14 January 2008
New campaign encourages culture-vulture Brits to 'Be part of
it'
A new campaign launches today (14 January) to further encourage the
one in five of us who incorporate cultural experiences into our
holidays in England. Culture08, from the England Marketing
team at VisitBritain showcases the wealth of cultural attractions,
destinations, events and experiences that England can provide and
aims to inspire Britons and make them feel a part of the
celebrations.
2008 marks Liverpool’s position as European Capital of Culture,
welcoming nearly two million additional visitors to enjoy a
calendar of over 300 events throughout the year. It is also
the year that London takes the torch from Beijing as host city for
the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and Britain, as host
nation, begins a four-year, nationwide Cultural Olympiad.
Both ‘high’ and contemporary culture are important elements of this
country’s appeal as a destination. 63% of potential visitors would
be “very likely” to visit galleries or museums, 49% to go to live
music concerts or events and 37% to go to the theatre, opera or
ballet.
With these events unlikely to happen again for several decades, the
year long £250,000 Enjoy England Culture08 campaign will showcase a
range of popular and quirky events that England has to offer and
promote cultural tourism to the British. It is launched in
partnership with England’s Northwest, where a unique programme of
events to celebrate ’08 is already underway.
Laurence Bresh, VisitBritain’s England Marketing General Manager,
said: “From world-renowned museums and galleries, arts festivals
and music events to theatre and performance, innovative
architecture and different communities, England has one of the most
vibrant and diverse cultural scenes in the world. This is our
opportunity to shine the spotlight on the wealth of exciting events
that are taking place throughout England throughout the year.
We want to encourage our visitors to create their own cultural
calendar of events, exhibitions, shows and scenes, and get out and
about enjoying short breaks in their own country.”
Peter Mearns, Executive Director of Marketing at the Northwest
Regional Development Agency (NWDA), said: “This year is hugely
important for England’s Northwest. With Liverpool’s reign as
European Capital of Culture now underway, it is critical that we
seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase the fantastic
cultural offering that we have across the Northwest. The NWDA is
working with our partners in the region on a unique programme of
events to ensure that the legacy of 2008 is felt across the whole
of the region. With the range and scale of events on offer during
Capital of Culture year, there will never be a better time to visit
the region.”
When Britons were asked what is their preferred type of holiday,
22% said cultural and 19% said event (musicals, festivals, sport
events). When asked what activities they take part in while on
holiday, 35% said museums, 20% said architectural visits, 22% said
concerts, 19% said theatre, 16% said festivals and 5% said
ballet/opera.
Consumers will be encouraged to visit an engaging and interactive
website www.enjoyengland.com/culture,
including cultural themes, competitions and links. A search
facility allows users to search by Region, Theme, Event and Date –
and incorporates an option to search geographically and interact
with Google maps. Selected events can be incorporated into
the users own personal travel planner – providing a step by step
cultural travel itinerary for the users next holiday or day
out.
• “England - Celebrate it” showcases the festivals and
spectaculars throughout 2008 such as the Buxton International
Festival in Derbyshire and the Manchester Literature
festival.
• “England - See it” informs users about architecture,
antiques and famous collections in museums and galleries and
exhibitions taking place as a result of this special cultural year
such as the Tatton Park Biennial, art installations at the
Arnolfini in Bristol and new Firstsite arts centre in
Colchester.
• “England - Hear it” lists music festivals, events and
concerts, including the Liverpool Sound concert and Aldeburgh
Festival of Music and Arts.
• “England - Know it” encourages tourists to reacquaint
themselves with the iconic events and landmarks England is world
known for such as Wimbledon, Angel Day at Angel of the North and
Stratford’s Banbury Run.
• “England - Watch it” promotes theatre, dance and sports
events taking place throughout 2008 such as the London BFI Film
Festival, the Broadstairs Dickens festival and the English sporting
calendar.
• “England - Experience it” showcases the weird and wonderful
eccentricities that England is known for such as snail racing in
Norfolk and cheese rolling in Gloucestershire.
Enjoy England Culture08 will be promoted through a national
newspaper promotion and supplement, online marketing, advertising
in niche publications, direct mail and public
relations.
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For further information, please contact:
Sian Brenchley, Corporate Senior Press Officer on 020 8563 3220;
mob: 07971 497047
Notes to Editors
• VisitBritain is
responsible for promoting Britain as a world class tourist
destination and for developing England's visitor economy through
Enjoy England campaigns and initiatives.
• UK residents took
101 million trips, spending £16.2 billion in England in 2006. Since
its launch in 2003, Enjoy England has been responsible for £450m of
incremental spend on short breaks in England. In addition to
national TV advertising campaigns to inspire British visitors to
share their secrets of England, the current portfolio of campaigns
focuses on city breaks, outdoor activities, food and drink and
indulgent escapes. Enjoy England also markets England in France,
Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
• Visit the England
press centre at www.enjoyengland.com/presscentre.