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VisitBritain is taking the opportunity to promote Destination Britain and encourage travel from the GCC during the World Cup in Qatar and beyond.
VisitBritain said the latest consumer sentiment research revealed strong pent-up demand for travel in the GCC and a valuable opportunity to influence destination choice and bookings.
Bookings for flights from the region to the UK have also seen a strong recovery and are now at more than three-quarters of 2019 levels.
VisitBritain is supporting the UK Government’s activities during the Qatar 2022 World Cup, including The Garden of GREAT UK pavilion in Doha.
Throughout the Championship, The Garden of GREAT showcases the creativity and diversity of the UK in music, art, design, fashion and food, and all the exciting experiences that can now be enjoyed in the UK.
Research shows that tourists from the GCC already enjoy dining in fine restaurants, shopping in the UK, visiting famous monuments and buildings, visiting parks and gardens, museums and art galleries.
With football at the center of the action, VisiBritain is also taking the opportunity to highlight the UK’s amazing travel offers as the ‘Home of Football’ across its digital and social channels, encouraging visitors to come and explore its vibrant football city and associated attractions and experiences . Research from VisitBritain reveals the growing importance of football in driving UK tourism.
Overseas visitors to football matches spent a total of £1.4bn in the UK in 2019, an 84% increase from £742m in 2011 when the study was last conducted, the report said.
Carol Madison, Interim Deputy Director of VisitBritain, said: “The GCC is a very important tourism market for the UK. Through the UK Government’s The Garden of GREAT and World Cup events programme, we have a timely and valuable opportunity to highlight our excellent tourism offering and the amazing experiences that GCC visitors, including football fans, can only get in the UK.
“We know there is pent-up demand for travel in the GCC and we want the UK to be a destination of choice. We also want to offer a world-class welcome. The Electronic Travel Authorization scheme for GCC tourists from 2023, and our strong airline and Airline connectivity will make it easier to visit the UK, boosting our competitive tourism product in the region.
“We are also very excited to be launching a new marketing campaign in the GCC early next year, showcasing the important reasons to choose the UK in a landmark year that will attract global tourism. We will also continue to work with the market The travel industry and partners have worked closely to translate inspiration for visiting the UK into bookings, highlighting messages of reassurance and welcome as part of the World Cup and beyond.”
VisitBritain is launching a new GREAT Britain marketing campaign in the GCC in early 2023 to drive bookings, encouraging visitors to “see differently” by positioning the UK as a vibrant, adventurous and inclusive destination and promoting a message of warm welcome thing”.
The campaign will capture key events in 2023, including the coronation of King Charles III in May. Britain’s famous heritage, royal heritage, pomp and pomp have proven to be tourist attractions. Research by VisitBritain in early 2022 also revealed that exploring the UK’s history and heritage is the top motivation for keen international travelers visiting the UK, followed closely by visiting its iconic attractions.
The UK government announced in June 2022 that it would lift visa requirements for nationals of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and would also support the transfer of pent-up GCC Travel demand translates into bookings. Earlier this year, the UK government also announced that nationals from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain would be eligible for e-visa exemptions from 1 June 2022.
VisitBritain’s priority is to continue to work with the travel industry and the media in the market to ensure they are ready to sell Britain. The organization said this included building product knowledge and widening travel itineraries, as well as encouraging visitors from the GCC to explore more of the UK.
The GCC market saw 1.2 million visits to the UK in 2019, with these tourists spending £2.6 billion on travel. – trade arab news agency
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