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.