VisitBritain is claiming the strongest period on record for inbound tourism in the first seven months of the year.
The UK attracted 19.8 million visits to Britain between January and July – an increase of 7% compared to the same period last year.
This builds on a record 32.8 million inbound visits in 2013 when tourism revenues grew by 13%, with international visitors spending more money than ever across Britain, contributing £24 billion to the UK economy.
The aim is to attract 40 million travellers from overseas by 2020.
The organisation’s GREAT campaign claims to be spreading the economic benefits of tourism across the country with the value of inbound tourism to Scotland and various regions of England growing by 20% and 15% respectively, and 12% in London.
VisitBritain’s annual review for 2013/14 reveals that GREAT campaign marketing activity has generated £1.8 billion of a four-year £2 billion additional visitor spend target.
It has also achieved £43 million of its four-year £50 million partnership funding target, putting it on track to hit its goal by the end of the 2014/15 financial year. Partners include British Airways, EasyJet, Virgin Atlantic, P&O Ferries, Expedia, Yahoo! and the Barclays Premier League.
VisitBritain was set a target by government in 2011 of delivering a £100 million marketing campaign over four years, with £50 million of that budget generated from partnership funding.
The objectives of the ‘You’re Invited’ campaign were to attract four million additional visitors, additional tourist spending of £2 billion and the creation of 50,000 new jobs.
VisitBritain says it can now demonstrate how it is reaching these “stretching” targets with spend by international visitors forecast to grow by more than 6% a year across the rest of this decade.
VisitBritain has been allocated £17 million for the GREAT image campaign in 2014/15 and will be launching a three-year £3 million ‘Countryside is GREAT’ campaign to showcase the British regions.
In terms of its market focus for 2014/2015, VisitBritain will work on growing
China, India and the Gulf states are being targeted as fast-growing emerging markets alongside boosting visits from mature markets like the US and France.
Details of the largest ever consumer marketing campaign in China worth £1.6 million will be revealed later this year.
VisitBritain will stage ExploreGB, claimed to be the world’s largest and most influential B2B tourism event, in February, bringing leading travel companies from across the world into the UK.
VisitBritain chairman Christopher Rodrigues said: “Delivering a record year for inbound tourism is a tribute to the industry, our commercial partners and the National Boards who have supported our activity.
“VisitBritain is proud to have played its part, particularly in its delivery of the GREAT campaign and bringing in private sector funding to maximise government’s investment in tourism – Britain’s fifth largest export industry.
“Every action we take is inspired by a simple motivation: to add value to the inbound tourism industry and drive economic growth across Britain’s nations and regions.
“The last year has seen this happen and we want to continue that story of success and growth to achieve our ambition of 40 million inbound visitors by 2020.”
Tourism minister Helen Grant said: “Tourism is playing a key part in the government’s long term economic plan with visitors coming to these shores spending money, and supporting local jobs and businesses up and down the country.
“The UK has a huge amount to offer – spectacular scenery, world class museums, fantastic sport, theatre, vibrant cities and welcoming people.
“VisitBritain’s annual report shows good results from the government’s GREAT marketing campaign over the last three years and it’s vital that we continue to build on this momentum.”