VisitBritain’s first trade mission to India in three years, titled ‘Destination Britain – India,’ aimed to increase visits across the various regions and seasons of Great Britain. Louise Bryce, Partnerships Director, VisitBritain, and Vishal Bhatia, Country Manager India, VisitBritain, outline the global resurgence of British Inbound tourism and India’s significance in Britain’s growth metrics.
– Prativa V Bhalla
UK inbound tourism, a key part of the British economy, is experiencing a strong recovery in value. The July 2023 forecast projects a £ 30.9 billion (INR 3.16 billion) value, up 9 per cent from 2019. Anticipated visits stand at 37.5 million, representing 92 per cent of 2019 levels. Louise stated, “The US, as our main market, is displaying a robust recovery trajectory with a £6 billion market, while France and Germany are key short-haul markets for us. India holds immense importance due to its pace of recovery, rapid growth, widespread regional appeal, and visitations across seasons. India is presently ranked 11th globally but is rapidly ascending.”
The flagship event, which took place from November 19 to November 21, 2023, at Grand Hyatt Gurgaon, saw 26 British trade industry suppliers from across the nations and regions of the UK meet with 100 plus top buyers from India to engage in a series of pre-scheduled free-flow meetings. The suppliers included hotels, retailers, visitor attractions, tour operators, transport providers, and local destinations from across Britain. Vishal stated, “This event marks a significant comeback since our previous gathering, just before COVID-19. We have successfully assembled travel agents and tour operators from all over India to connect and interact with the UK trade.”
The trade meet began with the electrifying India-Australia Cricket World Cup match, which sparked an incredible camaraderie among the participants. Each Australian wicket falling was met with cheers, uniting India and Britain in their emotionally charged support for Team India, visible in a sea of blue jerseys. Despite India’s defeat, as the Britons comforted their Indian friends, the bonds formed during the match continued through the following days, setting a heartwarming tone of solidarity.
Mission Objective
Destination Britain programmes in key markets consistently foster business opportunities and spark renewed interest in the UK. The objective is to encourage high-value FIT, group arrivals, and business travellers to extend their stay in the UK, exploring regions beyond London. This trend resonates with the global shift toward experiential travel as travellers seek authentic and immersive experiences.
For India, the primary focus is to drive growth beyond London via regional gateways, leveraging increased airline connectivity and improved access to British regional cities. The aim is to promote travel to Britain throughout the year. VisitBritain emphasises its ‘See Things Differently’ campaign, promoting unique experiences in Great Britain to inspire visitors to explore diverse destinations across different seasons.
Leading Recovery from the India Market
With approximately 1.5 million members of the Indian diaspora living and working in the UK, there exists a robust people-to-people connection, which fuels the growing business exchange. Per visit, Indian visitors spent £1,480 in 2022, a notable increase from £848 in 2019. Business visitors contributed £241 million to the UK’s total spend from India, comprising 32 per cent of the overall expenditure. Indian visitors spent a record £764 million in the UK, surpassing 2019 levels by 2 per cent. This growth trend has continued into 2023, with India projected to become a £1 billion inbound visitor market by 2024, marking it as one of the UK’s fastest-growing tourism markets. Airline seat capacity from India to the UK also shows strong recovery and growth, with September 2023 witnessing a 53 per cent increase compared to the same month in 2019.
Notably in 2022, Indian visitors to the UK extended their stays, explored regional areas, and notably boosted their spending. They spent more than half of their trip outside London, which is triple the usual duration, averaging an eight-day stay.
Gateway Cities to Exploring Great Britain
The target cities for product development involving collaboration between the UK industry and India are London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and Edinburgh, along with their surrounding countryside. The aim is to encourage increased travel by Indian tourists to regions beyond London. This emerging trend indicates a growing inclination towards immersing and experiential travel. The ‘England Expert’ trade e-learning platform developed by VisitBritain in partnership with trade media promotes gateway cities.
Target Segment
Vishal stated, “The segment we are targeting comprises approximately one-third split among VFR, leisure, and business travellers from India. Both leisure and business travellers are integral parts of our focus because of their significant impact. When individuals visit the UK for business purposes, they often extend their stay for leisure activities. These individuals, who typically spend more and may bring their families along, are our primary focus. We aim to attract high-value individuals interested in exploring regions, engaging in sports, experiencing diverse culinary delights, and immersing themselves in various cultural experiences.”
