A deal to jointly market inbound tourism to the UK worth a claimed £18 million has been struck between VisitBritain and easyJet.
The four-year agreement is designed to attract four million extra visitors to the UK spending £2 million while helping create 50,000 new jobs across the country.
The campaign will be launched in key inbound tourism source markets in an effort to capitalise on the impending Royal Wedding, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and 2012 Olympic Games.
The low fares carrier is the most recent company to contribute towards a target marketing fund of £100 million, with the private sector match funding the £50 million of public money already committed by VisitBritain.
The deal between the two parties is worth over £18 million in cash and “marketing in kind,” according to VisitBritain.
EasyJet’s contribution will be focused mainly in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland which match VisitBritain’s “priority countries” for attracting tourists.
The national tourism agency’s chief executive Sandie Dawe said: “We are delighted that easyJet has signed up to be one of the founding partners of our marketing campaign.
“They offer a fantastic regional spread of routes and cover our core European markets making all parts of Britain accessible for our European visitors.
“We look forward to working with them to ensure that the opportunities we have in the years ahead are turned into growth for our tourism industry across Britain.”
The airline’s chief executive Carolyn McCall said: “Over 300 million Europeans live within a one hour drive of an easyJet airport and this partnership will help easyJet bring even more visitors to the UK.
“Operating Europe’s best network of flights makes it easy and affordable for people to fly to Britain and easyJet is committed to positioning Britain as a top tourist destination and increasing visitor numbers.”
Tourism minister John Penrose said: “EasyJet is joining a distinguished group of key tourism businesses, whose support will help us make the most of everything that’s going on in the UK over the next couple of years.
“The eyes of the world will be on us from next month, right through to the end of 2012 and beyond. Thanks to easyJet and the other backers, we will be well-placed to make sure that this interest is turned into sustained growth for our tourist industry, and a cause for real national pride.”