A major national tourism campaign has been launched this month in a bid to encourage Brits to visit UK towns and cities and support hospitality and tourism businesses.
The £5 million initiative, known as Escape the Everyday, is being spearheaded by Visit Britain, the country’s national tourism agency.
Under the scheme, tourism and hospitality businesses have been invited to bid for a spot on the national marketing campaign trail to highlight their attraction or destination with a focus on “discovery”, “freedom to explore”, or “treating yourself”.
This might include alternative ways to see a city, “hidden gems”, crowd-free attractions, urban and rural and cycling routes, spa breaks, bunches, and other special day-outs.
Successful applicants will be featured on Visit Britain’s digital, social media and PR channels, as well as partner on a range of large-scale print and broadcast opportunities.
The campaign comes as new World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) figures reveal that the UK could lose up to £22 billion in international tourism revenue and almost three million jobs as a result of Covid-19 disruption.
The report says travel restrictions and continued uncertainty have led to millions of international travellers opting for staycations in their home countries instead.
Commenting on the paper, Gloria Guevara, the president and chief executive of the WTTC, said: “The lack of international travel caused by the pandemic could wipe out more than £22 billion from the UK economy alone, a loss of £60 million a day, from which it could take years to recover.
“It could also threaten London’s position as one of the world’s premier hubs for business and leisure travel, which could see other destinations take over.”
To learn more about the Escape the Everyday initiative, please click here.
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