Berry Bros. 3 St James's St, London. Filming location of Kingsman headquarters (Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox).
VisitBritain is tempting US tourists to discover the exciting, secretive and adventurous side of Britain in a new film tourism campaign ahead of Kingsman: The Golden Circle. The film, from acclaimed director Matthew Vaughn, is in cinemas in the US on September 22, 2017.
NEW YORK, NY – The national tourism organization launches a six-week global campaign in partnership with MARV films, 20th Century Fox and Expedia to inspire people to book a Kingsman-inspired holiday to Britain.
The campaign includes the launch of a “Kingsman takeover” on a bespoke VisitBritain Expedia content platform where visitors can enter a spy-inspired world through the gamified site developed by Expedia Media Solutions. On the site, visitors can explore Kingsman-themed content including information about the British filming locations, details of visitor experiences and can create and book itineraries for their trip to Britain, which can be shared with friends through social media. Visitors to the site can also test their secret service skills in an interactive game featuring scenes from the film and enter a competition to win a Kingsman-themed trip to Britain.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle was filmed across Britain and features iconic landmarks including Savile Row, Hyde Park, Eventim Apollo (formerly Hammersmith Apollo) and the Greenwich Royal Naval College in London. Other filming locations include Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales and GlenDronach Distillery in Forgue By Huntly, Scotland.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle stars original cast members Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, and Mark Strong, and introduces new cast members Jeff Bridges, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal, Halle Berry, and Julianne Moore.
VisitBritain Executive Vice President Americas, Gavin Landry said: “Britain is home to some of the world’s most-loved secret agents and their thrilling adventures. Our stunning landscapes and iconic cityscapes provide captivating backdrops for their adrenaline-induced undertakings and dashing lifestyles, from buying suits at Savile Row to hatching plots and sipping whiskey in the Scottish Highlands.
“Our collaboration with Expedia and 20th Century Fox on Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a fantastic opportunity to promote to US audiences adventurous and spy-inspired destinations that can only be experienced in Britain and convert that inspiration to visit into a booking.” Expedia Media Solutions Senior Director Andrew van der Feltz said: “Building on the success of our multi-year marketing partnership with VisitBritain, we are thrilled to incorporate the exciting new Kingsman film to our bespoke online campaign as a way to showcase more of the iconic landmarks and cultural experiences in the country, and continue inspiring and encouraging visitation to Great Britain.
“Our custom studies show that more than 50 percent of US millennials are planning and booking travel on an online travel agency and the spy-inspired, gamified content is a creative way to inspire people to travel to Britain, while also helping them easily plan and book their itinerary.”
20th Century Fox Executive Vice President, Marketing Partnerships, Zachary Eller said:
“We’re excited to continue to bring the world of the Kingsman’s Britain to American moviegoers. The experience that VisitBritain and Expedia have created allows fans to delve deep into this world.”
Research by VisitBritain shows that films are powerful motivators for travel, with more than a third of all potential visitors to Britain wanting to visit places they have seen in movies or on TV. Films also shine the spotlight on less-visited but equally inspiring destinations, boosting tourism across more of Britain. For more than a decade, VisitBritain has been promoting Britain to the world through film, most recently as part of the UK Government’s GREAT Britain campaign. The US is Britain’s most valuable inbound visitor market and also one of its largest, as evidenced by the 3.5 million visits from US travelers in 2016 with visitors spending a record-breaking £3.4 billion.
Last year also set a record for inbound tourism to Britain on overseas visits and spend overall with 37.6 million visits, up 4% on 2015, and visitors spending £22.5 billion, up 2%.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
