Social media key to promoting Britain
Tuesday, 10 Nov, 2009
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Budget-constrained VisitBritain is to rely more on online social networking to get the UK’s tourism message out globally.
More user generated content will feature on a new-look VisitBritain website due to appear next April as part of ongoing efforts to attract 20 million unique visitors.
Additionally, the national tourism agency is aiming to attract a further 20 million unique visits to its content on other sites such as Yahoo, Yell.com, Google, YouTube, and Facebook.
VisitBritain has already been recognised as the top tourist board on micro blogging website Twitter.
Chief executive Sandie Dawe, speaking at World Travel Market, outlined the planned online activity as the organisation gears up for British Tourism Week next spring and the release of tourism marketing strategy plans for the London 2012 Olympic Games before the end of the year. A tourism 2012 event is then expected in January.
The updated VisitBritain website will allow people to upload images and ideas about Britain to spread the word about what the country has to offer overseas visitors.
With a general election to be held by May next year, Dawe called on the politicians not to put VisitBritain through yet another re-organisation following a series of cost-cutting measures in recent times.
“Please don’t re-organise us again, “ she said. “Let us get on with things. Restructures take time, energy and money.
“It should be a positive time for us. We have had the British tourism framework review which was a very thorough process and we feel we have a clear mandate now.”
Promoting Britain internationally, advising government on tourism issues, running the overseas inbound tourism network and maximizing the tourism benefits of hosting the Olympics are now the priorities.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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