What makes Britain 'GREAT' campaign

Formalities 10/02/2012

The government is to launch a £125 million campaign to boost tourism in the United Kingdom, highlighting what makes Britain 'great'.

The marketing campaign will run globally and is intended to entice a further 4.6 million visitors to the UK over the next 4 years. The tourism drive will feature on billboards in 14 cities in 9 countries all over the world.

Britain is already taking the spotlight this year with the London 2012 Olympic Games and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The government are justifying the multi-million pound investment by stating it will create 60 000 jobs and produce a tourism legacy for Britain.

VisitBritain are spearheading the campaign, although senior editor of Bloomberg Markets magazine, Stryker McGuire, declares that it is "preaching to the converted".

However, other countries have proved that cashing in on the Olympics is no easy feat. Greece was crippled by debts in 2004 and Beijing, who hosted the event in 2008, did not see an immediate surge in hotel bookings, despite reassurances that holding the Olympic Games would encourage more people to visit China. Many people are now asking whether the UK government has considered the post-Olympic plan.

VisitBritain's Chief Executive Sandie Dawe insisted that the campaign was not an attempt to rebrand Britain, but simply taking an old theme and infusing it with innovative and refreshing aspects.