Visit Britain, the promotional guise of the tourist board of Great Britain, is looking to the enduring popularity of movie secret agent, James Bond, to boost tourism for the country.
The organisation has announced plans for a massive tourism campaign to coincide with the release of Skyfall, the latest blockbuster to feature the super-spy. The campaign will target 21 countries from this Friday, October 5, using the slogan, ‘Bond is GREAT Britain,’ to encourage fans of the film franchise to choose Bond’s home country for their next holiday. Cinema, press and outdoor advertising formats will all be exploited during the campaign, with special emphasis on the first ever film tourism advertisement from Visit Britain, to be shown in cinemas around the world, including the USA, Australia and Germany.
The movie, which is the 23rd in the James Bond franchise, will feature scenes shot in London’s National Gallery, Whitehall and Greenwich, as well as Glencoe and Glen Etive in the Scottish Highlands. Daniel Craig again takes the starring role, and the film is released in the UK on October 26, and the USA and Canada on November 9.
The chief executive of Visit Britain, Sandie Dawe, said, ‘007 has orchestrated many critical missions for Queen and country – including escorting Her Majesty to the fantastic Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Games – so it is only right that we call upon his services now to encourage more people to holiday in Britain. That is a worthy challenge, and one that we feel is well on track following an outstanding 2012 that has thrust Britain into the limelight like never before.’