Britain ready to welcome the world

With the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games less than 100 days away, the national tourism agency, VisitBritain says businesses and communities across the country are warming up their welcome for the arrival of the greatest show on earth. During July and August, the UK would normally expect to receive around six million overseas visitors, about half of these visiting London on holiday. Around one million tickets have been allocated for international visitors. During Games time there will also be nearly 22,000 athletes and officials in London for the Games, over 20,000 international media, around 6,000 members of the Olympic & Paralympic Family, and many friends and relatives of the athletes arriving in the UK to experience the Games atmosphere and enjoy the best of British hospitality. In a push to encourage even more people to come and experience the very best of what Britain has to offer, VisitBritain is mounting its biggest marketing push – under the GREAT banner. The campaign involves an image campaign in 14 major cities in key markets, including Toronto and Vancouver, supported by digital marketing and social media activity with a global footprint. To add weight to the advertising campaign, VisitBritain has called upon the British public to send a postcard to their friends and relatives around the world, inviting them to come and visit the UK in 2012. This follows a similar invitation from celebrities including Dev Patel, Jamie Oliver, Dame Judi Dench and Matt Smith. Sandie Dawe, chief executive of VisitBritain, notes, “The 2012 Games, the Olympic Torch Relay and the Cultural Festival present a major opportunity to showcase Britain at its very best. The welcome we offer our visitors will be a crucial measure of the success of this year’s events. The overwhelming perception of Britain globally is positive and with the help of businesses and communities across the country, we are looking to roll out the welcome mat.”(http://www.visitbritain.com)