VisitBritain is asking MPs across the country to nominate an attraction in their constituency that overseas tourists should visit in 2012. The challenge to the nation’s politicians is part of the tourism agency’s ‘Share Your GREAT Britain’ campaign, which is aiming to get the British public to invite their friends and relatives from around the world to visit the UK this year.
Several suggestions have already been made by MPs, with ideas ranging from castles, sporting venues, beaches, coastal walks and museums. All the nominations will be added to an interactive tourism map that will be unveiled at a parliamentary reception next month. MPs will today be sent a nomination form so that they can add their own personal insight on must see attractions in each constituency.
Launching the campaign, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “This year really is THE time to come to Britain. The Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee each offer fantastic experiences, but there is so much else going on with, quite literally, something for everyone. I hope that everyone – and especially my Parliamentary colleagues – grab this moment to help ensure that as many people as possible get the chance to come here and be part of it all.”
Chief Executive of VisitBritain, Sandie Dawe added: “With 650 electorates scattered across the country, we know there is a wonderful mix of iconic spots and hidden gems that overseas visitors should experience when here. We are calling on each and every MP to help us highlight just some of these destinations, using their local knowledge and insight to promote the tourism assets within their constituency in a year when the eyes of the world are upon us.
“Tourism is the UK’s third highest export earner and is worth over £115 billion to the UK economy each year, and it has enormous potential to be one of the fastest growing sectors in the years ahead. With one in twelve jobs in the UK either directly or indirectly supported by tourism, the more overseas visitors we can encourage to come and experience all that Britain has to offer will help boost the economy and help create a greater number of jobs.”
Under the ‘Share Your GREAT Britain’ slogan, households and businesses are being encouraged to invite their global network of friends and contacts to come the UK this year for their next holiday. They are able to do this by is using a ’10 GREAT Reasons’ app on VisitBritain’s LoveUK<http://www.facebook.com/#!/LoveUK> Facebook page or by sending a personalised postcard that can be downloaded from visitbritain.org<http://www.visitbritain.org/>.
The government recently announced it would bolster VisitBritain’s efforts to entice greater numbers of overseas visitors by allocating £25 million for the national tourism agency to undertake the largest image campaign in its history. The campaign will be rolling out in 14 cities in nine countries around the world next month.
