inFocus: Britain for Email


  • THE BRIDGERTON EFFECT: Hit Netflix show fuels U.K. surge
    - British tourism is experiencing a “Bridgerton”-fuelled surge, according to leading tour operator Evan Evans, which says the demand for the series’ UK filming locations has resulted in a staggering 276% increase in website visits for its Stonehenge & Bath private tours, while online searches for the Hampton Court & Windsor tours have climbed 140%.

  • DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT: U.K. to enforce ETA starting Feb. 25
    - VisitBritain is advising that the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) program will be strictly enforced for visitors to the UK – including Canadians – effective Feb. 25. From that date onward, travellers without an approved ETA will not be permitted to board transportation to the UK or enter the country.

  • BRITISH FAM SHOWS OFF TOURISM TREASURES: Designed to help shape Canadian tour operator offerings
    - VisitBritain is hosting more than 70 international buyers – including delegates from Canada - on educational trips across England, Scotland and Wales this week as it seeks to boost growth in its inbound visitor economy, worth an estimated £34.6 billion in 2025.

  • BLOCKBUSTER EXHIBIT: Famous artwork returns to UK after 1,000 years
    - The Bayeux Tapestry, the 11th-century artwork depicting the Norman conquest of England, is set be displayed in the U.K. for the first time in almost 1,000 years. The treasured medieval tapestry will be on loan from France and arrive at the British Museum in London, where it will star in a blockbuster exhibition from September to July 2027.

  • QUINTESSENTIAL LONDON: New Goway getaway packages combine footy and a show
    - Goway is leaning into excitement for the FIFA World Cup this summer and consumer demand for special event experiences with new packages that combine a U.K. Premier League football (soccer) match with a theatrical show in London’s West End. 

  • WISHLIST ’26: Inspiring Scotland on screen
    - According to the latest Scotland Visitor Survey, one in five visitors (19%) said film, TV or literature inspired their trip – a figure that rises to 37% for long-haul travellers.

  • CHRISTMAS AT THE CASTLE: Windsor puts on its holiday best
    - Tis the season: Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest inhabited castle in Britain, is always a holiday delight, bedecked in seasonal décor and offering visitors a festive experience steeped in royal history. For those who can’t be there in Christmas morning, here’s a wee peek at what the royal family will wake up to.

  • THE ART OF ‘COORIE’: Where to cozy up in Scotland this winter
    - They call it “coorie.” Based on the old Scottish word for nestling or snuggling, the concept today implies “embracing the great outdoors (no matter what the weather) and enjoying the cozy feeling of coming back to home comforts afterwards.”

  • TRADE OUTREACH: Visit Scotland ready to Connect in 2026
    - Scotland is welcoming more international visitors than ever, making it the fastest-growing UK nation for inbound tourism, and VisitScotland is planning to continue the momentum at its Connect 2026 event in Glasgow in April. The annual trade event remains a vital platform for Scottish tourism businesses to connect with international tour operators and travel advisors while showcasing the country’s landscapes, culture, heritage, and welcoming experiences.

  • SCOTLAND’S SECRET SEASON: A ‘coorie’ break means less stress, more magic
    - Whether by car, coach or luxury train, experiencing the lochs and glens and cultural highlights of Scotland has long been celebrated as one of Europe’s most stunning touring adventures. From the Edinburgh Festivals and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo to community and Highland Games events, summer in Scotland is never short of great events and experiences.

  • FLYING HIGH IN WESTERN CANADA: VisitBritain begins workshop series in Calgary, Edmonton, next week
    - VisitBritain, in partnership with key Canadian tour operators and airlines, is hosting travel agent workshops in Calgary, Edmonton and Mississauga in October – starting next week – and reports that space is still available. Travel advisors will be able to learn more about products and itineraries available for clients wishing to England, Scotland and Wales in 2026 and beyond.

  • BRITAIN MAKES A STRONG CASE FOR CANADA
    - By Michael Baginski/  As Canadians “pivot” towards alternative destinations to the U.S. amidst ongoing Trump tribulations across the border, Britain is poised to pick up some of the pieces, with all signs pointing to a banner year for the destination this year and into 2026, according to VisitBritain.

  • VISIT BRITAIN GETS THE SHOW ON THE ROAD
    - By Michael Baginski/   VisitBritain’s flagship ‘Destination Britain Americas’ trade mission kicks off today as nearly 50 top trade buyers and media (including Travel Industry Today) arrive in Mexico’s Riviera Maya to connect with an equal number of British suppliers to facilitate and help grow tourism programs to Great Britain.

  • THE REEL THING: British tourism takes starring role at TIFF
    - VisitBritain continues to raise the curtain on its ongoing international 'Starring GREAT Britain' marketing campaign this week at the Toronto International Film Festival. Launched earlier this year, the campaign is using the powerful draw of film and TV locations and places seen-on-screen to inspire visitors to discover more of Britain.

  • SAVING FACE: Big Ben reno up for architectural award
    - A facelift that restored London’s 166-year-old Big Ben clocktower to a sparkling shine was nominated Thursday for Britain’s leading architecture award. The RIBA Stirling Prize committee said the five-year refurbishment of the tower at Parliament is “a veritable masterclass in conservation and craftsmanship” that preserves a “defining symbol of British heritage.”

  • 2026 COMMONWEALTH GAMES COUNTDOWN BEGINS
    - With the reveal of Finnie – a Glaswegian unicorn – the countdown to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in Scotland has started. Appearing at the top of the city’s famous Finnieston Crane, which is also her namesake, the “hooved-hypemaster” mascot could be seen alongside a special banner on top of the Clydeside landmark to announce her arrival and symbolically mark 365 days to go until the Games.

  • A NICE TOUCH: Top London museum opens storerooms to public
    - A museum is like an iceberg. Most of it is out of sight. Most big collections have only a fraction of their items on display, with the rest locked away in storage. But not at the new V&A East Storehouse, where London’s Victoria and Albert Museum has opened up its storerooms for visitors to view – and in many cases touch – the items within.

  • TUNNEL VISION: London’s next big tourist attraction?
    - There is a history-rich part of London that few people have seen, where the city braced for the Blitz, James Bond’s creator got inspiration and secret Cold War messages passed between Washington and Moscow. It’s a network of tunnels 30 metres below the streets that was secret for decades — but could be the city’s next big tourist destination.

  • THE GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF WALES: A Celtic swing from Ryder Cup to awesome ancient links
    - By Anita Draycott/  When the International Association of Golf Tour Operators awarded Wales the “undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year in 2003,” that kudo, plus the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in 2010, put the country on the global golf map. Wales hosted The Senior open in 2014, 2017 and 2023. This year the AIG Woman’s Open comes to Royal Porthcawl (July 30 to Aug. 3).

  • LILLIES FOR LILIBET?: UK planning London landmark for Queen Elizabeth II
    - What could be a better memorial to Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, than a pod of faintly psychedelic giant lily pads? Perhaps a big bronze tree or a recording of the late monarch’s voice. All those ideas feature among the five finalists for a permanent London monument to Elizabeth, who died in September 2022 at the age of 96 after 70 years on the throne.
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