International Marketing Opportunities
International Marketing Campaigns
Inspiring our international visitors
Reaching out to international markets can represent a step change in your business prosperity, and now is a great time to take that step. Latest data from VisitBritain shows that for the first time, inbound visits to the UK surpassed pre-pandemic levels, reaching 8.7m visits in Q1 2024, up 14% on the same period last year, and the total for 2024 visits are forecast to exceed the 38m visitors welcomed in 2023.
But where to start?
Working through travel industry intermediaries like overseas tour operators and travel agencies is the most effective way to extend your marketing reach internationally. With the benefit of being home to some of the busiest international gateways to the UK, including London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Dover, Portsmouth, and Southampton, we should have a head start, plus by working together on campaigns, we can represent a more holistic holiday proposition across our region, and help enhance your individual business’ USP's and maximise your visibility to international buyers, as well as reduce your marketing costs.
How do we know what to do?
Twenty years of experience working with the international travel trade, means we understand the UK's key markets and how best to reach them on behalf of our region. For 2024/5 we are focusing on trade sales missions to key overseas markets, including USA, Near Europe, Nordics and the perennially popular consumer exhibition Vakantibeurs in the Netherlands. Plus our international email database keeps us in regular touch with over 1700 international travel trade buyers.
Tourism South East are delighted to offer destinations, attractions, and accommodation businesses the opportunity to showcase products and target international visitors, as outlined below.
Get in Touch
If you would like to find out more about how TSE Marketing can help your organisation please contact us Tel: 023 8062 5400
Email: smann@tourismse.com
Free International Marketing Webinar
Join our CEO Fran Downton for our latest webinar on 30th September from 11.30am - 12.30am exploring international marketing.
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Find out the latest market information on international visitors to the UK and South East of England and what market trends to capitalise on.
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Hear from our guest speaker Joss Croft OBE, CEO of UKInbound who will share the latest insights and knowledge.
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Meet Susanna Mann & Ulrika Ericson who are working with our team to deliver our international marketing program for 24/25.
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Hear in more detail about the individual sales missions available to North America, Near European market and the Nordics
Don't miss it!
USA and Canada
The USA topped the inbound visitor list for numbers and spend in 2023. North America saw one of the strongest recoveries with a record 6.1m visits in 2023, up 14% vs 2019 figures and up 12% vs 2022. Spend also reached a record £7.2bn, nearly 1 1/2 times that of 2019.
Target Audience
Almost six in ten American holiday visitors are making a repeat visit to the UK, with London still the leading destination. Our close proximity to London make it easy to visit the South East in combination with a stay in the capital and repeat visits open up the opportunity for visitors to explore further afield. Popular activities include dining out, sightseeing and going shopping. The New York Tri State generates the most visits to UK.
Campaign Package
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Targeted representation at North American sales mission (New York and Toronto) one to one meetings with over 30 US operators.
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Targeted representation at trade events, including ETOA BIM and ETOA Market Place North America
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2 x Targeted travel agent newsletters and communications – 45,000 contacts
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Targeted US trade e-newsletter – 3 themed dispatches to 300 trade contacts
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Full reports for each event, contact details and leads.
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Inclusion in itineraries and collateral distributed to operators/presentations/fact sheets.
Cost: £2,700 + VAT
Timescales: Sept 2024 - March 2025
Title | Content Date | Dispatch Date |
|---|---|---|
Embark on an English Adventure from London to South East England | 4th October 2024 | 16th October 2024 |
Historic Discoveries: Castles, Museums and More | 4th December 2024 | 18th December 2024 |
The British Blend: Savor, Shop and Sip in Style | 5th March 2024 | 20th March 2024 |
France and Germany - Near Europe
The most visited England region (excluding London) in 2023 was the South East with 4.3m visits with visitors spending £2.5bn. Of these 440k were French visitors and 400k were German visitors, representing the region’s second biggest inbound markets after USA (500k).
For 2024 France and Germany are on track to exceed 1.1m inbound visits to the South East between them. Three in five French and German visits to the UK are repeat (in last 10 years). Preferred activities are dining, sightseeing of famous buildings/ monuments, and shopping. The French and Germans rate the UK highly for culture in general, contemporary culture, sports, vibrant cities, historic buildings and cultural heritage.
