Working with VisitBritain Travel Trade Guide 2017/18 VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 1 28/9/2017 8:28 PM
2 Working with VisitBritain VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 2 28/9/2017 8:28 PM
Working with VisitBritain 3 Welcome! I hope you re looking forward to another stellar year for tourism in 2017/18 already we ve seen a record breaking first half of 2017 for inbound tourism. Britain is packed full of amazing experiences and destinations that visitors can t get anywhere else, and we want our nations and regions to be top of their list. Tourism is one of Britain s most valuable exports and working with our partners across the industry is key to driving our ambitious plans for growth. This guide is designed to help you get the most from working with VisitBritain. We offer a range of promotional opportunities that includes our e-commerce platform, Visitbritainshop.com, new product development and commercial partnerships. We also publish a huge amount of valuable sector-specific research and insights throughout the year that can help you with your forward-planning and international strategy. There is also a wide range of trade events which we encourage you to attend as they are invaluable opportunities to meet other industry professionals and grow your business. The travel trade sector plays a crucial role in delivering worldclass tourism products to visitors and we look forward to working together with you to deliver this goal. Sally Balcombe CEO VisitBritain Table of contents 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 Welcome Who we are and what we do Our target markets and international reach VisitBritain trade website Research and insights VisitBritain trade events Industry and partner events VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 3 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Travel trade education programme VisitBritain Shop Advertising and event sponsorships Product development Commercial partnerships Media, content & PR Working with VisitBritain checklist 28/9/2017 8:28 PM
4 Working with VisitBritain WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO As the National Tourism Agency for Britain, our mission is to grow the volume and value of inbound tourism across the nations and regions of Britain and to develop world-class English tourism product to support our growth aspiration, delivering 40 million international visitors spending 31.5m by 2020. Our vision is to inspire the world to visit Britain and our key corporate priorities for 2017-18 are: Deliver tourism growth across the nations and regions Deliver the Discovery England Fund Deliver research and insights to inform Government, industry and our marketing activity Deepen our partner relationships to leverage value Develop our role in the BVE (Business Visits & Events) sector VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 4 28/9/2017 8:28 PM
Working with VisitBritain 5 OUR TARGET MARKETS AND INTERNATIONAL REACH VisitBritain Markets GREAT VisitBritain Markets VisitBritain operates internationally through four regional hubs - Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA), and China & North East Asia. Our extensive network, serviced by over 20 offices covering over 40 international markets, connects us both with travel trade and customers worldwide. We focus the majority of our promotional activities and investment in the GREAT markets which are key to the value and volume of inbound tourism in the UK. These markets are France, Germany, USA, India, GCC (Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman), Australia and China. VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 5 28/9/2017 8:28 PM
6 Working with VisitBritain VISITBRITAIN TRADE WEBSITE The VisitBritain trade website (trade.visitbritain.com) provides essential resources for the international travel trade and UK suppliers. Once all phases have launched, the site will include: Destination information New itineraries Discover England Fund project hub Food & Drink product development A new improved supplier directory What s new - keeping you up to date with industry news Research and insights Events calendar for the forthcoming year Promotional opportunities Business support What should I do next? Visit the trade website to access all the information and resources outlined above: trade.visitbritain.com VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 6 28/9/2017 8:28 PM
Working with VisitBritain 7 RESEARCH AND INSIGHTS Stay up to date with the latest inbound and domestic tourism figures, follow the recent trends, and consumer habits and download our market information to provide key information on our overseas visitors. Our selection of research and insights will equip you with essential information to help your planning decisions, and includes the following: Britain research: Britain s visitor economy Britain s welcome Britain s image overseas Market insights England research & insights: GB tourism survey Great Britain Day Visits survey Product development research What should I do next? Visit the trade website to find out more about our research and insights: trade.visitbritain.com VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 7
