Riots fail to rattle tourism bodies
Tourism and marketing bodies representing London and Britain are keeping a “watching brief” on their planned marketing activity in the wake of riots in London and elsewhere in the UK this week.
With the London Olympics and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee less than a year away the perception of London as a friendly and secure city is under threat from worldwide media images of burning buildings and looting.
London & Partners, the recently established public-private partnership, is planning autumn marketing activity under the banner ‘Limited Edition London’ to showcase the “amazing” activities London has to offer beyond the Olympics.
Marketing and communications director Martine Ainsworth-Wells says: “”It is currently too early to anticipate the effect on tourism/ inward investment but we are monitoring the situation and we will work with the industry to respond to specific issues as they arise. Past experience tells us that London recovers very quickly from such events and we will focus on recovery activity as soon as it is viable to do so.”
She adds that London & Partners, VisitBritain and Olympics organiser Locog are in constant communication with each other and the Mayor’s Office.
VisitBritain has just launched the first wave of activity in a four year marketing plan under its “You’re Invited” strategy. Brand ambassadors such as Dame Judi Dench and Jamie Oliver have made short films and appeared in a television ad campaign.