VisitBritain is expanding its focus to ‘Tier 2’ Indian cities by conducting trade training sessions, facilitating educational trips, promoting new products, and designing customised itineraries to enhance engagement in these regions and additionally, facilitate connections between MICE operators and incentive groups to ensure the smooth processing of visas for corporates travelling to Britain.
Factors Contributing To Growth Trajectory
Enhanced flight options have notably increased visitor attraction. In September 2023, flight levels surged by 53 per cent compared to 2019, offering approximately 38,000 nonstop direct flight seats. Added to that, Indian visitors commonly choose Middle Eastern or European carriers, indicating substantial travel opportunities.
Visa processing times have notably improved, with turnaround times ranging between two to three weeks within the set schedule, which has significantly contributed to the upsurge in Britain’s inbound tourism numbers.
While London has historically been a favoured destination for Indians, efforts since 2018 have aimed to broaden itineraries beyond London, focusing on the north of England and Scotland. Leveraging events like the 2019 Cricket World Cup hosted by England and Wales helped showcase attractions in these regions. Additionally, events like the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 boosted destinations like Birmingham in the West Midlands on the Indian travel map. With a renewed focus on gateway cities, regional tourism is being marketed to showcase the stunning travel opportunities outside London.
Green Innovations
Sustainability is a top priority with initiatives like the Lumo, offering 100 per cent electric train service between Edinburgh and London for affordable, low-carbon travel. In gastronomy, Britain hosts 31 Michelin Green Star restaurants, blending culinary excellence with clean practices. Eco-friendly luxury accommodations include ‘The Londoner’ in Leicester Square, setting the perfect example of energy and water conservation, while the Emerald is recognised as UK’s first ‘Zero Carbon accommodation’ in the Cornish countryside. Additionally, the recently opened ‘1 Hotel’ in London overlooking Green Park marks the brand’s debut in the UK as a sustainable sanctuary.
Louise concluded, “The UK’s appeal lies in its diverse offerings within a compact space, encompassing varied landscapes, histories, and cultural richness. The strong ties in history, language, trade, and economic prosperity in India contribute to further growth potential between the two nations.
Dinesh Selvaraj, Tours and Museum Manager, Marylebone Cricket Club
“Indian tourists form 60 per cent of our visitors, showing a 50 per cent surge post-pandemic. We promote tailored experiences featuring cricket legends’ encounters and iconic exhibits like WG Grace’s bat and Ganguly’s shirt in the Museum. Visit Lord’s for an uplifting English experience—more than just cricket, it’s about art, heritage, history, and community inclusivity.”
Ann Wilson, Head of Sales, Historic Royal Palaces
“Historic Royal Palaces operates as a charity, funding itself through admissions, shops, and property inspections. Our properties include the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Banqueting House at Whitehall, and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in Northern Ireland. Kensington Palace, featuring ‘The Indian Army at the Palace’ exhibition displaying Indian regiments’ history in British events from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, engages Indian visitors with memorabilia.”
Samantha Ward, Travel Trade Manager, West Midlands Growth Company
“The Indian market is crucial for us in Birmingham and West Midlands due to its strength and diversity. VFR travellers stay for extended periods, exploring our trade-ready attractions. New offerings like Grain and Glass Distillery, Coventry’s Saint Mary’s Guild, and the Land Rover experience are generating interest. The upcoming Kabaddi World Cup 2024 final in Wolverhampton is already creating excitement about the region’s other product offerings. We urge Indian travel agents to keep exploring premium offerings on our trade website.”
 value, up 9 per cent from 2019. Anticipated visits stand at 37.5 million, representing 92 per cent of 2019 levels. Louise stated, “The US, as our main market, is displaying a robust recovery trajectory with a £6 billion market, while France and Germany are key short-haul markets for us. India holds immense importance due to its pace of recovery, rapid growth, widespread regional appeal, and visitations across seasons. India is presently ranked 11th globally but is rapidly ascending.”){kind=link}