VisitBritain – the authority for tourism in Britain – announced that an estimated 26.34 million international visitors will come to Britain this year…
VisitBritain – the authority for tourism in Britain – announced that an estimated 26.34 million international visitors will come to Britain this year , which would make 2004 the best ever recorded year for visitors.
The figure will eclipse the previously recorded high for inbound visitors in 1998 when 25.7 million international visitors came to the UK. VisitBritain announced the latest estimates on international visitors on the day they published their Annual Report for 2003/04, which evaluates the key achievements of the organisation over its first year ending 31 March.
Among the many highlights identified in the report is the major European Short Breaks Campaign, a £4 million campaign to showcase British cities in Europe. The campaign contributed to a 10% increase in the number of visits from Western Europe, with £162 million incremental spend being generated.
VisitBritain also launched a major campaign worth approximately £2 million to attract US visitors back to Britain. Building on the momentum, residual awareness and proven success of the multi-media ‘Only in Britain. Only in 2002’ campaign, it targeted key gateway cities, including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. In addition, VisitBritain extended its international marketing presence to new markets such as Russia, Poland, South Korea and China.
VisitBritain’s role in promoting England domestically is also covered in the report. In 2003 the first England marketing campaign in a decade was launched to the value of £4 million. The campaign received over £1.7 million worth of media coverage and 240,000 requests for brochures as a result of TV advertising.
Launching VisitBritain’s Annual Report for 2003/04, chairman Sir Michael Lickiss commented:
“British tourism is now well on the road to recovery following the challenges of the last three years.
“If the latest estimates on visitor numbers for 2004 are fulfilled the British tourism industry will have much to celebrate.
“Tourism is one of the UK’s most important industries employing more than 2.1 million people and accounting for 4.5% of GDP. To achieve our joint vision of building a British tourism industry worth £100 billion a year by 2010, we need effective strategies to ensure that visitors have a first class experience. Investment in tourism is absolutely essential to achieving this aim”.
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the Rt. Hon Tessa Jowell MP said:
“This report gives a very positive assessment of the health of our tourism industry. VisitBritain can be proud of its achievements in promoting the best that Britain has to offer. Its professional, customer-focused marketing campaigns, and its innovative use of new technology, are helping to support our tourism industry and the vital employment and investment that tourism brings throughout the country.
“Together, we are working towards meeting our joint objectives for the industry, as outlined in Tomorrow`s Tourism Today. VisitBritain is leading the drive to ensure that potential visitors from abroad are aware of the richness and diversity of our country.”
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