VisitBritain and Virgin Atlantic Airways Launch ‘Value For Money’ Consumer Marketing Campaign To Lure Travelers Across the Pond

SOUTH NORWALK, Conn. and NEW YORK, May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- “Get More Britain For Your Buck� is the slogan for the new ‘value for money’ campaign sponsored by VisitBritain, the national tourist office for England, Scotland and Wales, and Virgin Atlantic Airways, one of the world’s leading long-haul airlines. Beginning this week, the promotion gives consumers exceptional deals on flights at an unbelievable value and endless opportunities to discover the unique experiences awaiting visitors in London, England, Scotland and Wales.

“This year Britain offers incredible value to U.S. visitors to England, Scotland and Wales. By partnering with Virgin Atlantic Airways, we hope Americans will discover that there has never been a better time to discover the best of Britain including our Homecoming Scotland ‘09 celebrations, playing the 2010 Ryder Cup golf course, and enjoying the many festivals and cultural events taking place across the country,� says Simon Bradley, executive vice president, VisitBritain, The Americas.

Jim Mezoff, vice president of marketing, Virgin Atlantic Airways, said, “We wanted to take advantage of this historic opportunity and feel that there could not be a better time to launch this campaign promoting tourism to Britain. Virgin Atlantic’s exceptional service, style and value is the best way to get to this destination so rich in activities.�

VisitBritain and Virgin Atlantic Airways have invested $1 million in a joint campaign - guerilla marketing, online advertising, media relations and travel trade outreach - to help consumers uncover the best of Britain. The co-branded website www.getmorebritain.com is an online resource with regional destination guides, a ‘top 25 showcase of must-sees’, a Virgin Atlantic Airways booking engine for roundtrip airfare, and a diverse selection of hotel and tourist attraction deals to plan a vacation in England, Scotland and Wales.

Other promotional elements include online ads appearing on sites such as www.about.com, www.citysearch.com, www.frommers.com, www.slate.com, www.tripadvisor.com. Savvy travelers can also enter a sweepstakes to win a trip for two to London, with roundtrip airfare courtesy of Virgin Atlantic Airways, complete with behind the scenes tours of Westminster Palace, the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

For more information about “Get More Britain For Your Buck,� please visit www.getmorebritain.com.

For more information about Virgin Atlantic Airways, please call the U.S. press office at (203) 750-2570 or visit www.virginatlantic.com.

About VisitBritain:

VisitBritain markets Britain to the rest of the world and England to the British, building the value of tourism by creating world class destination brands and marketing campaigns. It also builds partnerships with - and provides insights to - other organizations which have a stake in British and English tourism.

About Virgin Atlantic:

Virgin Atlantic Airways, one of the world’s leading long-haul airlines, was founded in 1984 and is celebrating its 25th Birthday throughout 2009 with a series of surprises and delights. Virgin Atlantic offers service from 10 U.S. cities to London and onto a range of long-haul destinations worldwide. From its main base in London Heathrow and Gatwick, Virgin Atlantic services destinations as far apart as Las Vegas, Tokyo, Delhi, Boston and Shanghai. Sir Richard Branson is the President of Virgin Atlantic; Steve Ridgway is the Chief Executive. Even with Virgin Atlantic’s continued growth, the service still remains customer driven with an emphasis on value for money, quality, fun and innovation, ensuring flying Virgin Atlantic is always an event.