If your clients are UK-bound and you tend to default to London as the starting point, this one’s worth a read. VisitBritain has put some proper funding behind Liverpool and Manchester, positioning both as gateways to the wider north-west.
It’s one of those quietly useful updates that could open up a few new conversations with the right clients.
TL;DR
- VisitBritain has awarded nearly £400,000 to Liverpool City Region and Marketing Manchester to attract French and US visitors
- The campaign targets French tourists on easyJet’s Paris-Liverpool route and Americans flying Virgin Atlantic’s New York-Manchester service
- Partners include airports, regional tourism boards, and tour operators promoting north-west England as a gateway to Wales, Chester, Cumbria, and the Peak District
- It sits alongside the Starring GREAT Britain campaign, which generated £217 million in visitor spending with a £20 return for every £1 invested
- VisitBritain’s hosted buyer programme has been connecting 100 international buyers with UK suppliers through regional fam trips
The Practical Bit
VisitBritain has handed nearly £400,000 from the GREAT Gateway Innovation Fund to two north-west partnerships. Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership and Marketing Manchester are using the funding to showcase their cities as starting points for exploring the wider region.
The campaign focuses on French visitors arriving on easyJet’s Paris-Liverpool flights, and American travellers using Virgin Atlantic’s New York-Manchester service. It builds marketing around routes that are already flying, which gives agents something solid to work with.
The partnership list is broad. Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Manchester Airports Group are joined by Go North Wales Tourism, Marketing Chester and Cheshire, Rabbie’s Tours, Cumbria Tourism, Visit Peak District and Derbyshire, and Visit Wales. The idea is simple: land in Liverpool or Manchester, then fan out across Welsh coastlines, Peak District trails, and everything in between.
For Your Client Conversations
The campaign sits alongside VisitBritain’s Starring GREAT Britain initiative, which generated £217 million in additional visitor spending between January and June 2025. That works out at a £20 return for every £1 invested.
For agents, the useful bit is this: French and American clients who’d normally head to London now have a ready-made reason to consider flying into Liverpool or Manchester instead. The marketing materials are being built, the partnerships are established, and the regional attractions are lined up to welcome visitors.
One number worth noting: 78% of global visitors book through travel trade intermediaries. That means the majority of French and American clients booking UK trips are looking for guidance, not flights and hotels alone. They want itineraries, local knowledge, and someone who can pull together a few well-planned days in a region they might not have considered before.
Quick Context
VisitBritain’s hosted buyer programme has been running alongside this campaign, connecting suppliers with 100 international buyers through fam trips across UK regions. North West England featured prominently, with German buyers exploring the area. French buyers visited the East and West Midlands, and events including GEM in October 2025 and BIM in January 2026 brought buyers and suppliers face to face.
VisitBritain’s business plan for 2025-26 makes regional growth a priority, working toward the UK’s target of 50 million visits by 2030. Over 70 buyers from 11 markets have been exploring UK regions to build new itineraries and support inbound sales.
Agent Advantage Insight
With direct flights from Paris and New York already in place, agents can confidently build north-west gateway packages knowing the marketing support and regional partnerships are actively drawing French and American clients toward these entry points.
