As the national tourism agency for Britain, VisitBritain aims to play a key role in maximizing the benefits for tourism in the UK of hosting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Potential
VisitBritain and Visit London jointly commissioned Oxford Economics to determine the total additional visitor expenditure that might result from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The research predicts that gross visitor spend generated by the London Games will be £2.35bn over the period 2007-17, of which £1.85bn will be spent in London. But these projections assume that a number of effective marketing and planning practices are successfully implemented – in fact, Oxford Economics predict that the net gains could be as much as £2.9bn, given adequate funding and market conditions. Vision
To build on the unique potential of the Olympic brand franchise to deliver real benefits to the tourism industry in every nation and region of Britain and secure Britain’s place as one of the world’s top five country destinations. Rationale
Britain is one of the world’s top tourism destinations but faces losing market share to ‘newer’ destinations which hold stronger appeal to younger travellers. To secure long term growth Britain must engage with new customers in growth markets and new sectors in established markets, address weaknesses in the way the British tourism product is presented and perceived, and establish Britain as an aspirational destination amongst both established and growth markets. Mission
VisitBritain will work in partnership to ensure a post-Games legacy for the whole of the UK by improving welcome and quality, enhancing perceptions of the destination, inspiring the youth traveller and connecting with new and existing customers. Strategic plan
Our plan is designed to support the London 2012 Vision, the DCMS 'Winning' tourism strategy, and the Government’s Olympic Objectives and Legacy Promises. It covers five overarching areas of activity as summarised below: | 