8 Working with VisitBritain VISITBRITAIN TRADE EVENTS TRADE EVENTS VisitBritain events are the perfect opportunity to meet, develop relationships and do business. Our promotional events are designed for UK suppliers and international trade and follow the trends we monitor around the globe to ensure we offer best support to developing your market strategies. What we offer: An easy environment in which to develop business thanks to preselected buyers Maximised time in market thanks to the prearranged meetings based on your preferences Hassle-free process including travel planning with our dedicated Events Team BUSINESS VISITS EVENTS Aimed to support the business visits, incentive and corporate events sector, our dedicated BVE department s work aligns with the focus of the recently formed Events Industry Board that promotes the events sector within the UK. What we offer: Opportunity to exhibit at the world s largest international MICE events Access to international trade shows that receive over 15K visitors Maximised time abroad thanks to pre-arranged meetings based on your preferences and engagement opportunities VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 8
Working with VisitBritain 9 EVENTS CALENDAR TRAVEL TRADE EVENTS CALENDAR 2017-18 DATE EVENT LOCATION COST 25-28 September 2017 23-26 September 2017 10-12 October 2017 21-23 November 2017 19-23 February 2018 1-2 March 2018 7-11 March 2018 Destination Britain North America World Routes VIBE VisitBritain Business Exchange Destination Britain China Africa Roadshow ExploreGB ITB Berlin Los Angeles, USA Barcelona, Spain London & Glasgow, UK Guangzhou, China Johannesburg-Durban-Cape Town, Kenya & South Africa Newcastle, UK Berlin, Germany $6,495 + VAT 5000 + VAT 295 + VAT 3,250 + VAT 2,100 + VAT From 925 + VAT From 2,220 + VAT BUSINESS VISITS AND EVENTS CALENDAR 2017-18 DATE EVENT LOCATION COST 4 5 October 2017 10-12 October 2017 29-30 November 2017 15-17 May 2018 19-20 April 2018 Meet the Buyer USA Showcase IMEX America IBTM World IMEX Frankfurt MeetGB New York & Boston, USA Las Vegas, USA Barcelona, Spain Frankfurt, Germany London, UK 400 + VAT 5,500 + VAT 5,500 + VAT 5,700 + VAT 900 + VAT COMING UP IN 2018 DATE EVENT LOCATION COST April/May 2018 16-18 October 2018 October 2018 14-17 October 2018 27-29 November 2018 19-22 November 2018 Destination Britain APMEA IMEX America VIBE VisitBritain Business Exchange Destination Britain North America IBTM Barcelona Destination Britain China TBA Las Vegas, USA TBA Las Vegas, USA Barcelona, Spain TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA What should I do next? Register and find out about our trade events on the VisitBritain trade website: trade.visitbritain.org VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 9
10 Working with VisitBritain INDUSTRY AND PARTNER EVENTS As the UK tourist board we support a range of events organised by UK industry partners and destinations, such as UKInbound, ETOA and Visit Scotland. ORGANISER ETOA DATE 2-4 November 2017 EVENT Global European Marketplace (GEM) 2017 LOCATION London, UK BOOKINGS etoa.org/events UKinbound 6-8 November 2017 WTM London, UK ukinbound.org/events ETOA 27-29 November 2017 Showcase South West Bristol, UK etoa.org/events BETA 7 December 2017 Beta Youth travel awards London, UK betauk.com ETOA 30 January 2018 Britain & Ireland Marketplace (BIM) 2018 London, UK etoa.org/events UKinbound 7-9 February 2018 Annual Convention Cardiff, UK ukinbound.org/events ETOA 19 February 2018 Hoteliers European Marketplace (HEM) 2018 Florence, Italy etoa.org/events VisitScotland 11-12 April 2018 VisitScotland Expo Glasgow, UK visitscotlandexpo.com UKinbound 24-27 April 2018 Arabian travel market Dubai, UAE ukinbound.org/events ETOA 11 June 2018 City Fair 2018 London, UK etoa.org/events What should I do next? Go to the partner website as indicated above to find out more VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 10
Working with VisitBritain 11 TRAVEL TRADE EDUCATION PROGRAMME We have made the following changes to the existing BritAgent training programme: BritAgent users now have access to all training modules giving them the opportunity to pick and choose dependent on market needs Look out for the brand new modules such as the Rail module contained in the programme Linked to our training programme, we will be developing a series of Travel Trade Educationals, designed to give international buyers the opportunity to expand their knowledge of new product development across Great Britain with a view to contracting and/or selling an increased breadth of product Our educational program will include pre, during and post trip activities aimed to inspire and motivate buyers What should I do next? Visit the VisitBritain trade website at trade.visitbritain.com to find out more Email: tradesupport@visitbritain.org if you are interested in hosting educational trips VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 11
12 Working with VisitBritain VISITBRITAIN SHOP We are the official e-commerce platform of the British Tourist Board (visitbritainshop.com) and offer suppliers across the regions of Britain the opportunity to promote and sell their product across the globe. We operate across 94 countries in 7 different languages and currencies, with 300 products across Great Britain already listed. What we offer: The opportunity to retail your product on the VisitBritain Shop Unique route to market with proactive B2B presence in territory Dedicated team promoting your brand overseas and looking after the growth of your product The opportunity to join the free Affiliate scheme and earn up to 25% commission through your referred sales Access our inventory with instant bookings on discounted attractions, sightseeing, transport and more What should I do next? Enquire how you can become a supplier of the VisitBritain Shop: product@visitbritain.org Find out how you can join the VBShop affiliate scheme: shopaffiliates@visitbritain.org Enquire about the trade rates available to you: vbshoptrade@visitbritain.org VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 12
