- Heathrow today launches its latest initiative to drive tourism and growth to every region and nation of the UK.
- Twelve giant 3D frames will showcase the best of the UK to Heathrow’s passengers
- The ‘Tourism Takeover’ forms part of a £1 million scheme in partnership with the UK Government’s GREAT campaign.
- The initiative comes after nationwide roundtables highlighted how Heathrow expansion can unlock tourism and trade for the whole country.
Heathrow has today launched a major airport-wide ‘Tourism Takeover’ to showcase the very best of the UK to over 78 million annual global passengers.
The initiative will see some of the UK’s most spectacular destinations, spanning every region and nation, featured in giant 3D installations around the airport. Passengers from across the globe will be invited to snap and share selfies inside frames of the UK’s finest landmarks – from Glen Coe in Scotland to the Royal Pavilion in the South East.
The frames, which are expected to be in place for several years, will also feature fun facts about each of the twelve destinations, tempting tourists from across the globe to pay a visit.
Partnership with the GREAT campaign, the airport’s ‘Tourism Takeover’ will see Heathrow hand over valuable terminal space worth £1million to these inspiring installations. Gaterooms dedicated to Wales and Northern Ireland will follow in 2019.
Heathrow has pledged to make the most of its position as the country’s only hub airport to boost tourism, investment and growth across the UK. In 2017 alone there were 39.2 million inbound visits to the UK, with overseas visitors spending as much as £24.5 billion.
Heathrow has been ramping up its efforts to boost the UK’s domestic connections and drive growth to all corners of the UK. The airport introduced a further £5 discount on the airport charges for UK passengers, a total domestic discount of £15 and has set out plans for a £10 million Route Development Fund to support domestic routes once the third runway is operational.
Speaking about the plans, Heathrow’s Chief Commercial Officer Ross Baker commented:
“Heathrow is the UK’s only hub airport and main gateway to the world, welcoming millions of visitors from countries far and wide every single year. The UK has so much to offer them, from stunning landscapes to dynamic modern cities, and from centuries worth of history to world class festivals and exhibitions. We are delighted to be able to showcase some of these to the many people passing through our terminals thanks to the GREAT Campaign’s UK wide Tourism Takeover.”
Heathrow has worked with the GREAT campaign for several years to help endorse the country’s heritage and attractions to international passengers and promote the UK as a great place to visit and to invest. The ‘Tourism Takeover’ is the latest in a number of initiatives resulting from this partnership.
Tourism Minister Michael Ellis added:
“Heathrow Airport is the gateway to Britain for more than 70 million people every year. We want tourists to enjoy the incredible experiences, sights and scenery on offer across the whole of the UK and this partnership gives visitors a taste of what they can discover."
Wolverhampton City Council said: “This opportunity enables us to reach a unique demographic and by collaborating with Heathrow Airport, we are opening up to new international markets and making Wolverhampton a recognised name in the south of the UK. Wolverhampton is known for its rich cultural diversity and is a thriving centre for arts and live entertainment with treasures that some larger cities can only dream of. The Gallery boasts one of finest collections of Pop Art in Europe and changing collections throughout the year.”
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Notes to editors:
About Heathrow
Heathrow is Europe’s largest airport and one of the world’s top international aviation hubs. As the UK’s global gateway, Heathrow welcomes more than 78 million passengers every year. The airport is home to more than 80 airlines and is Britain’s largest cargo port, helping to drive British trade growth by connecting the nation to more than 200 destinations around the world. Heathrow is currently ranked by passengers as the 'Best Airport in Western Europe’ for the third year running and the ‘Best Airport for Shopping’ for eight years in a row. Terminal 2 also holds the title of the ‘World’s Best Airport Terminal’ and is the Heathrow’s most sustainable, now powered by 100% renewable gas and electricity.
About the Great Britain Campaign
The GREAT Britain Campaign is the UK Government’s most ambitious international marketing campaign ever and showcases the very best of what Britain has to offer in order to encourage the world to visit, study and do business with the UK. It is active in over 140 countries and has so far generated over £3.9bn in economic returns for Britain.
The full list of locations featured on the boards is as follows:
- North East: Alnwick Castle, Newcastle Quayside, MIMA Gallery, Durham
- Wales: Gower, Smallest House in Britain, Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast
- Yorkshire and the Humber: Harewood House, Queens Arcade, The Shambles, The North York Moors National Park
- London: National Portrait Gallery, London Eye, Covent Garden, Buckingham Palace
- Scotland: Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews, Glen Coe
- East Midlands: Chatsworth House, Ye old Trip to Jerusalem, Heights of Abraham, Leicester Cathedral
- East of England: Cambridge Punting, Colchester, Broads National Park, Elm Hill
- South East: Royal Pavilion, White Cliffs of Dover, Whistable Oyster Festival, Canterbury Cathedral
- West Midlands: Birmingham Bull Ring, Coventry Music Museum, Jewellery Quarter, Wolverhampton Art Gallery
