'Starring GREAT Britain' campaign: Harnessing the powerful draw of Film and TV to drive inbound tourism across the nations and regions
Film and TV tourism
Film and TV shows are powerful motivators for travel. Our latest research shows that more than 9 out of 10 potential visitors to the UK are keen to visit a film or TV location during their trip.
Our ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign, launching in 2025, is harnessing this trend using films and TV shows to inspire more visitors to choose Britain, to explore more and come now. With our destinations the real star of the show, we are showcasing a welcoming, dynamic and diverse Britain.
Introducing our campaign 'Starring GREAT Britain'
Paid advertising will run across our major inbound markets showing growth, including Australia, France, Germany, the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries and the USA. We are also working with partners to convert the interest generated by the campaign into bookings to Britain. While the paid advertising campaign is running across these specific markets, it is also being amplified across all our markets using the powerful reach of our social channels, and trade and media visits.
The campaign is supported by educational visits for international trade and media including during ‘Showcase Britain’ event in January. Top travel trade from across our major inbound markets are undertaking tailored film-inspired visits across England, Scotland and Wales, exploring the latest tourism products and experiences to get those sold in international markets.
Discover our Screen Tourism Research
Our research demonstrates how film and TV is a powerful draw for travel, playing a significant role in driving decision-making of potential visitors to come to the UK in the future, and playing a key role in motivating travel.
We have published a report on the powerful trend of screen tourism – its level of interest and influence amongst current UK visitors and potential travellers to the UK.
How you can maximise Starring GREAT Britain
- Use official campaign hashtag #StarringGREATBritain on social media
Join the conversation and be part of the set-jetting trend. Share your film and TV related experiences on social media, by tagging posts with our official campaign hashtag #StarringGREATBritain. Examples of product to share include filming locations, walking tours, film and TV themed activities or experiences.
Using our campaign hashtag allows us to find your posts and potentially like, comment and amplify on the VisitBritain social media channels. Please keep in mind that using the hashtag does not guarantee promotion on our VisitBritain social media pages. - Explore our film and TV asset library lightbox
Our asset library has a collection of images and video inspired by film and TV locations and genres, free to use for industry to promote film and TV related experiences. - Connect with your national tourist board, Local Visitor Economy Partnership or Destination Development Partnership to find out more about film and TV inspired regional activations and how you can take part.
If you are a national supplier and would like to get in contact directly, please contact [email protected]. - Consider how and where you can include our campaign call to action within your own content: “Visit the real star of the show”. This might be on social content end cards, within website intro paragraphs, in press releases etc.
- Explore and be inspired by our travel trade resources, including itineraries featuring trade-bookable product and film and TV themed images available on our asset library.
Later in the campaign a digital movie location map will be available, as well as additional itineraries and assets.
To be kept updated with all our opportunities and industry news, visit our ‘Working with us page’ for opportunities or subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter for all the details.
To be kept updated with all our opportunities and industry news, visit our ‘Working with us’ section of the page and subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter for all the details.
Tips to help you maximise film tourism opportunities:
- What’s been filmed in your destination or at your business?
- What’s trending on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus etc. or being recognized during Award season? Check the “top 10…”, create a “watch list” or build itineraries.
- What stories, products & experiences can you talk about on the back of film and TV and integrate into your tour programmes?
- Think creatively about milestones & anniversaries – how do you lean into these on social or through PR?
- Are you working with your regional screen office?
- What’s in production now? Keep an eye on series being commissioned for season 2 and beyond
Visit the film and TV collections on our Asset Library
Visit our Asset Library to see our collection of images and video inspired by film and TV locations and genres, free to use for industry to promote film and TV related experiences.
