LONDON — VisitBritain has debuted its new global screen tourism campaign, kicking off with a blockbuster-inspired film that sees Britain the star of the show.
The campaign ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ rolls out internationally this week with a launch film drawing on iconic film and TV moments from Mission: Impossible to Bridget Jones; Spider-Man to Succession; House of the Dragon to Harry Potter; Paddington to Fast & Furious to Mary Poppins Returns and more.
VisitBritain’s new screen tourism campaign ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ is rolling out in key markets around the world (image courtesy VisitBritain/Studiocanal)
The launch film, directed by Academy Award-winning British director Tom Hooper, is supported by a wider advertising campaign which is underway across the UK’s largest and most valuable inbound visitor markets.
The campaign comes as VisitBritain’s screen tourism research shows that more than 9-out-of-10 potential visitors to the UK would be keen to visit film and TV locations during a trip.
“Many of the moments that took your breath away in the cinema were filmed in the United Kingdom. Stunning scenery, amazing cityscapes and great cinematic talent have combined over the years in a truly exceptional way. We want visitors from home and abroad to experience them first-hand by immersing themselves in the scenery and locations made famous thanks to film and TV,” said Tourism Minister Sir Chris Bryant.
“Our tourism industry is already worth £74 billion to the economy and this campaign will help drive more growth by encouraging millions of tourists to visit even more parts of our breathtaking country,” he said. “Supporting our Plan for Change, this will help to boost visitor numbers and spend, create opportunity in local communities and set the scene for the UK’s thriving visitor economy for years to come.”
VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates added: “Britain’s destinations are the real star of the show as we harness the powerful draw of screen tourism to attract international visitors and drive their spending across our nations and regions, boosting local economies. Using film and TV as the hook we’re telling the story of Britain today, showcasing our dynamic and diverse destinations and putting our welcome centre-stage.
“Films, TV and tourism have a lot in common. They bring people together and they can transport us to new places, experiences and adventures. From exploring our vibrant cities, world-class attractions and stunning countryside, the backdrop to so many iconic filming locations, to enjoying our exciting contemporary culture and hospitality, Starring GREAT Britain inspires visitors to put themselves in the picture, discover more and book a trip to Britain right now.”
The first phase of the international advertising campaign got underway last week. The campaign runs until the end of March 2025 and is part of a longer-term screen tourism focus by VisitBritain.
As well as the launch film, the multi-media advertising campaign uses a mix of channels to showcase destinations across England, Scotland and Wales as the backdrop to great stories, action and adventure.
The advertising also directs viewers to a screen-tourism hub on VisitBritain’s global consumer website with itineraries themed around film genres, encouraging visitors to broaden their itineraries, discover more regional destinations and stay longer. A digital map links to film inspired locations, attractions and experiences across the nations and regions.
As part of VisitBritain’s ‘Showcase Britain’ event this month, 120 travel trade from across 17 markets explored film-and-TV inspired post-trips across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
VisitBritain is also working with the British Film Commission to boost screen tourism across the nations and regions.
The ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign, part of the UK Government’s GREAT campaign, has been developed working in collaboration with the national tourism boards of England (VisitEngland), Scotland (VisitScotland), Wales (Visit Wales) as well as London & Partners.
Inbound tourism is one of the UK’s most valuable service exports and a major part of British trade, worth an estimated £32.5 billion to the economy in 2024 in visitor spending.
