Britain’s national tourism agency that markets tourism industry in Britain and oversees is known as VisitBritain. VisitBritain is a non-departmental public body that receives its funding from the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport. To ensure effective and appropriate marketing of Britain in 35 global markets, VisitBritain collaborates with partners within and outside the United Kingdom.
Some of the partners include Wales, Scotland, England, and London tourism boards as well as worldwide brands like the English Premier League, Samsung, and agencies run by the government such as operators, airlines, and UKTI (Miles & Snow 1978, p. 64). The board of tourism in Great Britain Tourist Authority (BTA) formed under the Development of Tourism Act in 1969 employs the term “VisitBritain.”
The main aim of establishing VisitBritain was to promote the tourism industry within England and oversees. During its formation, the English Tourism Council and the British Tourism Authority had joined efforts. In an effort to promote tourism in Europe, VisitBritain and other members established the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) in 2006.
VisitBritain also aims at promoting the tourism industry in the United Kingdom. According to a study conducted by a National Audit Study, planning and execution of marketing strategies applied by the organisation is excellent (Ramgulam, Raghunandan & Raghunandan 2012, p. 331).
Organisational Structure
VisitBritain board comprises eight members, Christopher Rodrigues the acting chairperson, CBE, and other six. The secretary for Culture, Olympics, Media, and Sport appoints five members and the sixth member is appointed by Welsh Assembly. During Board meetings, the chairpersons of VisitScotland and VisitEngland join as ex-official members. Few observers are also invited during the meeting (Ramgulam, Raghunandan & Raghunandan 2012, p. 333).
Objectives of VisitBritain
According to Ramgulam, Raghunandan, and Raghunandan (2012, p. 335), VisitBritain aims at motivating tourists from oversees to visit Britain and explore. Second, the organisation encourages residents of Britain to spend their holidays in Great Britain. It aims at improving and promoting the quality of facilities and services offered to tourists in Britain. It is its duty to offer advice on matters related to tourism to public bodies and the tourism industry in Britain. VisitBritain offers worldwide network to promote tourism oversees.
Marketing strategies applied by VisitBritain
VisitBritain inspires overseas tourists to tour Britain. A new partnership was launched by the Prime Minister between the tourism sector and VisitBritain at the beginning of 2011. The joint venture formed a foundation for a marketing program expected to last for four years. Events like the 2012 Olympic Games that will take place in London, Paralympic games, and 2012 Diamond Jubilee will attract large numbers of people to visit Britain.
VisitBritain cooperates with a variety of industries, carriers, public diplomacy, and brands to develop public relation programs, digital content, marketing, and inspirational websites that attract tourists from overseas to tour the country. Tourists are motivated to visit and gain knowledge of different regions and nations in Britain. The aim of VisitBritain is to ensure that even with increased competition in the tourism sector; Britain is still among the top tourist destinations in the world (Sarles 2011, p. 40).
VisitBritain launched the first global campaign through the broadcast media in June 2011. The organisation had several short films and advertisements during which potential visitors received warm and personal invitations from celebrities. In September 2011, VisitBritain used 3D artwork and conducted several stunts advertising the quality of services and offers in 10 cities around the globe.
In addition, the organisation campaigned online through the internet to create awareness and reach as many people as possible. Online partners use digital and social media. Working with internet search engines like Twitter, Facebook, Google, and Yahoo, the web-based television has enabled VisitBritain to reach the majority of young people.
Internet search engines offer a quick and efficient communication means for people at distant places. This motivates people to visit Britain. The success of VisitBritain in online activities is evidenced by the honors it has received like the Group travel award for providing the best online information and times online award for developing the best tourism board twitter site (Sarles 2011, p. 45).
Government agencies of the United Kingdom in overseas countries also play a major role in promoting Britain’s tourism industry through promoting Britain as a convenient place to do business, undertake studies as well as spent holidays and vacations. VisitBritain has worked hand-in-hand with other partners like P and O Ferries, DFDS Seaways, Easy Jet, British Airways, Hilton Hotels, and Resorts, STA travel, and Radisson Edwardian.
The above industrial partners have offered financial support toward promotion of the tourism industry through the campaigns. VisitBritain’s partners contributed around £20 million in support of the campaigns (Hudson 2008, p. 80). Other important partners are tourism agencies like VisitWales, VisitScotland, and VisitEngland in the United Kingdom.
They offer a rich variety of contents in the tourist destination areas encouraging tourists to tour Britain. The organisation wishes to mobilise Britons to invite their relatives and friends to come to Britain. Britain reaches out to more than 60 million people through social media. VisitBritain aims at attracting more visitors from within the United Kingdom.
VisitBritain has established trade, consumer, and media websites in 21 markets around the world that help in creating awareness of large numbers of people. These markets account for three-quarters of the expenditure of inbound tourism. Different traditional and innovative strategies of marketing like social media, PR activity, press, branding, digital, and tactical advertisements are applied.
This makes it easy for the organisation to analyse and offer advice on issues and challenges hindering the growth of tourism (Buhalis 2003, p. 60). VisitBritain carries out research and analysis of tourism industry, organises, and facilitates trade and sales events, and merges with public diplomacy partners like UKTI, British Council, and FCO to ensure worldwide promotion of Britain.
