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• Organisations

VisitBritain

VisitBritain (VB) is the national tourism agency, responsible for marketing Britain worldwide and developing Britain’s visitor economy. It works with UK Trade & Investment as well as airlines, travel operators, global brands and the official tourism bodies for London, England, Scotland and Wales.

VB is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport .

News and communications

• 17 October 2023
• 24 June 2020
• Press release

Research and statistics

• 28 June 2019
• Research and analysis

Policy papers and consultations

• Policy paper

Transparency and freedom of information releases

• 19 July 2023
• Corporate report
• 15 July 2022

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New VisitBritain CEO Wants Visitors to Explore Beyond London

Andrea Doyle, Skift

March 19th, 2023 at 10:45 AM EDT

VisitBritain is focused on promoting the country's lesser-known sites, but CEO Patricia Yates acknowledges a big challenge it faces is getting people to understand there's a lot more to the island than London.

The United Kingdom is poised for a tourism boom in 2023, a welcome development for a country that has struggled to make a complete recovery from the pandemic . And VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates has big plans to boost visitor numbers even more, especially outside of popular destinations like London and Oxford.

Skift spoke to Yates during her recent visit to New York City. Yates, who previously worked as VisitBritain’s strategy and communications director before being named CEO in 2022, touched on the country’s tourism rebound, VisitBritain’s aim to promote lesser known destinations and challenges the organization faces. The comments have been edited for length and clarity.

Skift: Your numbers indicate overseas visitor spending in the UK for 2023 forecasted at $35.8 billion (£29.5 billion), up 4 percent from the all-time spending high of $34.5 (£28.4 billion) in 2019. It is also predicted that there will be 35.1 million inbound visits to the UK, 86 percent of 2019 levels. Are you surprised visitation came back as quickly as it did?  

Patricia Yates: These are robust numbers. In total, visitor numbers up to around 90 percent. I should say, though, America is just bucking all the trends. America was up 40 percent by value last year, let alone this year. And part of the reason I’m in New York is to sort of test the temperature in America. Is this a post-Covid blip? Are we going to see this continue?     

And I have to say, the mood I have seen in the room is that this is here to stay, and people are having their best year. Plus, we have new hotels coming in. We have so much five-star investment going into London — Raffles, Rosewood, Waldorf Astoria, and the Peninsula to name a few. 

Britain has a great story to tell about luxury because we have history and heritage. But we are also irreverent, and there’s that modern twist, “How do you interpret luxury in the new age?”

Skift: Are these numbers on the higher side due to inflationary pricing? Was there an uptick due to the pound weakening to the dollar?

Yates: We did see an uptick when the pound weakened against the dollar. And people do tend to budget in their own currency when they travel. But we are also seeing that people are spending more and staying longer, and that’s a really good trend to see because we’re trying to drive regional spread. We know that people want an experience in travel, they want to really get under the skin of a destination, and that means taking a little more time, going to different destinations, taking time to eat in the restaurants, seeing the local producers, talking to local people, going to the local pub, and really get to know what a local area is like. 

Skift: Do you feel that’s more a trend post-Covid, that people want to get to the heart of a destination?

Yates:   I think it is. People want connection, and they want a reason to travel. And it’s not the ticking places off a list. It’s a desire to really understand the world around you, I think, that we’ve seen since Covid.

Skift: You have been with VisitBritain since 2005 and became CEO in 2022. What are your top corporate priorities?

Yates: The first one is to drive value back as quickly as possible. And you can see that in our investment in markets. America has our biggest investment at the moment. We’re also investing in European markets, so France, Germany, and Spain. And we’ve just restarted investment in the ( Gulf Cooperation Council ), which obviously has good historic links with Britain and really good airlift. We’re not investing heavily in markets like China , which pre-Covid, would’ve been a slam dunk. Rebuilding Asian markets will require airlines to increase flights and seat capacity. None of us are flying over Russia at the moment . So, getting to China is much more expensive and a much longer route. And with transatlantic booming , why wouldn’t you put your flights into America rather than looking at China? We are really focused on where we’re going to drive back value.

Another important priority is to support the industry. We are skilling up, particularly in digital areas, to help people understand how you reach an international audience. We offer education to help people get there.

