In the run up to this year’s English Tourism Week, which takes place from 18 – 27 March, VisitBritain and British Airways have launched a multi-million pound campaign in the USA, Britain’s largest and most valuable inbound visitor market.

The co-created, multi-channel campaign, Meanwhile in Britain, will showcase another side of Britain full of current, cool and unmissable experiences. The campaign is being curated by experts who are embedded in the fabric of British culture, challenging perceptions of the destination and the journey that awaits travellers on their next trip.

VisitBritain Executive Vice President of the Americas Gavin Landry said: “Britain is packed full of undiscovered and exciting experiences, and we want people to book a trip right now to come and explore our diverse culture, heritage and offerings across our nations and regions.

“The landmark events this year, including Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrating 70 years on the throne, ‘Unboxed,’ the series of 10 UK-wide events showcasing the country’s creativity, and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences that visitors can only have this year, in Britain. Working with a partner like British Airways amplifies our reach as we drive recovery from COVID, turning the inspiration to visit into bookings.” 

VisitBritain is the national tourism agency responsible for marketing Britain worldwide and for developing Britain's visitor economy. As a global airline and Britain’s flag carrier, British Airways has been flying its customers to where they need to be for more than 100 years. 

The USA is the UK’s largest and most valuable inbound visitor market, worth £4.2 billion in 2019; 15% of all inbound spending. In 2019, there were 4.5 million visits from the USA, 11% of all inbound visits to the UK in 2019.  

English Tourism Week is an annual celebration of England’s diverse, exciting and vibrant tourism sector, which showcases the quality, range and value of English tourism to key stakeholders. Making up 80% of the UK’s visitor economy, English tourism in 2019 generated over £100 billion a year and supported 2.6 million jobs. 

Tom Stevens, Director of Brand & Customer Experience at British Airways said: “As we recover from the global pandemic, we are ready to be the airline that reconnects Britain with the world and the world with Britain – and are delighted to partner with VisitBritain in our shared goal of encouraging visitors to Britain.”

Meanwhile in Britain will aim to drive consideration and bookings for Britain on British Airways, while influencing target audiences, including experience-driven travellers. The campaign highlights handpicked tastemakers who are experts in their fields, including Jonathan Heaf, Chief Content Officer at Soho House, Aisha & Oreoluwa Ayoade, co-founders of art platform Yellowzine which champions work by artists of African, Asian and Caribbean heritage, and Matthew Lindley, a British Airways 777 Pilot.

The tastemakers will provide their tips and favourite experiences to enjoy in British cities, incorporating food, the outdoors, and British icons with a modern twist. These include everything from trying vegan Butchery at Rudy’s Vegan Diner in London (recommended by Heaf), discovering the creative district of FarGo Village in Coventry (recommended by Ayoade), and getting to new heights with the Dare Skywalk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (recommended by Lindley).

Janet Redler, Chief Executive of Janet Redler Travel & Tourism, added: “This exciting new campaign will help to communicate what’s unique and exciting about Britain today, and we’re sure it will entice many people in the USA to visit Britain for the first time, or to return once more. After the challenges of the last two years, it will provide a vital boost for British tourism in our largest inbound market.”

If you or your clients would like to enjoy a tailor-made tour of England or the United Kingdom, taking in some of the many interesting, varied and exciting things to do here, please do contact our friendly team today.