GETTING TOGETHER Britain does it differently

Posted on 01/06/2016 | About London, United Kingdom

VisitBritain put quite a twist on their annual North America marketplace last fall. DBNA which has usually been held in Las Vegas, shed its ‘N’ (North) to become DBA – Destination Britain Americas – as it moved south to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. It was the largest business to business event VisitBritain has brought together outside the UK.

It was also the first time VisitBritain has ever brought together tourism buyers and media from North and Latin American markets (Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Mexico and the US) with British suppliers in one place. The event was a resounding success. DBA saw 198 buyers, suppliers and travel trade media facilitating roughly 5,000 business meetings over the three-day event.

“Inbound tourism is one of Britain’s most successful export industries, worth £26.2 ($54.1) billion to the economy and generating both jobs and growth across Britain. Thanks to the support of our valued industry partners, 2014 was a record-breaking year for international visitors to Britain and we are aiming to see that record broken again this year,” said VisitBritain chairman, Christopher Rodrigues. “VisitBritain is delighted to welcome a strong contingent of British tourism businesses in Mexico and grateful to the delegates from Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the United States and Mexico, for their enduring commitment to doing business with British companies and selling the very best of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.” In addition to the business meetings at DBA, VisitBritain hosted three product seminars each delivered by a travel blogger – one from Brazil, one from Canada and one from the US. It was a different approach, a welcome break from back to back meetings, and an entertaining and informative perspective as to both travelling within, and suggestions and advice as to selling travel to England, Scotland and Wales respectively.

Visitors to Britain can be obsessively London-centric and VisitBritain has worked hard to change this by highlighting the many and varied experiences awaiting travellers outside the Capital. Karen Clarkson, vice president North America, for VisitBritain, made some excellent points as to the changing ways of travellers. Today’s travellers, she said, have instant information at their fingertips, and it changes the way they travel. “Consumers today want to do things not own things.” Clarkson said, noting that they are knowledgeable, experienced travellers and they do not want to be perceived as, “just tourists” they want to be viewed as experienced and adventurous travellers.

It’s important to have an eye on the future said Clarkson. Experiential travel and adventure travel are becoming more important. Identifying Holiday market segments is not as simple as it once was. The various psychographic segments share as much as they differ. For the relaxed and retired value is the key, but then value is a key factor across all segments. They are likely to be shoppers, they don’t want to be bored they need to be stimulated and giving them enough to do on their vacation is critical. Whether it’s contemporary culture, or life enrichment

Hosting the inaugural event in Mexico this year is especially timely as 2015 marks ‘The Dual-Year of Mexico in the UK’ and ‘The Year of the UK in Mexico’. This Dual Year was established by the governments in both countries to foster a better understanding between the two countries and create a platform for promoting tourism, trade and investment, education, science and innovation. Major sponsors of DBA included Visit Wales, Visit Scotland, Air Canada, North of England, Historic Royal Palaces and made. If you are not familiar with made – it is a tourism marketing, destination and PR company. Christopher Rodrigues summed up succinctly. One of the challenges he told us, is that Britain is so many things to so many people and there are “clear differences” in how to approach selling travel to Britain.

“Find your customers’ passion,” he said, and find your own, and know that whatever you’re passionate about, “if you haven’t done it in Britain – you haven’t done it.”