25 September 2008
Twice as many Britons (26%) strongly agree that Britain is a nation rich in built and historic heritage rather than an interesting and exciting place for contemporary culture.
Twice as manyBritons(26%) strongly agree that Britain is a nation rich in built and historic heritage rather than an interesting and exciting place for contemporary culture (13%).Overall a quarter (24%) of us believe Britain hasa rich cultural heritage. 1
The findings come ahead of the country’s Open Weekend (26-28 September), which officially launchesBritain’s Cultural Olympiad, celebrating the quality and variety of the nation’s culture and beginning the four-year journey towards the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
Tom Wright, chief executive of national tourism agency VisitBritain, says: “Many people believe Britain is a place of Morris dancing, Highland Games, historic castles, museum and archaeological attractions, and monuments to yesteryear. They forget we have also given the world a wealth of contemporary cultural icons from rock bands and music festivals, to theatre and dance, to modern art and architecture.
“The economic climate and competition from other destinations means tourism to and within the UK is changing. Visitors may believe that because our heritage has been here for centuries it will be here for centuries more and there is little they have not already seen. We must remind them of all that is new and different throughout the UK – of the contemporary experiences they will miss – if we are to maintain our place among the world’s leading destinations.”
For VisitBritain, hosting the Games presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity toraise the profile and awareness of cultural attractions, events and destinations in all the nations and regions of the UK.As part of itsstrategy tospread a potential £2 billion economic benefit 2,VisitBritain is developing plans to ensure that visitors from home and abroad are drawn to Britain’sunique blend of historical and contemporary culture.
As VisitBritain’s 2012 director, Sandie Dawe says:“This weekend starts a four-year, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to position a dynamic, vibrant and welcoming Britain as the best destination in the world. We will remind other nations that Britain is home to unrivalled – and free – museums and galleries, great theatre, opera, dance and orchestral performances, as well as buskers, street theatre and festivals for all tastes and from many different cultures. Our work to promote these attractions will convince the world to visit in the years leading to and beyond 2012.”
To showcase Britain’s cultural assets, VisitBritain has created a new film, Britain Celebrates, that received its debut in Beijing and showcases the culture of an exciting and inspiring, modern, 21st century destination. As well as at events and exhibitions, it will be shown online in a dedicated video gallery on www.visitbritain.com/culturefilm, VisitBritain's global website where consumers can plan every part of their next trip here.
To a soundtrack of Simon Webbe’s Grace, Britain Celebrates reflects theunique breadth and depth of the nation’s culture, from cutting edge art installations to historic royal palaces. The film ranges from ballet, orchestra and theatre productions to events at the Eden Project, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Natural History Museum, Wales Millennium Centre and in Liverpool Capital of Culture, as well as pop and rock concerts, Banksy and Gormley, Highland Games, the Sultan’s Elephant, ethnic celebrations and the Edinburgh Festival. It is part of a series that together appeal to tomorrow’s travellers, particularly younger and newer visitors, through their portrayal of arts, fashion, music, film and sport that are followed globally.
VisitBritain has also created a dedicated online media centre with copyright-free, broadcast quality moving images, a library of free photographs, copyright-free articles and features about the UK’s Olympic venues, as well as sports-related activities, experiences, attractions and destinations and what’s new around the UK.
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For further information, please contact:
Elliott Frisby, Corporate PR Manager, VisitBritain on 020 8563 3035 or 07951 996241
Notes to Editors
· 1VisitBritain commissioned the research through the Anholt-GMI Nations Brand Index, a syndicated survey of on-line consumers in 2007
· 2The Games are forecast to generate tourism gains totalling £2.34bn (at 2006 prices) over the period 2007-17 for the UK as a whole, of which £1.85bn is for London. Once allowances for displacement effects are made (people leaving or avoiding London/UK because of the Games), the contribution is still £2.1bn for the UK, including £1.47bn for London.These gains are generated largely by higher numbers of visitors from emerging markets for UK tourism (primarily China, India and Russia), who decide to visit the country/city as a consequence of the media exposure and publicity associated with the Games
· B-roll of Britain is available from from VisitBritain’s press offices worldwide or a shorter version on www.thenewsmarket.com/visitbritain
· 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
· Provisional figures for 2007 indicate there were 32.8 million visits to Britain, 0.2% up on 2006. They spent £16.0 billion in the UK: a -0.3% decrease on 2006
· 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