Target Audience
Tour Operators, Wholesalers, OTA’s based in UK, and Near Europe who work in the French and German inbound markets.
Planned Activity
As part of each sales mission package you will receive:
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TSE in-person representation show-casing your product to c.20 travel trade buyers per mission/market
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TSE in-person representation at associated mission events e.g. networking receptions, pre-mission communications
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A full report from each mission, including a market overview, and full contact details of approx. 20 contacts and active leads
Sales Missions
TSE will offer representation at industry-accredited sales missions to France and Germany and a Travel Industry Buyers event held in London.
See below for details.-
VisitBritain Germany Workshop– November 13-14 2024
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VisitBritain-organised sales mission to Frankfurt
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Networking reception, B2B meetings workshop
Cost £700 +VAT
Britain and Ireland Market Place - January 24 2025
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ETOA-organised event in conjunction with UKInbound and VisitBritain
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All-day B2B Workshop in London promoting the best of British and Irish tourism products to international, European, and domestic travel buyers
Cost £400 +VAT
VisitBritain France Workshop– February 2025 (proposed)
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VisitBritain-organised sales mission to Paris
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One-day event of B2B speed meetings workshop
Cost £700 +VAT
Timescales: September 2024 - March 2025
Netherlands - Near Europe
The South East welcomed around 250k Dutch visitors in 2023 and they are very regular European visitors with three out of four trips being repeat visits. Among the most important reasons for choosing Britain as a holiday destination, according to VisitBritain research, are ‘cultural attractions’, ‘vibrant cities’, and the ‘countryside/natural beauty’
Target Audience
Literature representation to Dutch consumers or become a stand partner.
Campaign Activity
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Stand Partner at the show - January 2025
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Leaflet distribution at the Vakantiebeurs Exhibition - January 2025
Timescales: September 2024 - March 2025
These Nordic nations represent very similar markets with nearly four in five of all visitors from Sweden and Norway making a repeat visit to the UK, and both countries recorded 73k visits each to the UK in 2023
Target Audience
Tour Operators, Wholesalers, OTA’s based in UK, and Near Europe who work in the Swedish and Norway inbound markets.
Planned Activity
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TSE in-person representation show-casing your product to c.20 travel trade buyers
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TSE in-person representation at associated mission events e.g. networking receptions, pre-mission communications
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A full report from the mission, including a market overview, and full contact details of approx. 20 contacts and active leads:
Sales Missions
Travel News Market – December 2nd 2024
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Travel News organised event – exhibiting alongside VisitBritain in Stockholm
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Travel News Market is the leading B2B travel event in Sweden. Offering a mix of meetings and free-flow opportunities over one day, it brings together international travel suppliers with the Scandinavian outbound market.
Cost £700 +VAT
Britain and Ireland Market Place - January 24 2025
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ETOA-organised event in conjunction with UKInbound and VisitBritain
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All-day B2B Workshop in London promoting the best of British and Irish tourism products to international, European, and domestic travel buyers
Cost £400 +VAT
Timescales: November 2024 - March 2025
Our 'South East Highlights' programme ensures we collectively build awareness of the region, and our travel trade contacts continue to be educated and inspired about products and services throughout the year.
Three themed e-newsletters will be dispatched to our full database of travel trade contacts, across all countries. These awareness-driving campaigns are an opportunity to ensure your product or destination is front of mind, in a worldwide market of content and inspiration showcased to international travel trade buyers each year.
Select from the themes below, to be included.
Target Audience
Trade and Tour Operators, Wholesalers, OTA’s in Near Europe markets including Germany, France, Belgium and Netherlands, USA, Canada, Nordics, Australia, New Zeland, UAE, Hong Kong, China.
Title | Dispatch Date | Content Deadline |
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Adventure More in South East England | 18th September 2024 | 3rd Setpember 2024 |
Uncover More in South East England | 13th November 2024 | 1st November 2024 |
Unwind More in South East England | 12th February 2025 | 31st January 2025 |