And we are telling the story of lesser known Britain, getting people to different destinations at different times of the year, to really spread the economic benefits. And we are making sure that tourism is a positive for the visitors, and it’s a positive for the industry, and it’s a positive for local residents as well. And I think that’s the synergy that, as a mature tourist board, we want to have. 

We have history and heritage, which many other destinations can boast. As a tourist board, we want people to come now. Britain is one of those destinations that people think they know. They see Downton Abbey and Bridgerton on their television, and they think, “I know that destination.”  We are thinking about new places and new ways that we can excite people and get them to travel.

And then, the jewel in the crown is London. Everyone wants to go to London. It is one of the world’s great cities. But 50 percent of our international visitors don’t go outside London. So, how do we spread that economic wealth across the country? And how do we get people to understand that London isn’t Britain?

And that, in a very small country, if you’re comparing it with America, you can have such amazing experiences in a very small geography. And you can go to Scotland and have a very different experience than you would have if you went down to Cornwall.

If you go to Wales, it’s a country in its own right, with its own language. 

We are also looking at our digital and data capabilities, building up the data from the private sector and our partners, layering that up so that we have a picture of what it looks like now, and what it looks like in the future.

So, we’ve got the immediacy of value now, and the setting ourselves up for the future in the transformation program.

We are also looking at the structure of tourism bodies across England. There was a review that suggested that they should come together. At the moment, we’ve got about 200 to 300. As a national body, that’s impossible to work with.

The question is, how do we encourage people to come together to about 30 to 40 that we can work with? That really engage at a local level; that are more than destination marketing organizations; they are really managing their destination as well.

Skift: How do you drive that broader reach and opportunity now? How do you decide what to focus on?

Yates: There are two main pillars. The “Why should I go?” and the “How do I get there?”

Being great storytellers, we focus on what people are interested in, whether that’s castles, food, adventure, or the countryside. Telling stories about the local area and the people makes people want to travel. In some ways, social media makes that easier, because you can have more granular stories. Then there is practicality. Explaining how you can book and how you can travel. We work with the travel trade and travel agents in America to ensure that we are getting itineraries packaged. 

Skift: How has Brexit impacted things?

Yates: Brexit and Covid happened about the same time, so it’s been really difficult to untangle what was what. The government policy on borders is that everyone should have a passport, and not everyone in Europe has a passport. Where there is a particular difficulty is on school trips. The mood in Europe has changed because we are all allies in Ukraine. It’s actually hard to remember what it was like before Ukraine. But where there might have been friction, I think we are all allies now.

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Tags: england , uk , uk travel , united kingdom , visitbritain

Photo credit: Visit Britain is aiming to increase visitation to destinations outside of London, including Cardiff, Wales. Lilo Lil (Eiona Roberts) / Wikimedia Commons

Visit Britain relationships

VisitBritain is the organisation which oversees the marketing of the UK as a tourism destination and is funded by the UK government. The extract below gives some information about the organisation and its relationship with other tourism and non-tourism organisations.

Visit Britain

The British Tourist Authority (BTA) currently operates two distinct marketing bodies, VisitBritain (VB) and VisitEngland (VE) and both are funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to promote Britain and England both overseas and at home as a tourist destination and to lead and co-ordinate the domestic marketing of England.

Both marketing bodies work in partnership with the national tourist boards of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to promote an attractive image of Britain/England. The bodies provide impartial tourism information and gather essential market data and produce statistics for the UK tourism industry.

With dedicated staff in 23 offices around the globe, VisitBritain operates in 21 overseas markets. Our overseas offices work closely with British diplomatic and cultural staff, the local travel trade and media to stimulate interest in Britain as a tourist destination.

VisitEngland operates predominantly in the UK and is based in the same offices as VisitBritain in London.

In the UK both VE and VB have strategic partnerships with other organisations, such as the British Council, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the British Incoming Tour Operators Association and the British Hospitality Association.

VisitBritain is the trading name for the British Tourist Authority (BTA) which has been in existence since the 1969 Development of Tourism Act, with VisitBritain in its current form standing since 2009 when responsibility for marketing England to the British was passed to VisitEngland.

GREAT Britain Campaign

VisitBritain has been running an ambitious four-year £100 [??] marketing programme, and a multi-million pound GREAT image campaign, working with Government and a vast range of partners, including UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), the British Council and the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). 

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What are you looking for, see things differently, welcome to britain.

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News, insights and resources for tourism and business events professionals

Welcome to visit britain industry site.

