When national tourism agency, VisitBritain, invited over 120 representatives from across 17 international markets to travel to the UK to experience the latest products and experiences on offer, Experience Oxfordshire, the official Local Visitor Economy Partnership and destination management organisation for the county, worked with over 30 partner organisations and businesses to roll out the red carpet.
Influential travel buyers servicing the Canadian market recently enjoyed an intensive, four-day educational visit which immersed them in the enviable breadth of experiences visitors to Oxfordshire can enjoy. Tying in with VisitBritain’s latest global marketing campaign, Starring GREAT Britain, the inspirational itinerary also took the group to locations which have featured in favourite film and TV productions.
Globally Canada ranks 6th in the top 10 markets for international tourism expenditure. When compared to other markets, the average Canadian visitor to the UK tends to be older and higher spending. They enjoy dining out and are attracted by the range of contemporary and historic cultural experiences a trip to Britain offers. The educational trip organised by Experience Oxfordshire on behalf of VisitBritain ensured that the Canadian travel buyers were brought bang up to date with the latest developments in Oxfordshire’s tourism scene.
Hayley Beer-Gamage, CEO of Experience Oxfordshire, commented: “We’re grateful to VisitBritain for the opportunity to showcase our county to such an excellent group of influential travel buyers. Over four action-packed days our visitors were able to see for themselves an excellent selection of the wonderful range of experiences Oxfordshire offers, make important contacts with operators within the county and, in some cases, book product on the spot. This is all thanks to the support of our fantastic partners, who really pulled out all the stops.”
Canadian buyer Darlene St Louis, UK Product Director at RIT Vacations, said: “As Canada’s leading tour operator to the UK, it’s essential for our business that we are aware of product developments and the latest sales opportunities available in local destinations. I was particularly pleased to make some excellent new business leads enabling me to add new product to and enhance our group itineraries to the county. Here in Oxfordshire you have all that is great about England concentrated into one area!”
Sarah-Jayne Beasley, Groups and Partnerships Manager at Blenheim Palace said: “The Experience Oxfordshire team has done an excellent job in creating an itinerary which highlights the range of experiences we deliver here in Oxfordshire and it’s been a pleasure to host the Canadian buyers on this educational visit. It was fascinating to learn more about their clients’ interests, and we were pleased to be able to show them the latest developments here on site.”
Paul Gauger, Executive Vice President, The Americas, Australia & New Zealand for VisitBritain said: “VisitBritain operates within a highly competitive global tourism marketplace and a key element of our work is ensuring international travel buyers across our markets understand the fabulous range of experiences on offer in Britain, as well as the high quality of service their clients can enjoy. Building product and destination knowledge also broadens travel itineraries so our international visitors explore more, driving spending into more local economies.
Our job is made easier when working with a destination organisation such as Experience Oxfordshire due to their excellent reach across the county and their relationship with supportive partners who represent the best of our sector. I know our Canadian buyers have returned home inspired by their educational visit to Oxfordshire and its outstanding visitor offer.”
Lynda Falcone, Canada Travel Trade Manager for VisitBritain added: “Experience Oxfordshire’s work in pulling together such an impressive itinerary gave our travel buyers a fantastic overview of the product available in the county. It was good to see new developments at established favourites and to see the increase in bed stock with The Store, The Feathers, Heythrop Park Hotel, Blenheim Palace Lodge Retreat, TreeDwellers and The Relais Henley all making a really positive impression. This educational visit was a great success – the Canadian travel buyers were delighted by the warmth of the welcome they received in Oxfordshire and the quality of the tourism product available.”
Partners supporting the educational visit included: Ashmolean Museum, The Bear Hotel, Bicester Village, Blenheim Palace, Blenheim Palace Lodge Retreat, BMW MINI Plant Tours, Bodleian Libraries, Christ Church, City Sightseeing Oxford, The Feathers, Go Cotswolds, GWR, Henley River & Rowing Museum, Heythrop Park Hotel, Hook Norton Brewery, INTX, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons A Belmond Hotel, Malmaison Oxford, Old Swan & Minster Mill, Oxford Castle & Prison, Oxford Official Walking Tours, Oxford River Cruises, The Randolph Hotel Oxford a Graduate by Hilton, The Relais Henley, Royal Cars, Six by Nico, The Sky Wave Distilling Co., Stagecoach/Oxford Tube, The Store, TreeDwellers and Waddesdon Manor. A “Supplier Marketplace” event was held at Heythrop Park Hotel giving product operators the opportunity for one-to-one business meetings with the Canadian visitors.
Over the coming months Experience Oxfordshire will continue its work in international markets: in Paris with VisitBritain to promote the county and Experience Oxfordshire partners to travel agencies and tour operators from across France and then joining a small delegation travelling to New York and Toronto to secure new business for the destination, training leading buyers and meeting with the media from across the UK’s number one inbound market.
For more information about Experience Oxfordshire and its work with the travel trade see https://www.experienceoxfordshire.org/partner/marketing/
