Heathrow has backed a campaign in support of the recovery of some of the worst flood-hit areas in the country.
The west London airport has offered £500,000 of advertising space to the Great Campaign as part of its team up with VisitBritain and Visit Scotland to encourage passengers to visit the affected areas.
Striking images of landmarks in Cumbria, Lancashire, Scotland and Yorkshire have been unveiled across the airport’s terminals in a move to get tourists to visit the incredible sites.
Among the must see places to visit include Hadrian’s Wall in Cumbria, Harewood House in Yorkshire, Williamson Park in Lancashire and Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire.
As part of the six-week campaign, giant posters have been displayed across the airport’s terminals which will be seen by tens of millions of passengers.
VisitBritain and Heathrow are encouraging tourists to help spread the word by sharing their own photos of these unique areas via social media using #OpenforBusiness!
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “I’m keen that Heathrow plays its part in supporting the economic recovery of parts of the country that have been recently affected by flooding.
“We are the only UK airport that brings in more tourists than it sends out and we’re going to do everything we can to ensure they know all about the amazing things they can see and do in Cumbria, Lancashire, Scotland and Yorkshire.”
Open for business
International tourism to these areas is on the rise.
In 2014, Yorkshire and Cumbria both saw a 13% increase in international visits compared to 2013 – with 1.4 million and 265,000 visits respectively – while Lancashire welcomed more than 280,000 visits from overseas, an increase of 12%.
In addition, in the five years to 2014, there has been a boom in international visits and spending up by 35% in Cumbria.
Spending during this period was also up in Yorkshire (37%) and Lancashire (24%).
VisitBritain CEO Sally Balcombe said: “We want international visitors to Britain to know that affected areas are not just open for business but also packed-full of incredible experiences and sights.
“Heathrow Airport is one of the main gateways to Britain and we hope this partnership will inspire visitors to explore more of Britain’s nations and regions, ensuring that the economic growth from tourism is spread across the country.”
Latest forecasts from VisitBritain show the number of overseas visitors to the UK is expected to rise this year to 36.7 million visits, up 3.8% on 2015, while spending by overseas visitors is predicted to reach almost £23 billion this year, up 4.2% on 2015.
