THE British Tourist Authority is hoping its new global
logo UKOK will emulate the highly successful I Love New York slogan.
UKOK will front a £5 million marketing campaign to
lure visitors back to Britain after last year’s disasters of
foot and mouth and September 11, which cost the
country £2 billion in lost tourism revenue (Travel Weekly, January 7).
BTA researchers interviewed Americans at length about
the use of its latest branding to see if it would have the same impact as New
York’s world-famous rallying call.
The authority’s chairman David Quarmby said: “I Love
New York is very popular. UKOK could be like that.”
He hoped the slogan would be as resilient as New
York’s and feature in BTA campaigns for years to come. The Big Apple has used
its strapline for 25 years.
Quarmby dismissed comments the new logo was harking
back to the embarrassment of Cool Britannia, the line used
by the newly elected Labour government to promote the
UK.
“It’s nothing to do with Cool Britannia, it is
thoroughly researched and plays on the British trait of understatement. Last
year was the worst ever for tourism,” he said.
BTA’s marketing drive to the seven key markets of the
US, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands is being
supported by the Government. US visitors are down 9% on last year.
Culture secretary Tessa Jowell helped launch the
campaign at the Tower of London. She said: “Tourism had a difficult year last
year, but there are signs of recovery. The decision by Americans and Europeans
not to travel hit tourism hard and this campaign will remind people to come to
Britain.”
Jowell said the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and the
Commonwealth Games in Manchester would spearhead promotions. She said the
Government would help people organise Jubilee events and said there was no
basis in sniping comments that events would be hampered by bureaucracy.
British Incoming Tour Operators Association chief
executive Richard Tobias and British Airways chairman Lord Marshall also helped
launch the BTA initiative.
Tobias said improving
hospitality standards would draw visitors, while BA is to offer cheap tickets
to Americans to entice them back.