11 March 2008
British Travel Trade Fair is growing to be even bigger and better from 2009.
British Travel Trade Fair, the leading travel trade show promoting tourism in the UK and Ireland, is growing to be even bigger and better from 2009. After almost 25 successful years as a trade-only event, it is being extended to bring the enormous diversity of visitor experiences available in the UK to boththe trade and a much wider and ever-more interested consumer audience.
The show, owned by national tourism agency, VisitBritain, will have a key role to play as part of a new Best of Britain consumer exhibition (26-29 March 2009) at London’s ExCeL. BTTF has been licensed to the organisers of Best of Britain – IMIE Limited – and will be re-invented and re-positioned as an exclusive Trade Day with a dynamic and far broader exhibitor base and strong media partnerships.
Backed by Britain’s national tourist boards, the Best of Britain Trade Day on 26 March will retain the BTTF identity and will remain exclusive for the industry. Subsequent days will be an exciting interactive celebration of domestic tourism for the general public. The Trade Day will continue to offer the opportunity to meet with and be inspired by the diversity ofvisitor attractions, accommodation, tour operators, transport providers, entertainment agencies and destinationsand feature the workshops, seminars, events and networking that attract over 3,500 visitors.
Tom Wright, VisitBritain chief executive, says: “Best of Britain will build on the successful foundations of BTTF to build a unique hybrid event where both the trade and consumers can experience the very best that Britain has to offer. It will create even greater opportunities for tourism businesses of all sizes to attract new business from the UK and abroad.
“IMIE have a huge amount of experience and a strong track record in launching successful consumer shows such as BBC Good Food, the British International Motorshow and Destinations. The Best of Britain will be an integral part of British Tourism Week 2009 as we focus on generating greater consumer awareness of the British holiday experience.”
The new show will take place at ExCeL in London’s Docklands, helping to attract more trade buyers – many of which are based around London and the South East. As well as its reputation as a major international gateway, transport links to and from the capital will make it even easier for exhibitors and consumers to take part. The move will also help the industry capitalise on trade and consumer marketing activities in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and provide an opportunity to showcase Games’ venues to travel and tourism trade buyers from around the world.
Rob Mackenzie, managing director of IMIE, says: “We’re delighted to be working with VisitBritain on this project. Best of Britain will deliver a bigger, higher profile trade event of which the industry will be proud. The consumer-facing dimension of Best of Britain will act as a massive generic promotion for domestic tourism, which will support the objectives of the trade whilst driving direct business to the exhibitors.
“The combination of trade and consumer audiences is a well-proven exhibition formula as evidenced by the success of major events such as the British International Motor Show and the London International Boat Show.”
Exhibitor participation is expected to grow with packages for small exhibitors starting from just £800. Further details of the show will be announced in due course and organisers are also planning a series of meetings around Britain with further details for potential exhibitors.
- ends -
Further information: Elliott Frisby, Corporate PR Manager on 020 8563 3035 or 07951 996241
Notes to Editors
· VisitBritain is responsible for promoting Britain as a world class tourist destination and for developing England’s visitor economy. It has representatives in 36 countries around the world and, in the last three years, has expanded into China, throughout Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, and increased its presence in India with representatives in Bangalore and Mumbai.
· In 2006, there were 32.7 million visits to Britain, 9% up on 2005. They spent over £16 billion in the UK: a 12% increase on 2005.Globally, the UK retains 6th place in visitor arrivals, slipping one place to 6th in spend.
· VisitBritain’s international website, www.visitbritain.com, was awarded World’s Leading Tourism Authority Internet Site for the fourth year in a row at the 2007 World Travel Awards by more than 200,000 travel and tourism professionals. With information provided in 26 different languages, every year over 12 million visits are made by international consumers to the 46 websites that make up visitbritain.com. VisitBritain plans to increase this to 25 million by 2009.
About IMIE
· IMIE is a joint venture company between Single Market Events and London EventCo. Based in London Blackfriars, the team has been responsible over the past twenty years for the launch, development and management of many of the UK’s largest and best known consumer and trade events including London Fashion Week, BBC Good Food Show, Daily Telegraph House and Garden Fair, Destinations, International Spring Fair, British International Motor Show and IPEX-International Print Exhibition.