VisitBritain, the UK’s national tourism agency, has hosted nine prominent international content creators on an extensive itinerary spanning Manchester, North Wales, Northumberland, and Durham. Running from September 29 to October 5, the targeted promotional tour connected global travel creators with iconic British backdrops linked to upcoming major film and television productions, including HBO’s “Harry Potter,” “House of the Dragon,” “Practical Magic 2,” and “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew.”
The initiative forms a core component of VisitBritain’s nationwide “Starring GREAT Britain” campaign, which launched in January 2025. The promotional drive focuses on leveraging high-profile cinematic backdrops to capture the growing international appetite for “set jetting”—the consumer trend of booking travel experiences inspired by locations featured in popular movies and television series.
Content creators participating in the showcase represented major global inbound tourism markets, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, Germany, Italy, and the United States. Through strategic social media engagement across digital platforms, the campaign aims to turn global cinematic interest into direct visitor expenditure for regional businesses.
Iconic Filming Locations and Curated Regional Itineraries
The tailored travel itinerary brought creators face-to-face with historic landmarks and themed experiences designed to highlight regional diversity across England and Wales.
Key destinations and thematic activities featured in the program included:
Northumberland and Durham: Creators visited Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, key historical sites associated with classic fantasy film franchises. The northern leg featured broomstick training at Alnwick Castle, a Twilight Tour of the Ad Gefrin distillery, and a ghost tour at Chillingham Castle.
Manchester: The urban itinerary incorporated a thematic Blooms & Bicycles city tour alongside specialized interactive cultural experiences inspired by upcoming feature films.
North Wales: Highlights featured a journey on the historic Snowdon Mountain Railway alongside a dining experience at Bodysgallen Hall overlooking the medieval fortification of Conwy Castle.
Official statements from regional tourism partners emphasize that creator-led campaigns bring significant visibility to destination offerings. Visit Northumberland highlighted that showcasing unique regional assets—such as historic castles and cultural centers—directly supports local hospitality ecosystems. Similarly, Visit County Durham noted that digital campaigns allow regional destinations to reach international audiences who may not have previously considered visiting northern UK regions.
Official Tourism Strategy and Economic Impact Data
The screen tourism strategy forms an essential part of the national tourism agency’s efforts to distribute visitor volume and spending beyond traditional capital hubs into regional economies.
In an official press release, VisitBritain Chief Executive Officer Patricia Yates emphasized that the “Starring GREAT Britain” campaign provides nations and regions across the UK an opportunity to showcase their unique assets on a global stage. Official statements highlight that digital storytelling encourages high-spending international visitors to experience British heritage backdrops firsthand, generating economic activity that supports local tourism operators, transport providers, and independent businesses.
Official industry data supports the strategy of using digital creators to shape travel consumer behavior. Research metrics published in national tourism agency reports indicate that social media recommendations from travel creators rank as the fourth most influential source of global travel inspiration. Official survey statistics demonstrate that 31 percent of international travelers consult digital content creator recommendations when planning vacation itineraries and selecting destinations.
By aligning screen tourism promotion with verifiedFocus Keyword Identified: UK Screen Tourism
Meta Description: VisitBritain advances UK screen tourism with an international creator tour showcasing iconic film and television locations across British destinations.
VisitBritain Advances Global UK Screen Tourism Strategy with International Creator Expedition
The UK’s national tourism agency, VisitBritain, has hosted nine international digital content creators on an immersive familiarization tour spanning Manchester, North Wales, Northumberland, and County Durham. The coordinated travel initiative highlighted historic British filming backdrops linked to high-profile upcoming film and television productions, including HBO’s new “Harry Potter” adaptation, “House of the Dragon,” “Practical Magic 2,” and “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew.”
Running from late September through early October, the international delegation brought together prominent digital storytellers representing key global markets, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, Germany, Italy, and the United States. The tour highlights VisitBritain’s ongoing push to convert global interest in film and television heritage into tangible international visitor economy growth.
The curated itinerary forms an integral part of the national “Starring GREAT Britain” campaign, an international marketing drive launched to promote iconic UK filming locations and capitalize on growing global demand for set-jetting experiences.
Regional Filming Destinations Take Center Stage Across Curated Itineraries
Throughout the multi-region tour, participants engaged in tailored screen-tourism activities across regional historic landmarks, natural landscapes, and cultural heritage sites.
Key itinerary highlights across participating regions included:
Northumberland and County Durham: Heritage stops included Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral—locations renowned for their starring roles in major fantasy franchises—where creators participated in broomstick training sessions. Additional regional itineraries featured a Twilight Tour at Ad Gefrin and a haunted dinner experience at Chillingham Castle.
Manchester: The urban portion of the tour incorporated a specialized city cycling experience and themed tarot readings designed to align with upcoming production themes.
North Wales: Filming backdrops were highlighted through journeys aboard the Snowdon Mountain Railway, complemented by historic hospitality experiences overlooking Conwy Castle.
Through targeted social media coverage produced for major digital channels, the campaign aims to inspire international travelers to visit regional destinations, extending visitor spending directly into local businesses, heritage sites, and regional hospitality networks.
Official Leadership Statements and Economic Value of Screen Tourism
Official tourism board statements highlight the strategic value of leveraging entertainment media to drive regional tourism distribution beyond traditional gateway cities.
Patricia Yates, Chief Executive Officer of VisitBritain, emphasized in an official agency release that the campaign provides destinations across the home nations and regions an unprecedented platform to showcase their cultural assets. She noted that international social media coverage from high-reaching creators encourages visitors from priority global source markets to experience set-jetting firsthand, supporting regional businesses and regional economies across Britain.
Regional destination partners echoed the strategic benefits of hosting international creator delegations:
Visit Northumberland: Regional leadership pointed to interactive local heritage experiences as effective tools for showcasing the county’s distinct combination of cinematic history and local culture.
Visit County Durham: Tourism management noted that strategic creator partnerships place regional historic landmarks directly in front of global audiences who may not have previously considered visiting northern England.
Official statistics referenced by the national tourism agency confirm that digital word-of-mouth and travel creator recommendations play a pivotal role in shaping consumer decision-making. National research indicates that social media recommendations from travel creators represent the fourth most influential source of holiday inspiration worldwide, with 31 percent of prospective travelers relying on digital creator insights when planning international trips.
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