English short breaks which was worth £5.6 billion in spend.
The seaside towns, local communities, attractions and landscapes that form part of this are a huge draw for domestic and international visitors. Investment is key – and there is a need for coastal towns to continuously reinvent themselves and to strive toward attracting visitors all-year round. This timely investment from government for the 30 plus projects set to benefit, will stimulate a raft of activity across England’s coastline. It will help to unlock the enormous potential of our seaside towns by creating jobs and businesses opportunities.”
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
