VisitBritain's new consumer-facing campaign called "I Travel For. . ." is aimed at encouraging travelers not only to travel across the pond but also to discover the experiences that can only be had in Britain.
Comprised of a series of short videos and eye-catching visuals, the global campaign focuses on aligning potential visitors interests with experiences they can find in Britain, and in particular, the destinations or offerings that often don't come first to mind.
"Instead of assuming we know what travelers want, we decided to ask people what they want to experience when traveling," said Gavin Landry, VisitBritain's executive vice president, Americas, "then showcase the British destinations and experiences they can explore that speak to their passions."
With the American market, Landry explained that "I Travel For. . ." centers on two types of travelers: "buzzseekers" and "sightseers." With buzzseekers, Landry said, "This audience segment is constantly fueled by the desire for more and they are searching for new ideas, to meet new people and engage in activities that will challenge them."
As for sightseers, Landry said these types of travelers prefer to plan trips in advance and often seek more of a relaxing holiday. While in their destination, Landry mentioned that they do check out brand new places and tend to find something new when revisiting old haunts.
Driven across Facebook and Instagram, the "I Travel For. . ." campaign will feature a series of brief films on what's being referred to as Britain's unexpected experiences and less-explored destinations along with its iconic landmarks and attractions. Additionally, the films highlight common interests: adventure, culinary, relaxation, culture and the undiscovered. They will be rolled out from late February through April; with the first one available for viewing on the Love GREAT Britain YouTube channel.
According to Landry, this video series will consist of six parts that feature various experiences across Great Britain. While keeping mum on most of what they might be, he revealed that they take place in London, the South Coast, Midlands, Northern England, Scottish Borderlands and Wales.
"By showcasing the diversity of experiences and destinations across our nations and regions, we hope to see a continued increase in the number of U.S. travelers visiting Britain," said Landry.
Campaigns aside, Landry noted that VisitBritain prioritizes promoting tourism across various parts of Britain. Their efforts are on the upswing. According to Landry, tourism figures from 2017 show a rise not only in international visits to the U.K. but also in the number of visitors going to regions outside of London plus seeing Scotland and Wales. From January through September of 2017, a record 30.1 million inbound visits to the UK, up seven percent from 2016.
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