VisitEngland will next week launch its domestic coastal marketing campaign to drive breaks to all seaside destinations on England’s North West coast.
The £1 million funded campaign, ‘All on England’s North West Coast’, which kicks off on 16 February, is putting the spotlight on destinations, attractions, experiences and accommodation providers to build back demand for domestic breaks.
Minister for Tourism Stephanie Peacock MP said:
“The government is committed to championing our regions and reminding people of the great destinations right on their doorstep.
“We are proud to shine a light on the stunning coastal resorts of the North West. These places have their own rich story to tell and deserve the jobs, investment and the pride that a thriving visitor economy brings.
“VisitEngland’s campaign is a key example of the necessary innovation and partnership needed to ensure the success of our domestic tourism sector.”
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:
“With warmer weather on the horizon now is the perfect time to consider booking a domestic break on England’s North West coast, boosting the economy and supporting jobs and local communities.
“Whether you are looking to connect with nature or revisit childhood memories, England’s North West coast has it all, with fantastic stories to tell and wonderful experiences and products for everyone to enjoy. From restorative retreats to dune walks and forest trails and from theme parks and fish and chips on the pier to quirky museums and hidden art, there truly is a magical break for everyone.”
VisitEngland research shows that England’s coastal destinations have been seeing fewer visitors in recent years with numbers down 11% year-on-year.
And there is a huge opportunity if more of us holidayed at home. Converting just 10% of what Brits spend on travelling abroad to holidaying here could deliver an £8 billion boost annually to our economy.
This pilot campaign will support VisitEngland to make the case to government for similar marketing activity in the future.
VisitEngland is working with Tripadvisor and Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) Marketing Lancashire, Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership and Cumbria Tourism on the campaign which targets families with young children and adults aged 25-44.
The digital campaign will run across VisitEngland and partners’ channels including on Instagram and Facebook, with North West coastal content ranging from short films, articles, interactive guides and coastal ‘show reels’ to encourage visitors to discover more and explore further. There will also be content created by Olympian Greg Rutherford on trips to the region alongside radio ads featuring Greg and on Tripadvisor’s purpose-built hub where Brits will be able to book their coastal breaks directly. Access the hub.
Local tourism businesses, visitor attractions and destinations are encouraged to get involved with the campaign, with a new dedicated section of VisitBritain.org featuring content that can be adapted to promote local experiences available here: https://www.visitbritain.org/all-north-west-coast-campaign
Tourism is one of England’s largest, most valuable industries - supporting hundreds of thousands of small-to-medium sized businesses, more than two million jobs and worth £127 billion to the economy in England.
Notes to editors:
- Destinations covered by the campaign include: Barrow‑in‑Furness, Muncaster, Ravenglass, Silecroft, Silloth, Maryport, Whitehaven, Grange‑over‑Sands, Cartmel, Fleetwood, Cleveleys, Blackpool, Lytham St Annes, Morecambe, Heysham, Crosby, Formby, Southport, and Wirral
- To support the campaign, VisitEngland will run a programme for destinations and their local businesses in areas including accessibility and regenerative tourism. To view the content click on this link: https://www.visitbritain.org/all-north-west-coast-campaign
- VisitEngland will also work with Tripadvisor to amplify the campaign’s reach and drive bookings. To view the Tripadvisor hub go to: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/InformationCenter-e2t7h3QbVvk2JHhR8W3Whx6 with content live from 16 February
- Converting just 10% of what Brits spend on travelling abroad to holidaying at home, could deliver an £8 billion boost to the economy
- The campaign runs from 16 February until the end of June with paid content running until 31 March
- Greg Rutherford is an Olympic Gold Medallist and former World, European, and Commonwealth Athletics Champion, best known for his iconic long jump victory at the London 2012 Olympics. Since retiring from athletics, Greg has successfully transitioned into a multifaceted career as a TV presenter, motivational speaker, brand ambassador, live event host—and, above all, a proud parent
- Unbranded images of the campaign can be downloaded by accessing this folder: https://vbtechnologywebhost.z33.web.core.windows.net/202608/DCMC2026/DCMC_10-02-2026.zip . Please use mandatory credit line listed in bold in the word document within the folder when using the images.
- For inspiration on coastal breaks in England go to: https://www.visitengland.com/things-to-do/coastal-breaks