The main focus of the organisation is core markets and online awareness as well as networked representatives that enable VisitBritain to reach many potential tourists. Some of the marketing services offered by VisitBritain include market intelligence and insights, B2B, and media connectivity, match-funding, funding, and providing security to local partners, diplomatic public works, and helping overseas tourist agencies working to promote the tourism industry in the United Kingdom (Schuler 1992, p. 23).
VisitBritain analyses the trends and performance of the tourism industry to give insights to the industry on how to develop products of interest to international tourists for efficient marketing of the industry. The organisation advises the UK government on issues related to tourism. The advice focuses mainly on the position of the tourism industry in Britain in relation to her international competitors.
VisitBritain examines the core markets to determine the necessary steps to be taken to ensure effective competition of Britain’s tourism. VisitBritain analyses and identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the industry as well as establishing tourism strategies that could make the government, national board of tourism, public diplomacy bodies, and the tourist sector in Britain to cooperate.
In 2010, Britain attained position seven in terms of international tourism and position six in the number of international tourists visiting the country. Turkey, Germany, and Australia are stiff competitors in terms of arrivals. This shows that there is a stiff worldwide competition in the tourism industry (Misiura 2006, p. 33).
Britain’s tourism sector is competing with several emerging markets that are growing fast as well as cultural destination areas popular in other countries (Clarke & Flaherty 2005, p. 46). For instance, China is among the three countries in the world with the highest number of tourists. Out of 130 tourist destination areas, Britain was ranked seven in the World Economic “Competitive Index” Forum in 2011.
The aim of VisitBritain is to ensure that the tourism industry in Britain moves higher. Britain is ranked 21st in regulatory frameworks, 11th in infrastructure and business environment, and 3rd in as far as natural, cultural, and human assets are concerned. VisitBritain believes that if tourists are to travel from Latin America, Middle East, India, and Asia to Britain for the first time, necessary measures should be taken to make Britain a welcoming, accessible, and desirable destination area for tourists.
To enhance competition and win the market share, VisitBritain has to cooperate with the tourism sector on issues pertaining to the development and packaging of products. Moreover, it has to cooperate with the government on issues concerning capacity of aviation and visas (French & Runyard 2012, p. 60).
For efficient marketing of Britain, VisitBritain works together with commercial partners to get marketing assets and funds. VisitBritain has established partners with Radisson Edwardian hotels, P and O Ferries, British Airways, DFDS Seaways, Hilton Hotels, and Resorts, American Express, and other boards. VisitBritain operates and distributes VisitBritain shop platforms through online and offline retail shops to third parties.
Online shops enables tourists from all parts of the world to book for attractions in London and United Kingdom, sightseeing tours and make payments using their local currencies and language before travelling (Rogers 2012, p. 87). This is beneficial for tourists because they can plan for their holidays while at home countries to avoid long queues in Britain.
The estimated number of annual visitors to the online shop is 1.8 million. Tourists are provided with quality products to enhance their stay in Britain. The organisation runs B2B marketing travel trade missions, workshops, and exhibitions oversee that attract partners from the tourism sector. Around £1.8 million of the expenses is generated in this way (Ashworth & Kavaratzis 2010, p. 110).
VisitBritain conducts campaigns that create awareness of potential visitors, thus contributing positively to tourism industry. The campaigns are mainly implemented in target markets through many events and channels to reach large numbers of people. Tourism businesses receive free insights, statistics, and market research from VisitBritain, including operator directories for tour and trade and market profiles.
The relationship between VisitBritain and travel industries like B2B newsletters, exhibitions, workshops, assisted sales calls, workshops, and Agents training program help VisitBritain to create awareness on services and facilities available in tourist destination areas in Britain (Kotler & Armstrong, p. 152).
List of References
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Buhalis, D 2003, ETourism: Information technology for strategic tourism management, Prentice Hall, New York.
Clarke, I, & Flaherty, T 2005, Advances in Electronic Marketing, Idea Group Inc., London.
French, Y, & Runyard, S 2012, Marketing and public relations for museums, galleries, cultural and heritage attractions, Routledge, New York.
Hudson, S 2008, Tourism and Hospitality Marketing: A Global Perspective, SAGE, New York.
Kotler, P, & Armstrong, G 2004, Principles of Marketing, (10th ed.), Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
Miles, P, & Snow, C 1978, Organizational Strategy, structure and Process, McGraw Hill, New York.
Misiura, S 2006, Heritage marketing, Routledge, New York.
Ramgulam, N, Raghunandan, M, & Raghunandan, M 2012, ‘The quest for sustainable business tourism: an examination of its economic viability in Trinidad,’Global Conference on Business & Finance Proceedings, 7, 2, pp. 331-342
Rogers, T 2012, Conferences and Conventions, Routledge, New York.
Sarles, C 2011, ‘Introducing applied dissertations: Opportunities for industry connection in postgraduate study,’ Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 10, 1, pp. 37-48
Schuler, R 1992, ‘Strategic human resource management: Linking the people with the strategic needs of the business,’ Organizational Dynamics, 21, 1, pp. 18 -32