VisitBritain will host 21 travel agents to the UK from USA, the UK’s most valuable inbound visitor market for tourism spend. VisitBritain partners with a leading USA travel operator to show the UK as a top destination for food and drink.
VisitBritain has partnered with Avanti Destinations to create bookable itineraries, called ‘Local Flavours in Britain’, to inspire travellers from the USA to explore Britain’s diverse culinary history and culture. The agents will be the first to experience the itineraries, spending nine days on foodie-based educational trips in Cornwall, Cumbria, London and Yorkshire as well as Cardiff and Edinburgh.
VisitBritain Director Patricia Yates said, “We want to shine the spotlight on the exciting food and drink experiences available right across our nations and regions and inspire more USA visitors to book a trip right now.
“The USA is one of Britain’s most valuable markets and through our relationships with commercial partners across the globe, we are seizing the opportunity to build on strong growth and continue to provide a world-class experience for the millions of visitors who travel here every year.”
Thursday 8 of November sees the arrival of the group, who will be welcomed with an exclusive gala dinner hosted at the Houses of Parliament in London.
VisitBritain recently announced the launch of a new USA Tourism Advisory Board, made up of travel industry specialists, including Avanti Destinations, that will work together to provide insight and expertise to strengthen Britain’s role as a world-class destination.
Last year was a record-breaking year for inbound visits from the USA, the UK’s most valuable inbound visitor market for tourism spend. In 2017 there were a record 3.9 million visits to the UK from the USA, an increase of 13% compared to 2016, with visitors from the USA spending a record £3.6 billion in the UK last year, up 9% on 2016.
ForwardKeys forecast bookings from the USA to Britain to be up 27% from November 2018 to April 2019.
Tourism is worth £127 billion annually to the UK economy, creating jobs and boosting economic growth.
