VISITENGLAND CHAMPIONS ACCESSIBILITY AHEAD OF LONDON 2012 PARALYMPIC GAMES

With 100 days to go to the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, VisitEngland has called on businesses across the country to ensure they provide the warmest of welcomes for visitors with access needs. 

VISITENGLAND ROLLS OUT THE RED CARPET AT IMEX 2012

VisitEngland will be treating visitors to a quintessentially English experience at IMEX 2012, with traditional afternoon teas and fantastic competition prizes up for grabs each day.  Running from 22-24 May at Messe Frankfurt, Germany, IMEX is the world’s largest meetings and events trade show, attracting thousands of visitors every year.

England’s Biggest Fan has Been Found!

VisitEngland launched a nationwide campaign in March to find England’s biggest fan for an all-expenses paid 70-day trip around the country.  After an extensive search, VisitEngland can reveal that England’s biggest fan is Rachel Kershaw from Lancashire! 

ENGLAND’S DOMESTIC TOURISM INDUSTRY KICKS OFF 2012 WITH 5% INCREASE

VisitEngland, the national tourist board, has released figures revealing that 5.4 million domestic overnight trips were taken in England in January this year - an increase of 5% compared to 2011.

English Tourist Industry Ready to Welcome the World for The Greatest Show on Earth

With 100 days to go before the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games VisitEngland, the national tourist board, has called on the industry to make England the most welcoming place in the world this year.

ENGLAND’S FINEST SET TO BATTLE IT OUT AT 2012 TOURISM AWARDS

The brightest and best of England’s tourism industry are getting ready to compete for a prestigious accolade, as VisitEngland announces the shortlist for its annual awards...

VisitEngland Launches Online Tool for Restaurants to Improve Access for Visitors

VisitEngland, the national tourist board, today launches a new version of the Access Statement Online Tool, aimed at helping businesses cater for visitors with access needs.  This new version is specifically tailored for restaurants and cafés, and has been created in partnership with the British Hospitality Association (BHA) and the Restaurant Association.

VISITENGLAND ANNOUNCES DOMESTIC TOURISM FIGURES FOR 2011

VisitEngland, the national tourist board, today released figures revealing that over 104 million domestic overnight trips were taken in England last year – an increase of 9 per cent compared to 2010 and the highest number of trips since the survey began in 2006.

VisitEngland launches official Enjoy England Android App

VisitEngland today launched a new Android version of its official Enjoy England app.  This new version is free to download and provides over 1,000 up-to-the-minute ideas for unmissable destinations and attractions across the country, enabling more smartphone users than ever before to plan the perfect day trip or holiday in England.

THE SEARCH IS ON FOR ENGLAND’S BIGGEST FAN!

VisitEngland, the country’s national tourist board has launched a nationwide campaign to find England’s biggest fan for an all-expenses paid 70-day trip around the country... 

VisitEngland celebrates successful first English Tourism Week

VisitEngland, the national tourist board, is pleased to report the success of the first ever English Tourism Week.  The national initiative was designed to raise the profile and importance of tourism, and showcase the value of the industry to both local communities and the economy...

VisitEngland and DisabledGo Launch Online Disability Awareness Course

VisitEngland, the national tourist board, today launched a new online training course to help tourism businesses deliver excellent service to disabled customers.  Designed in partnership with award-winning disability organisation DisabledGo, the course is specifically tailored to help those working within the tourism industry.

Day Visits worth over £54billion to UK economy

As English Tourism Week begins, VisitEngland, the national tourist board announces findings from the first survey of its kind on the importance of day visits to the domestic tourism industry.  The survey, conducted in 2011, in partnership with the national tourist boards of Wales and Scotland, shows GB residents took 1.5billion tourism day trips in the UK spending £54billion.  In England, Brits took 1.3billion trips, spending £44billion.

MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS AND VISITENGLAND TO LAUNCH JOINT ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

To coincide with English Tourism Week, the UK and Europe’s biggest visitor attraction operator, Merlin Entertainments (‘Merlin’) has linked with national tourist board, VisitEngland, to launch their first ever joint marketing campaign.

HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES TO BE PATRON OF ENGLISH TOURISM WEEK

VisitEngland, the national tourist board, today launched the first ever English Tourism Week with the exciting news that His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will be the event’s Patron for the next year.

