Bath’s MP, Wera Hobhouse, hopes the city’s tourism businesses will join her in backing the £5 million ‘Escape the Everyday’ campaign that highlights the quality destinations, visitor attractions and experiences on offer in Bath and across the UK.
The campaign, delivered in partnership between VisitEngland, London & Partners, VisitScotland, Visit Wales and Tourism Northern Ireland, kicks off this month with a short video and branded content across social media, digital display and ‘on demand’ television advertising. The content also drives online ‘traffic’ to www.visitbritain.com/escape with ideas and links to information on autumn and winter activities and experiences across the nations and regions.
Wera Hobhouse is also calling for tourism businesses, visitor attractions and destinations in Bath to get involved.
Businesses can download a free Escape the Everyday campaign toolkit with marketing materials that destinations and tourism businesses across the UK can download, adapt and use to promote their local offer to boost tourism across the shoulder season and beyond on the themes of ‘discovery’, ‘freedom to explore’ and ‘treat yourself.’ The toolkit includes information about the campaign with details of partnership opportunities.
The ‘We’re Good To Go’ industry standard and consumer mark launched by VisitEngland in partnership with Tourism Northern Ireland, VisitScotland and Visit Wales, is also supporting visitors to book a break with confidence, reassuring travellers that tourism businesses are following official guidelines in their respective nations to welcome them back safely. More than 36,000 businesses across the UK have signed up to ‘We’re Good To Go’ since its launch, giving customers, staff and local residents confidence and reassurance that the correct procedures are in place.
Alongside the campaign we created an interactive map to help people locate We’re Good To Go businesses in their area: https://goodtogo.visitbritain.com/discover
Wera Hobhouse said:
“Bath is one of the best places in the UK to visit, with a well-earned reputation for our unique local businesses, our winding streets, and our cultural institutions.
“Escape the Everyday is an important campaign, working to keep tourism alive and well throughout the next six months.
“Covid-19 has been enormously challenging for Bath. Tourist attractions are a large source of income for our council and Covid-19 has meant less money for vital services for our residents and local businesses struggling to earn enough to keep going.
“In Parliament I am working to ensure that the Government knows how important this sector is to many of our communities. Outside of Westminster we can all support initiatives such as Escape the Everyday – working together as a city to support the businesses and institutions we know and love.”
VisitEngland Director of Marketing Clare Mullin said:
“Tourism needs all of us to make sure it gets back on its feet to once again be one of the most successful sectors of the UK economy. Businesses lost months of trading this year. Extending the season through the lean shoulder months and building confidence in taking a domestic trip is critical for the millions of jobs and local economies that rely on tourism right across the country.
“We have an outstanding year-round tourism offer, from cosy coastal retreats to waterway adventures, from our vibrant food scene to our world-renowned cultural and heritage attractions. Working with destinations and tourism businesses we can inspire people to explore and rediscover what’s here on our doorstep, following official guidance, and also help build the habit of a lifetime, boosting the economy now and driving growth from tourism in the future.
“Businesses and visitor attractions right across the country have also been working flat-out to welcome visitors back safely, adapting and innovating to meet new ways of working and still providing a great experience. They will be very pleased to see you.”
VisitBritain’s latest domestic consumer sentiment research shows that only 19% of Brits surveyed anticipate taking an overnight domestic trip in the UK during September and October, and 21% between November and March.
As part of the Escape the Everyday campaign the tourism organisations are also partnering on an upcoming ‘national weekend swap.’ Social media ‘influencers’ from across the UK are set to ‘swap’ their own respective nation or region for another across two weekends in September, 18 to 20 and 25 to 27, to responsibly explore and promote the local destinations, activities and experiences on offer in line with government guidance. The content generated during the trips will be shared across the influencers’ social media channels as well as by the tourism organisations to tempt younger audiences to take a short-break in the UK.
VisitBritain has forecast a 49% decline in domestic tourism spending in Britain this year equalling a £44.9 billion loss to the economy. Inbound tourism spending is forecast to drop 79% equalling a £24.0 billion loss.
The Escape the Everyday campaign, part of the UK Government’s GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign, is expected to generate more than 200,000 additional domestic overnight holiday trips in the UK.
I had the impression that Bath’s council was looking for alternative futures for the town other than its ruinous reliance on what was turning out to be mass, day-trip tourism, but Mrs Hobhouse seems to be suggesting that there are no alternatives. I hope I’m wrong.