VisitBritain’s marketing chief has admitted there is “massive pressure” on himself personally and throughout the wider organisation not to squander the gift-wrapped opportunity handed to the UK’s tourism leaders.
Speaking to Travel Today at the Destination Britain and Ireland trade show in Bangkok, Laurence Bresh conceded there will be no hiding if he and VisitBritain do not fully exploit the tourism potential created by the Olympic Games and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Along with the global attention provided by last year’s Royal Wedding, VisitBritain has had an unprecedented hat trick of opportunities, he said.
VisitBritain has been charged with generating an additional 4.2 million visitors and $2.6 billion in expenditure by the end of 2014.
A four-year, 100 million pound crusade, split evenly between VisitBritain and partners, coupled with the current 25 million pound brand campaign, is in full swing as it strives to reach those targets.
“There is massive pressure but it’s a very exciting and unique opportunity that faces Britain,” Bresh said. “We have the funding but what comes with that is strings. There is huge scrutiny from prime minister David Cameron and virtually every week I go to Number 10 [Downing Street] and talk about how we are delivering on those expectations of the PM and the industry.”
VisitBritain is conducting focus groups to assess the success – or otherwise – of the brand campaign.
Research was carried out prior to the launch with a follow up study analysing whether the campaign has altered or reinforced perceptions of Britain.
“We are eagerly awaiting the results,” Bresh said. “We will then look at the return on investment and based on that will possibly bid for more government funding next year.”
The next wave of the marketing push will kick off immediately after the Olympics and focus more on tactical campaigns, although the high level brand message will continue.