Holidays at Home are GREAT! VisitEngland Launches Biggest Ever Domestic Tourism Marketing Campaign with Thousands of Special Offers

7 March 2012. VisitEngland, the national tourist board  together with the  Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture Media, Sport and the Olympics, today launched  ‘Holidays at Home are GREAT’ – the biggest ever domestic tourism campaign aimed at boosting tourism throughout the UK.

READ ALL ABOUT IT… THEN SEE IT FOR YOURSELF - VISITENGLAND LOOKS AT THE INSPIRATIONAL SETTINGS BEHIND SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S BEST-LOVED LITERATURE

7th February 2012 marks 200 years since the birth of Charles Dickens, one of England’s most celebrated authors. As Rochester, Chatham, Portsmouth and London capitalise on the bicentenary with a year of special events and exhibitions to draw visitors, VisitEngland looks at some of the country’s other literary hotspots and the authors they so inspired.

Government Calls for Businesses to get Behind UK’s Biggest Domestic Tourism Campaign

Today at the British Museum in London the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media & Sport, Jeremy Hunt, called on tourism businesses to back the ‘Holidays at Home are GREAT’ campaign aimed at boosting domestic tourism this year.

OPERATORS AIM TO MAKE ENGLAND’S AIRPORTS ‘THE MOST WELCOMING IN THE WORLD’

VisitEngland, the national tourist board, today held a seminar for representatives from airports across England from Manchester to Newquay, to discuss the important subject of welcoming visitors ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

SIX MONTHS TO GO: ENGLAND PREPARES TO HOST SAILING, ROWING, ATHLETICS AND… BLACK PUDDING THROWING IN 2012

Today, 27 January, marks six months to go until the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and host venues across the country are preparing to welcome athletes across a whole range of sporting disciplines. Worldwide, Olympic spectators are anticipated to be inspired to take up a new sport themselves in what is being called ‘the Olympics effect’. But for those that don’t own any sports equipment, don’t have the skill or aren’t ready to commit to the training required to succeed in Olympic disciplines, England has plenty of less conventional competitive activities on offer.

VisitEngland's Chief Executive responds to paper on deregulation of tourism industry

The report, Smart Regulation and Economic Growth - Seizing the Tourism Opportunity outlines a number of proposals to amend or in some cases cut regulations.

A ROYALLY IMPORTANT YEAR

As details of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant – one of the largest public events ever held in London - are announced, VisitEngland looks at other Jubilee celebrations scheduled across the country.

VALENTINE’S DAY RESEARCH REVEALS THE POPULARITY OF THE HONEYMOON STAYCATION

With Valentine’s Day less than a month away, new research reveals that exactly half of married couples have honeymooned in the UK – proving romance is alive and kicking in some of the nation’s most popular resorts. A further 64 per cent have returned or already plan to revisit their honeymoon destination to rekindle those magical memories, according to findings from cottages4you. The leading cottage letting agency has partnered with VisitEngland to celebrate the importance of holiday memories, with 2012 shaping up to be one of the most memorable yet. For those planning a romantic break, VisitEngland and cottages4you provide their following guide to ‘five of the best’ activities and places to stay across England on February 14th.  

WARM SEPTEMBER HELPS BOOST DOMESTIC TOURISM

Figures released today by VisitEngland, the national tourist board, show that the number of domestic overnight trips taken in England in September last year grew by 22 per cent compared to 2010, while spend increased by 13 per cent.

English holidays through the decades - VisitEngland takes a trip down memory lane

Family staycations and the magical memories they create have a starring role in VisitEngland’s new campaign with cottages4you, so why not roll back the years and relive your own childhood holidays? Here’s how with some top tips from VisitEngland, the country’s national tourist board.

BACK WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Today, 9 January 2012, Marks 200 Days to Go Until the London2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. To Mark the Milestone, VisitEngland Looks Back Over England’s Olympic History – from Humble Beginnings in a rural Shropshire Market Town to the Bright Lights and Award-Winning Architecture of 2012

VisitEngland's response to VisitBritain campaign

VisitEngland Chief Executive, James Berresford, comments on VisitBritain's "Share your Great Britain" campaign.

YEAR TO BE HERE

2012 is set to be a big year for England, with the world's sporting elite preparing to compete in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the London 2012 Festival and Olympic Torch Relay, and a packed calendar of cultural events to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and Dickens’ bicentenary. Here, the national tourist board VisitEngland highlights 12 of the most exciting events taking place across the country during this very special year.