The Prime Minister has launched a new drive to promote Britain abroad. The new ‘GREAT’ campaign, launched on Wednesday 21 September in New York, will focus on everything the UK has to offer as one of the very best places to visit, study, work, invest and do business. It provides a co-ordinated approach for promoting the UK in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games and beyond – it will allow Britain to speak with one voice about the opportunities to invest in the UK and help attract millions of visitors.

‘GREAT’ Britain centres on areas of British excellence covering reasons to visit and invest in the UK. These areas are: innovation, entrepreneurs, creativity, knowledge, green, heritage, sport, music, countryside and shopping. 

This campaign is a welcome opportunity for us to work alongside other key organisations, such as our sponsoring body, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, UK Trade & Investment, the Foreign & Commonwealth office and other Government departments to promote the best of Britain and highlight why this is the only place to be in 2012. We have been actively engaged throughout the development of the ‘GREAT’ concept and have provided our expertise to help ensure the campaign can be successfully implemented in those overseas markets where we operate.

Our marketing programme to see an extra £2 billion being spent across Britain by four million additional overseas visitors over the next four year - is already rolling out under the ‘GREAT’ Britain branding to integrate with the wider Government initiative.

We are already using the ‘GREAT’ creative on our website, and are running tactical ads featuring GREAT with our strategic and industry partners in key markets around the world. These adverts showcase what overseas visitors can discover in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The ads are part of a match-funded pot of marketing spend, with £50 million coming from VisitBritain and £50 million from the industry. Our founding partners include: American Express, British Airways, DFDS Seaways, easyJet, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, P&O Ferries, Radisson Edwardian, STA Travel and Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum.

Now is the time for us to highlight the diversity of what we have to offer visitors across Britain – our great history and heritage; our great countryside and natural beauty; our great culture, shopping, sports, world-class food and drink; and the great warmth of our welcome.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, Jeremy Hunt announced that the Government is investing up to £40 million in promoting Britain overseas for business, study and tourism.  

VisitBritain is to receive a significant proportion of this sum to mount an image campaign in selected priority markets. This will be in addition to the existing four-year, £100 million match-funded marketing campaign we are running to capitalise on the international attention Britain will receive during 2012.

Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, officially launched our £25 million image campaign, as it rolls out across 14 major cities in nine key inbound tourism markets, reaching an estimated audience of some 90 million people.

Running until March 2013, activity is being undertaken in major cities in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan and the US with the aim of enhancing overseas perceptions of the UK as a major tourism destination and helping drive economic growth.

See some of the imagery in situ.