VisitBritain update to UK Inbound members

Tricia Warwick, Director APMEA, China and NE Asia Introduction

Tricia Warwick Director – APMEA, China and NE Asia Based in Dubai

Global Strategic Sales lead for VisitBritain • Refocus on Sales (formally B2B) and newly renamed “Sales and Marketing Division” • Priority for 21/22 International Trade team – Support and advise the UK Industry internationally

UKInbound Board Member • To represent VisitBritain as an observer on the UK Inbound board • Act as a senior representative of VisitBritain to the UK trade and industry Where are we now?

Internationally, consumer sentiment remains positive:

In Wave 2 of our research: Would you consider an international leisure trip in the next 12 months? • A slight boost in sentiment: 73% of global travellers would consider an international leisure trip in the next 12 months 42% 31% 15% 12% • Europe is still the most popular region for global travellers’ next international leisure trip • Britain has gained popularity vs. competitors within Definitely Probably Maybe Probably/definitely not Europe, linked to a boost in safety perceptions • Only 7% have booked their trip: the majority have not yet decided on their destination Where do you plan to travel on your next trip? • Intention to travel is highest among those aged under 35 Europe 58% • Those who have been at least partially vaccinated are Asia 25% most likely to want to travel, and vaccination is the top trigger for international travel North America 17% • Over a third of global travellers would visit friends and Oceania 12% family on their next trip; a key opportunity for the UK South/Central America/Caribbean 9% • Just under half of respondents have more annual leave Middle East 9% to use for holidays due the pandemic Africa 7%

Source: TCI/VisitBritain/VisitScotland/Visit Wales/London&Partners, W2 fieldwork March-April 2021. Read the full reports for both waves here A view from the markets

We asked our colleagues overseas for the Top 5 asks from the international trade – here’s what they said

FLEXIBILITY Welcoming and • cancellation policies reassuring (until just before the trip); Please don’t tone/services: • time slots (especially for increase prices product managers need to groups); due to increase of • allotment; feel everything is done to • allocation protect and welcome their demand clients.

Availability Product Please don't be conservative with Please continue to develop & introduce the scheduling & frequency of easily bookable & readily available products & experiences, especially in the tours, and don't base all decisions cities outside of London, Edinburgh, on the current situation; Glasgow, etc. UK Industry Engagement

We asked you if you had enough visibility of what VisitBritain is doing internationally & if you would like to schedule regular drop in clinics with VB staff overseas.

Over the next 4 months we are planning to a trial a more structured approach to our UK Industry engagement. As overseas markets begin to open up, we are looking to build a programme that enables UK industry to engage with VisitBritain teams through – • Market activity roundup & insights through VB e-communications & social channels • Update meetings and round tables with overseas based operators • Regular appointment clinics with overseas based teams

More details on this are coming in the next few weeks, but in the meantime…… Poll Question

Based on what you have heard so far is this -

A) Sounds great – where do we sign up? B) Interesting, but I’ll just participate in the markets of most relevance to me. C) I’ll join if I can, but not really a priority for me at the moment D) These aren’t really of interest and I wouldn’t join Tactical activity in market

Morgan Arcade, Cardiff ©VisitBritain/Andrew Pickett INDIA: Fantasy Cricket League

• Partnership with India’s largest trade media partner TravTalk – for a virtual cricket campaign

• Hosted a Fantasy Virtual Cricket League on the Dream 11 mobile app – using the England vs. India cricket series as a hook – included weekly prize giveaways courtesy of UK trade partners, daily quizzes and a WhatsApp group to engage with the trade

• A digital campaign ran simultaneously on TravTalk’s platforms – TravTalk TV and website

• Used key stakeholders like British High Commissioner as advocates to promote sports tourism

• Results: Over 1,500 new trade contacts took part in the contests US: Travel Leaders Campaign 20/21

• Six month partnership with the Travel Leaders Network (TLN) to keep Britain top-of-mind with consumers, travel agency partners and stakeholders during Covid-19

• TLN – one of the largest sellers of luxury travel, cruises and tours in the industry, representing TAs across the US and Canada – database of 1m customers

• Activity included interactive and informative content (quizzes, maps etc.) across digital, social, and virtual events – to inspire, educate and convert TLN travel advisors and their consumer clientele

• Featured bookable product across England, Wales and Scotland

• TLN had the ability to innovate and pivot in a constantly changing climate GERMANY, SWITZERLAND & AUSTRIA: Travel update webinar

• To update German, Swiss & Austrian tour operators on the current situation in the UK, how the traffic light system is working and to give them a product update as inspiration for the future

