VisitBritain and Marketing Manchester are extending a warm Northern welcome to more than 30 top international travel buyers and media as they host the inaugural ‘Spotlight Manchester: Gateway to Northern England and North Wales’.
Taking place from 5-11 November, the event gives venues, businesses, destinations and experiences from across the North of England and North Wales an opportunity to shine a light on the diversity of their tourism offer. The programme aims to encourage international tourists to explore more of the North, stay longer and spend more, boosting the region’s visitor economies.
Delegates from global markets including Australia and New Zealand; Canada; Germany; India; the Netherlands and Belgium; the Nordics; and USA will take part in a series of themed familiarisation visits, showcasing the range of tourism products available to international visitors.
On 10 November, delegates will then join the tourism industry from the North of England and North Wales at a day of one-to-one meetings to build relationships and demonstrate why their regions should feature on even more international visitor itineraries.
Patricia Yates, CEO of VisitBritain, said:
“The North of England and North Wales offer a compelling combination of cities, coastlines and countryside, as well as world-class sporting, cultural and heritage experiences.
“Together with Marketing Manchester, we are putting our fantastic Northern venues and businesses in the spotlight for more than 30 overseas tourism professionals from some of our most important inbound markets.
“We look forward to providing them with the knowledge and connections they require to promote new products and expand existing itineraries for inbound tourists from all over the world, driving growth and visitor spending across the North.”
Victoria Braddock, Managing Director of Marketing Manchester, added:
“We’re delighted to be working in close partnership with VisitBritain to deliver another significant piece of activity for top international travel buyers following our recent programme focused on the Indian market earlier this month.
“This time we’re on home ground, with the benefit of being able to showcase everything that Greater Manchester and the North of England has to offer in-person, giving delegates the opportunity to experience the destination first-hand and discover the breadth of bookable experiences available across the region.
“As the Global Gateway to the North we can offer visitors not just a fantastic city-region experience, but a great base from which to explore more of the country, encouraging visitors to stay longer and support tourism growth across the UK.”
‘Spotlight Manchester’ builds on VisitBritain’s recent work with Marketing Manchester and industry partners to deliver the tourism programme during the landmark North of England Mayoral trade mission to India (12-15 October). The mission saw destinations, tourism businesses and attractions from across the North tell their story to 150 leading Indian travel buyers and media, growing Northern England’s share of the valuable Indian visitor market.
With a focus on regional dispersal and encouraging visitors to spend more time discovering places across the North, VisitBritain will host international delegates on familiarisation and educational visits in destinations including Chester; Conwy; Durham; Harrogate; Hull; the Lake District; Lancashire; Leeds; Liverpool; Manchester; Newcastle; Northumberland; the North York Moors; the Peak District; Sheffield; the Tees Valley; Whitby; York; and the Yorkshire Dales.
They will explore and uncover themes showcasing the North’s industrial heritage, iconic countryside, cultural regeneration, literary heroes, dramatic coastlines, vibrant cities and thriving food and drink scene.
For more information about the North of England Mayoral trade mission to India, please visit: https://www.visitbritain.org/news-and-media/industry-news-and-press-releases/visitbritain-supports-landmark-north-england