VisitBritain to host int'l travel trade during Showcase Britain

VisitBritain is gearing up to welcome more than 120 international travel buyers for a series of educational visits across Britain, as part of its flagship ‘Showcase Britain 2024’ trade event.

The educational visits, under way from Jan. 27, are a mix of three-to-five-day itineraries to destinations across England, Wales and Scotland, showcasing to buyers and travel media the latest tourism products across Britain and the fresh and exciting experiences for visitors to come and enjoy this year.

Canadian buyers will be joined by buyers from 18 international markets including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, France, Germany, the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, India, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Nordic countries, South Korea Switzerland and the USA. 

As part of their educational for Showcase, the Canadian buyers will be exploring Scotland.

“We are delighted to be showcasing Britain’s outstanding destinations, tourism products and experiences to international buyers and travel press, highlighting the very best of our nations and regions to broaden travel itineraries and drive bookings," said VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates. 

"From the beauty of our coast and countryside, the vibrancy of our cities and cultural attractions to our world-class dining and accommodation, buyers will experience first-hand the quality of our tourism offer alongside the warmest of British welcomes." 

"I know that the international buyers and media will return home in no doubt about the outstanding quality of tourism products and experiences available right across Britain.”

VisitBritain’s Executive Vice President, The Americas, Australia & New Zealand Paul Gauger added: 

“Working closely with travel trade in Canada is crucial to selling travel to Britain. This event is a great opportunity to bring together many of our industry partners to strengthen connections and share first-hand experience of the outstanding and varied tourism products on offer. We want to showcase a modern and dynamic Britain inspiring our travel trade partners and our visitors to ‘See Things Differently’.”

The hosted visits are part of the national tourism agency’s ‘Showcase Britain’ trade mission, which gets under way with a networking event for international buyers and travel media hosted in the Painted Hall at The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London, on Jan. 25.

The buyers and travel media will be officially welcomed by VisitBritain Chairman Nick de Bois CBE and CEO Patricia Yates with updates from the agency’s trade teams, as well as from VisitEngland, London & Partners, VisitScotland and Visit Wales on the latest products, experiences, hospitality and accommodation.

VisitBritain is also set to highlight its international campaigns for 2024, to drive inspiration to visit. 

Its GREAT Britain marketing campaigns will be running in Australia, France, Germany, the GCC and the USA, inspiring visitors to ‘See Things Differently’ by showing fresh and exciting experiences, alongside a warm British welcome. 

Its global campaigns in 2024 are also harnessing the power of screen tourism to showcase Britain’s regional diversity, highlighting film and TV locations, destinations and visitor experiences.

Before heading off on their educational tours, the buyers will also attend the ‘Britain & Ireland Marketplace’ (BIM) trade event on January 26, held at the Intercontinental London - The O2, with a full day of business appointments and networking with tourism suppliers and destinations across Britain.

VisitBritain’s latest inbound tourism forecast predicts 39.5 million inbound visits to the UK in 2024, up five per cent on the 37.8 million that were expected in 2023 although still three per cent shy of 2019’s record levels. 

Its forecast for overseas visitor spending this year is £34.1 billion, up seven per cent on the spending predicted in 2023 and up 20 per cent on 2019, although 96 per cent of 2019 levels when adjusted for inflation.

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