Welcome to the website for VisitBritain/VisitEngland - the national tourism agency. Here you’ll find support for industry professionals through the latest news and information, data and resources, and business development opportunities.

We’re passionate about raising Britain’s profile, increasing the volume and value of tourism exports, and developing England’s visitor economy by working with organisations of all sizes and specialities.

From expert guidance to market intelligence, read on to find out how we can work with you.

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Everything you need to inspire your clients. Discover new products, experiences and itinerary ideas – plus useful resources and the latest market insights.

Access resources for business events to support your business development and event strategy. Discover England, Scotland and Wales' business event offering for your next conference, incentive, exhibition or event.

Build sustainable and valuable growth. Learn about England’s new destination management structure, find expert advice, and boost your proposition with our training and toolkits.

Reach new customers and increase your profitability. Drive sales with our tools, events and training, find out about quality assessment and get expert guidance from the England Business Advice Hub.

Discover our media centres, image and video library and latest press releases, plus contacts for our corporate and consumer press teams.

Studying tourism at school, college or university? We’ve gathered essential resources and data for students of tourism, plus information about our internships.

Latest news and press releases

Choosing a filter below will update the results to show content matching your chosen option.

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VisitBritain/John Finney

Information for destination partners

Getty Images/Solstock

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National Geographic

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Looking to actively reach the Indian travel trade? Destination Britain India is the perfect opportunity to gain exposure in this market.

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London, Excel

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Visitengland webinar - cut energy, save money and reduce carbon emissions.

Save money on energy this winter and ready your business for a low carbon future

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VisitBritain Shop

Expand the distribution and sales of your tourism product, or earn commission via the affiliate scheme and travel trade discounts on over 500 British experiences available to book online.

Red Bike Tours

VisitEngland Academy - business support webinars

Discover industry insights, useful advice in our live webinars, recordings and FAQs.

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Be part of our international campaigns and activity

Grow the profile of your business – for free – by sharing your consumer and trade news.

Louise Morris/ All Points East

TXGB is a digital platform that brings together tourism businesses to drive sales and boost productivity by connecting the market in a new and unique way.

Resources for business events partners

Find advice, training and support for Britain business event stakeholders and partners.

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Image Edinburgh

English Tourism Week

Join our high-profile campaign to celebrate England’s vibrant visitor economy.

VisitBritain/Eureka!

VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar award

VisitEngland’s annual Tourism Superstar award celebrates the dedication and passion of our industry’s employees and volunteers.

Resources for event planners

Find out what Britain can offer your international business event across each nation.

Blenheim Palace

Taking England to the World – trade education programme

Designed for tourism businesses in England, our free training equips you with the skills and knowledge to reach new international customers.

VisitBritain/Mark Gilligan

Business Events Association Conference 2024

Bringing together association meeting planners, professional conference organisers and decision-makers from nations and city convention bureaus.

EICC, Edinburgh

Nordics Workshop 2024

Looking to engage with Nordic trade? This workshop will be a high-impact opportunity to showcase your product, get exposure and develop your business relationships with buyers from Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

Spain Roadshow 2023 - in cooperation with Tourism Ireland

Spain Roadshow 2023 – in cooperation with Tourism Ireland.

Business Events Growth Programme

Grants to support bid for new events, grow existing events, secure Government advocacy in key priority sectors.

Bookingline Ltd

Promote your destination and partners at IMEX America, one of the leading trade shows or the meetings, incentive programs, conferences and the events sector.

Promote your destination and partners at IMEX Frankfurt, one of the leading trade shows or the meetings, incentive programs, conferences and the events sector.

News and media

Read the latest press releases, updates and announcements – covering both destination and corporate news.

Tim Grist Photography / Moment Open / Getty Images

England Business Advice Hub

Essential information, advice and resources for tourism businesses in England – plus useful contacts, training and guidance on your legal obligations.

Taking England to the World - inbound tourism toolkit

Free resources to help your business reach new international customers.

VisitBritain/Getty Images/SolStock

Destination Britain North America 2023

Looking to actively reach the North American travel trade? Destination Britain North America 2023 is the perfect opportunity to gain exposure in the USA and Canada.

Research and insights

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Find the latest consumer and industry data and insights on domestic and inbound tourism in the UK, Britain and England. Learn about key previous trends, and explore those that are set to influence the industry in years to come.

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