Stapells in Britain with LGBTQ influencers from Toronto and Montreal.

TORONTO — Reaching the “magic million mark” is just one of many goals Cathy Stapells hopes to achieve from the Canadian market, in her brand new role as Director, Canada for VisitBritain.

The destination is well on its way to hitting that record-setting visitation mark from this market, and is enjoying record spend from Canadian visitors too, reaching £934 million in 2022, up 27% on 2019.

“With the support of the trade, the Canadian spend forecast is expected to surpass £1 billion this year,” Stapells told Travelweek in this new interview.

Most recently Senior Marketing & Communications Manager – Canada, Stapells is a 10-year veteran with VisitBritain. Her promotion to Director, Canada was announced last month.

Travelweek touched base with Stapells to find out about VisitBritain’s forecasts for the Canadian market, the popular travel agent training workshops, the new trade website and more.

Travelweek: What are you most excited about in your new role as Director, Canada for VisitBritain?

Stapells: “We have a lot to be excited about! With the support of our key trade partners, Canadian visits to the UK have bounced back from the pandemic strongly, even going beyond 2019 numbers.

“Canadians are avid travellers with a continued strong interest in Britain as a travel destination. Through the ‘See Things Differently’ campaign, we want visitors to Britain to venture off the beaten path, explore the coast and countryside, find fresh experiences in our cities and enjoy our arts and culture.

“Britain offers good value for money, a warm welcome and the rail system is top-notch, making it so easy to get around.”
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Travelweek: You’ve been with the Canadian office of VisitBritain for 10 years. What have you learned in those 10 years about how Canadians prefer to vacation in Britain?

 Stapells: “Our Commonwealth and ancestral connections continue to drive visits from Canada to the UK. Beyond that Canadians are looking for authentic experiences when they travel, meeting locals and exploring less well-known places and attractions.

“Canadians go beyond London to explore other cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham, plus Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh. They want to experience coastal places and scenery and explore local food and beverage. In addition, there is continued interest in iconic tourist attractions, and in exploring Britain’s history, heritage and royal traditions.”
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Travelweek: What are your goals for the Canadian market for 2024?

 Stapells: “We will continue to dedicate our efforts to working with key tour operators and travel agents to build tourism product and enhance knowledge of Britain.

“With the support of the trade, the Canadian spend forecast is expected to surpass £1 billion this year. Visits to the UK were up 3% to 897,000 in 2022. Our goal is to crack the magic million mark, welcoming more Canadians than ever before!”
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Travelweek: In 2022, Canada achieved record spend, reaching £934 million in 2022, up 27% on 2019, and is ranked the seventh most valuable market for spend to the UK. Can you give some examples of how Canadians are splurging on their Britain vacations?

Stapells: “Canadian holiday visitors stay an average of nine nights with an average spend of £1,269. This is significantly higher than the global average spend of £1,042 per visit.

“Canadians are staying longer and spending more when they visit taking in the wealth of accommodation options from B&Bs to hotels and luxury manor houses, as well as visiting attractions and enjoying our pubs and restaurants. They are not just staying in London, but travelling further afield to the regions of England, and we’ve seen an uptake on visits to Scotland.”
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Travelweek: How can travel agents work with VisitBritain to make sure they’re maximizing opportunities to send clients to Britain?

Stapells: “We welcome travel agents to join the workshops we have on offer. We know there are a lot of new travel agents who have entered the industry recently. We want to ensure they have the most current information about Britain and are aware of the diversity of the experiences on offer.

“We restarted travel agent training workshops in four cities in Ontario in November, which were very successful. We did so in partnership with VisitScotland, VisitWales, Globus, Goway, RIT and TravelBrands. We’re planning additional ones in the coming months. Next up is in Burlington, ON in February 2024, and Calgary, mid-March 2024. We’ll communicate the details in the next few weeks.

“In October, we launched our New Trade Website.  The website features a new look and design, user-friendly navigation and refreshed content, video and images, and provides improved access to the information needed to help agents promote and sell travel to Britain.

“Key features include …

• The latest data and research on tourism, including data visualisation tools making it easier to draw relevant insights to inform decision-making;
• Information about training and events offered by VisitBritain/VisitEngland, including opportunities to attend international trade and industry events;
• Resources for travel trade, including destination content to inform and inspire tour operators and travel advisors looking to sell tourism to Britain.
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Travelweek: Any big events coming up in 2024 and/or 2025? Please let us know!

Stapells: “There’s always so much happening in Britain. Celebrate the 200th anniversary of the first ever Cadbury shop at Cadbury World in Birmingham, where you can discover more about the brand’s history and their chocolate-making process. The 150th anniversary of Aston Villa Football Club in Birmingham is in 2024. And Robert the Bruce’s 750th anniversary is the ideal time to follow in the footsteps of Scotland’s most famous king by exploring the Robert the Bruce Trail in the South of Scotland or other locations thought to be connected to him such as Scone Palace and Dunfermline Abbey.

“Perth Museum will open its doors in spring 2024 after a £26.5 million re-development project. This world-class cultural and heritage attraction will highlight the fascinating objects and stories that put Perth and Kinross at the centre of Scotland’s story. Wales has made Lonely Planet’s sustainable travel Top 10 destinations list for 2024. And attention Jane Austen fans: we’ll be celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of the beloved author in 2025.”

Industry support including business development opportunities, news and resources can be found at VisitBritain.org. For destination inspiration go to VisitBritain.com.