TravTalk India Online Magazine
ExploreGB Virtual 2022 successfully concluded recently and saw British travel partners interact with the travel trade across the world, including those from India, on a virtual platform. Senior leaders in the British tourism industry share their views on the current situation in their country and what it has to offer to the visiting tourists.
Nisha Verma
Nigel Huddleston, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Sport, Tourism, Heritage and Civil Society)
Nigel Huddleston, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Sport, Tourism, Heritage and Civil Society), speaking at the virtual event, said the last two years have been difficult for the tourism industry. “We, in the government, recognised the impact that COVID-19 has had on the tourism industry. We are committed to supporting the sector’s recovery. So far, we have provided £37 billion to the tourism, leisure and hospitality sectors through grants, loans, and tax breaks. This includes a billion pounds to support businesses in the tourism industry impacted by Omicron,” he revealed.
“I am pleased to say we are now the most open country in Europe for travel. I am optimistic we can work towards pre-pandemic levels of domestic tourism by this year-end and inbound visitor levels by 2023-end. We are on the way to achieving these targets. Inbound travel in the UK is recovering well and arrivals are at the September 2021 levels. Another positive sign is inbound bookings which are at 70 per cent of 2019 levels.”
Hotel occupancy rates have recovered to pre-Omicron levels and are nearing pre-pandemic levels. “We are ready to show the world the UK is open and welcoming visitors back from all over the world. This year, we will be showcasing the breadth of the UK’s culture, creativity and innovation through the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the Birmingham 2022, Commonwealth Games and Unboxed Creativity,” he emphasised.
Sally Balcombe, CEO, VisitBritain
Sally Balcombe, CEO, VisitBritain, said ExploreGB is their flagship trade event. “It is a pleasure to bring together travel professionals from across the globe and hundreds of UK tourism suppliers, who know the rich and diverse experiences Britain has to offer our visitors,” she said.
She said, “Britain is open for business and our businesses are welcoming people back to enjoy a great experience. People are feeling a renewed confidence about taking global holidays, working with the trade partners, who do such a vital job of selling. But I am confident that we will be able to drive back demand, while encouraging people to stay longer and travel across the nation.”
Balcombe said Britain has something for everyone. “In 2022, we had many landmark events, including the Majesty, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Also, there are other things for visitors to see such as three special displays by the Royal collection trust and a super bloom display of flowers at the Tower of London. Second major event is the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and finally the groundbreaking Unboxed,” she said.
In the wake of the ongoing pandemic, she claimed, “We want to build back an industry which is accessible and sustainable to ensure people are able to access a range of destinations in Britain. VisitBritain is working hard to realise the government’s tourism recovery plan. This includes proposals to improve accessibility for more rural destinations.”
Tricia Warwick, Director, APMEA, China and North East Asia
VisitBritain Tricia Warwick, Director, China and APMEA, North East Asia, VisitBritain believes there is a pent-up demand for travel and intentions to visit Britain are strong, and working with the travel trade media is important. “There is a need to boost consumer confidence in global travel, driving back demand and spending. Britain is open for business and tourism businesses are ready to safely welcome back visitors and provide a standout experience. Inbound tourism is a critical industry for our economy and we are competing hard for international visitors. In 2019, we welcomed more than 41 million visits to our shores. With those visitors spending £28.4 billion across our nations and regions, supporting thousands of small businesses and entrepreneurs vital to our economy. International visitors also contributed to the UK, to our visitor attractions, shops, city centres, regional gateways, and to our vibrant cultural mix. We also have a year of landmark historic events this year in the UK,” she claimed.
Tricia said, “Britain is packed full of fresh and exciting experiences, which travellers must come and enjoy. We were delighted to launch our 10 million pound global GREAT campaign, our first international campaign, in two years titled ‘Welcome to another side of Britain’ that we launched in Dubai in mid-February. The campaign is underway across our markets using reach of our own global and in-country digital channels, both business and consumer and, of course, working with the travel trade. We are targeting visitors with a commitment to visit Britain this year which has been hit hard by the absence of travellers.”
She said that they are encouraging visitors to experience another side of Britain which aligns beautifully with the UK government’s refreshed GREAT brand, which is to see things differently. “We are telling the stories of our heritage, our iconic city attractions, buzzing contemporary culture, innovative food and drink scene, but with a modern twist. We have been running a host of activity and specific campaigns across our APMEA markets, driving inspiration to visiting Britain.”
She highlighted that almost two-thirds of travellers they surveyed said they were thinking more about sustainability and the environmental impact, while planning future holidays. “Apart from building our global sustainable tourism content hub such as itineraries and experiences to enjoy in Britain, VisitBritain has also been hosting in-market roundtables to support the travel trade to promote sustainable tourism and launch new tourism itineraries. Many businesses are pushing sustainability and we want to support visitors and our global travel trade partners to find products and experiences that will enrich this day,” she added.