Working with VisitBritain 13 ADVERTISING AND EVENT SPONSORSHIP UK VISA APPLICATION CENTRES (VFS) An opportunity to reach guaranteed travellers to Britain before they travel, with targeted exposure across a choice of 59 cities in 25 long haul markets (China, Middle East, India and South East Asia included). What we offer: Guaranteed brand exposure for your business New market entry and customised regional promotions Video and brochure advertising EVENT SPONSORSHIP By becoming a sponsor at our trade events, you will: Connect with your target markets Differentiate your organisation from competitors Create positive PR and increase your brand awareness What should I do next? About VFS sponsorship please email: product@visitbritain.org About events sponsorship please email: events@visitbritain.org VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 13
14 Working with VisitBritain PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Our dedicated product development team is responsible for the development and delivery of world-class bookable product across a number of sectors. Current product themes are listed below - these will feature throughout our trade activity (online education, educationals etc.) The GREAT Rail project developing new bookable products encouraging international visitors to explore Britain by rail Food is GREAT a 3 year initiative to raise awareness of Britain s high quality food and drink tourism experiences Luxury focusing on luxury accommodation, experiences, transport and services within 1 to 2 hours of key international gateways Gateways increasing regional dispersal and spend around selected key airport hubs, featuring itineraries to showcase the best the region has to offer Discover England Fund a 3 year 40m initiative to drive inbound visits and spend, through the creation of bookable product What should I do next? Find out more about Product Development on the trade website: trade.visitbritain.com VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 14
Working with VisitBritain 15 COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS VisitBritain runs a number of match-funded campaigns, across its markets, to suit partner interest. Exact details vary depending on the partner and the objectives of the partnership, but involve a minimum investment of 100,000. Within our partner marketing activity, our key focus is on the following: Scale Fewer, deeper partnerships Collaboration Joint approach to targets, creative, evaluation etc. Integration Throughout both businesses from product, research, marketing etc. Match funding In financial terms, as well as marketing in kind Impact Generating bookings What should I do next? Find our more information on our trade website: trade.visitbritain.com VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 15
16 Working with VisitBritain MEDIA, CONTENT & PR We add several news stories to our media centre each week, which we promote to journalists and media internationally through our monthly e-newsletter. To make your story eligible for inclusion, you ll need to accompany every story you send with high resolution images that can be used by media. Please include the correct credits and copyright information for any images in your email. Who is it for? Destinations or tourism businesses with a new product or event which they d like to get under the international spotlight. What we offer: Exposure on VisitBritain s dedicated online media site, receiving around 80,000 visits a year Inclusion in emails to over 650 registered media each month Coverage in 14 different languages, increasing the likelihood of your story getting noticed by media in your target markets What should I do next? Find out more information on: media.visitbritain.com Submit your story, images, videos, b-roll and content to be considered in our media newsletters: pressandpr@visitbritain.org VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 16
Working with VisitBritain 17 WORKING WITH VISITBRITAIN CHECKLIST Target markets and international reach Keep up to date with our research and insights trade.visitbritain.com/research-and-insights/ Sign up to VisitBritain Industry newsletters trade.visitbritain.com/subscribe-newsletter/ Trade events Register to attend our UK and international events - trade.visitbritain.com/promotional-opportunities/trade-events Events Register to attend our UK partner events see partner websites Trade support Register your business on our Supplier Directory trade.visitbritain.org/supplier-directory/ Check out our range of promotional opportunities trade.visitbritain.com/promotional-opportunities/ International reach Sell your product online on VisitBritain Shop email product@visitbritain.org Sign up to the VisitBritain Shop Affiliate newsletter to keep up to date with the latest affiliate opportunities shopaffiliates@visitbritain.org Sign up to the VisitBritain Shop trade newsletter to keep up to date with the latest attractions, tours and transport deals: product@visitbritain.org Advertising and sponsorships Promote your product in our Visa Centres: Product@visitbritain.org Find out about events sponsorship: events@visitbritain.org Media, content & PR Find out more at trade.visitbritain.com/promotional-opport unities/online-media-centre/ and send your news stories to pressandpr@visitbritain.org VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 17
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trade.visitbritain.com VisitBritain VB Trade Booklet 18P.indd 20