• Held in partnership with VisitScotland and Visit Wales

• 107 participants attended the webinar live, 42 watched the recording • Long and lively Q&A session demonstrating the high level of interest in information on the current situation

• All tour operators have existing bookings for Britain for this year (either transferred from last year or new bookings) – they hoped that the UK would open up in time for the main summer season Recovery plans

Mayfield Lavender, Banstead ©VisitBritain/Nicole Hines Our focus for 2021/22

Our role is to drive immediate tourism recovery through building back visitor spend as quickly as possible and supporting the Industry

VisitBritain – DEMAND SIDE FOCUS VisitEngland – SUPPLY & DEMAND SIDE

Re-stimulate international demand by Support England’s tourism industry converting visitors who are most likely to visit to recover and restimulate domestic demand. in 2021/22.

VisitBritain and VisitEngland TOGETHER

Bid for and win events Be the Authority on Tourism through provision of expert advice to industry and government Deliver a digital transformation programme The Tourism Recovery Plan

The Tourism Recovery Plan sets out the role that the UK Government will play in assisting and accelerating the tourism sector’s recovery from COVID-19. It also sets out a framework for how the Government will work with the sector to build back better. The ambition is to: • Recover domestic overnight trip volume and spend to 2019 levels by the end of 2022, and inbound visitor numbers and spend by the end of 2023 – both at least a year faster than independent forecasts predict.

• Ensure that the sector’s recovery benefits every nation and region, with visitors staying longer, growing accommodation occupancy rates in the off-season and high levels of investment in tourism products and transport infrastructure.

• Build back better with a more innovative and resilient industry, maximising the potential for technology and data to enhance the visitor experience and employing more UK nationals in year-round quality jobs.

• Ensure the tourism sector contributes to the enhancement and conservation of the country’s cultural, natural and historic heritage, minimises damage to the environment and is inclusive and accessible to all.

• Return the UK swiftly to its pre-pandemic position as a leading European destination for hosting business events. Re-stimulating domestic demand Domestically, we want to embed domestic travel as a sustained customer behaviour by:

• Developing England’s brand collaborating with industry on its positioning and guardianship role.

• Our £5m Escape the Everyday campaign to build demand and generate bookings for the summer

• Our paid campaign will focus on driving travel to cities.

• The campaign is design to support all parts of the UK, with a flexible toolkit allowing destinations and businesses to use the campaign assets and tailor it to their needs. Re-stimulating international demand

• In 2022, we will launch a new tourism brand campaign with the new GREAT direction alongside Government

• Continue to drive demand through PR activity working with influencers, digital content and social activity.

• Help international trade to be ready to sell Britain and “switch back on” when the time is right

• Work with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to align our activity

Edinburgh, Scotland ©VisitBritain/Andrew Pickett VisitBritain events update

• 2021/22 events plan is being submitted for internal approvals this week

• Exploring the right balance between virtual & face to face

• Tailoring the events to market recovery with a short term priority on US & Europe

• Balancing of opportunity vs risk in when to bring international buyers to the UK

• Plans will be shared in the coming weeks through our e-communications, social & though UK Inbound

• The Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff ©VisitBritain/Andrew Pickett Key UK Government Hooks for 2022

Queen Baton Relay • Expected to kick off this October with Her Majesty from Buckingham Palace. • January to March showcase events: India, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, Australia and Canada

Commonwealth Games (CWG) • 28 July – 8 August, featuring 6,600 athletes from 72 nations. • Working in partnership with DCMS, DIT & West Midlands Growth Company • VisitBritain is the lead agency for the (CWG) international destination marketing strategy • VisitBritain is planning a multi-market campaign integrating GREAT tourism branding, leveraging the Games to shine an international spotlight on Birmingham, the West Midlands and the UK

Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee • a celebration of her 70th year on the throne. • Plans are in place to stage a series of events from 2-5 June, 2022 • London and other major cities will be complemented by events in communities across the UK and the Commonwealth

Festival UK 2022 • will run throughout 2022 to showcase the UK's creativity and innovation to the world. • Dates to be announced this Autumn • Great Western Arcade, Birmingham ©VisitBritain/Helena Bradbury Poll Question

How important do you think the following events taking place in 2022 are going to be to stimulate international tourism to Britain. • Queen’s Platinum Jubilee • Commonwealth Games • Festival UK 2022

A) Very important and we will use these as hooks to help drive demand B) We might use these events as part of our mix, but not a key focus C) These events that VB should focus attention and we can benefit from the demand D) I don’t see these as relevant to my business or product Opportunities to get involved in our campaigns and activity are on our industry website https://www.visitbritain.org/opportunities- campaigns-resources