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New Delhi : VisitBritain will launch a special educational programme for travel agents in India next financial year. The programme named as `BritAgent Programme' is designed to create `better awareness' about destinations and travel products of Britain among the Indian travel trade. Talking to reporters, Patricia Yates, Director - Strategy and Communications, VisitBritain said that special emphasis will be laid on promoting the Yorkshire area in the Programme.
Yates added, "We want to tell the people that there is more to Britain than London. The travel trade is important in selling our destination. Therefore, we want to impart greater awareness and knowledge among the agents which would ultimately help them in selling Britain in the Indian market. VisitBritain will also launch exclusive `Journey of the Lifetime' campaign in the Indian market focusing the high net worth luxury market.
In another major initiative to improve visibility of its website, VisitBritain is in the process of redesigning the website. According to Yates, the new website will be launched globally in April 2010. The new website will be more user-friendly and will have more travel products. As a novel marketing tool, VisitBritain will explore the possibilities of promoting their destinations through social networking sites and blogs. "We need to look at those media where people interact and share their experiences with others. VisitBritain will try to identify few people and make them `ambassadors'," added Yates.
Furthermore, VisitBritain will continue to organise consumer awareness programmes around Liverpool in India considering its huge success last year. She said that VisitBritain will organise school level soccer competitions to promote `Liverpool story' with finals in Bengaluru this year. Similarly, VisitBritain also will continue to engage Beatles in the promotion of Liverpool in the Indian market.
Speaking about the importance of India outbound for Britain, Yates said, "VisitBritain considers India as an important source market especially in the light of `growing middle class' who wish to explore new destinations. Besides VFR market, which is currently huge from India, there has been a phenomenal increase in the number of students going to Britain for studies. Students are a welcome opportunity for us because those who go to Britain for studies always develop enduring affiliation to that country and that affiliation translates into more inbound in to the country."
When asked about the Visa related issues, Yates mentioned that student Visas are easy to obtain. In the light of London hosting 2012 Olympic Games, the government is working on a `welcome project' to make the services more transparent and smooth. "We want to make Olympics as an opportunity to showcase our world class facilities to our visitors. I hope this will be understood by the Visa department as well. Different agencies and cities are working closely to improve the quality of services in the true spirit of the tagline of London Olympics `You are Invited'," added Yates.
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