In an bold and culturally compelling transfer to woo Indian travellers, VisitBritain has launched its newest international tourism initiative, ‘Starring GREAT Britain’, positioning movie and tv because the centrepiece of its outreach to high-spending, experience-driven markets like India. The marketing campaign, launched globally in January 2025, is already capturing international creativeness, with India rising as a precedence market within the long-term technique to spice up customer spend and regional tourism throughout the UK.
Backed by compelling information — 94% of Indian respondents expressed curiosity in visiting movie and TV areas within the UK — the marketing campaign units out to not solely enhance the amount of inbound journey but additionally steer Indian vacationers past London and into Britain’s lesser-known but equally fascinating areas.
“Movie and TV have a common pull, and they’re more and more influencing journey selections,” stated Patricia Yates, CEO of VisitBritain, in an unique dialog with ETTravelWorld. “We’re proud to have iconic content material shot in Britain, and the chance now’s to translate that into actual visits to the locations featured on display.”
A Cinematic Gateway to British Areas
Anchored by a cinematic hero movie directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Tom Hooper, the marketing campaign takes viewers on a vibrant journey via the UK’s filmic locations. The marketing campaign is already reside in Australia, the GCC international locations, France, Germany, and the US — markets the place excessive spend per customer is driving strategic funding.
In India, whereas full-scale marketing campaign investments are nonetheless into consideration, VisitBritain has launched a Premier Assortment to highlight premium experiences outdoors London, complemented by upcoming roadshows throughout key Indian cities.
“We’re concentrating on not simply Delhi and Mumbai, however tier 2 and tier 3 cities the place we see rising middle-class aspirations,” Yates stated. “Our method is to encourage the curious traveller, not essentially segmented by age however by mindset.”
Targets for Indian market
The UK, which is likely one of the hottest outbound locations for Indians, obtained over 766,000 guests in 2024 from India— a quantity projected to surpass 1 million by 2030, with a £1 billion customer spend goal by 2026. These figures spotlight India’s evolution from a volume-driven to a high-value supply market.
Inbound tourism is likely one of the UK’s most respected service exports and a significant a part of British commerce, price an estimated £33.7 billion to the financial system in 2025 in customer spending.
VisitBritain goals to double down on its India technique by partaking the journey commerce, influencers, and even filmmakers. Bollywood’s deep cultural ties with Britain are a significant asset, with movies continuously shot in locales like Newcastle, Durham, and the Lake District.
“We’re in dialog with Indian filmmakers, and we see Bollywood’s international attain as an ideal match for the marketing campaign,” Yates stated. “The DDLJ musical opening and statue installations in Leicester Sq. make this the proper time to deepen these bonds.”
Showcasing Hidden Gems and Northern Treasures
With a agency intent to diversify the Indian traveller’s UK expertise, VisitBritain is pushing regional gems just like the North East, Cumbria, the Peak District, and cities like Manchester and Liverpool. With the launch of IndiGo’s direct flight to Manchester, accessibility to northern Britain has improved, encouraging a better unfold of holiday makers.
“North East England is a revelation. From Harry Potter’s Quidditch pitch at Alnwick Fortress to the World Heritage websites in Durham, it’s a goldmine of immersive experiences,” Yates added.
VisitBritain has additionally been actively partaking Indian commerce companions, having already carried out familiarisation journeys and website inspections. The suggestions, based on Yates, has been overwhelmingly optimistic.
Cultural Cross-Pollination By Occasions
Cultural diplomacy can be turning into a central pillar of the technique. The Serendipity Arts Competition, considered one of India’s largest multidisciplinary cultural occasions, is making its debut within the UK this month. Yates sees this as a helpful alternative to advertise native inclusivity and construct diaspora pleasure whereas reinforcing regional UK-India ties.
“Tradition not solely brings in vacationers but additionally strengthens the material of our multicultural cities,” Yates stated. “Occasions like Serendipity create a deep emotional connection — not only for guests however for native communities as effectively.”
Gen Z: The Rising Resolution-Makers
Acknowledging the rising affect of Gen Z travellers, Yates notes a transparent shift towards experience-led, socially shared journeys, usually determined by youthful members in multi-generational households.
“We’re seeing how Gen Z leads the way in which in journey planning, particularly in Indian households. They’re the storytellers, the planners, and infrequently those selecting locations,” she stated. “We’re working to fulfill them on platforms they belief, even exploring prospects on TikTok as UK coverage evolves.”
Next Steps: Scaling Ambition with Sustained Partnerships
Trying forward, VisitBritain intends to construct on the Starring GREAT Britain marketing campaign over the following three years, refreshing content material based mostly on upcoming movie releases and leveraging regional storytelling.
“Britain already enjoys robust sentiment amongst Indian travellers. The purpose now’s to keep up our management as Europe’s prime vacation spot and develop our footprint deeper into India’s second-tier markets,” stated Yates. “There’s a lot magnificence between London and Edinburgh — from Yorkshire’s Moors to the Dales — and we’re excited to see extra Indians discover these.”
With the British authorities concentrating on 50 million worldwide visits by 2030, India is a market no tourism board can afford to disregard. For VisitBritain, the story is simply starting — and India, it appears, could also be considered one of its brightest stars but.
