Liverpool (england), Joins Manchester (england), Paris (france), New York (usa) And The Stunning Lake District In A Tourism Uprising, Unlocking Epic Journeys Through North Wales’ Thrilling Outdoors, Chester’s Rich Heritage, And More Unforgettable British Experiences

Published on February 4, 2026

VisitBritain has group nan shape for a awesome translator successful UK tourism pinch its bold caller inaugural aimed astatine attracting much world visitors to Liverpool, Manchester, North Wales, the Lake District, and Chester. By promoting nonstop flights from Paris and New York, VisitBritain seeks to displacement nan travel of world tourism from nan accustomed London-centric acquisition to a much divers and immersive location exploration. Through a strategical finance of £400,000 successful nan GREAT Gateway Innovation Fund, this inaugural is group to boost recreation to nan North West and Wales, positioning these regions arsenic new, compelling introduction points for American and French visitors eager to acquisition nan UK beyond its capital.

Why This Matters: A Strategic Shift for British Tourism

For decades, London has been nan overwhelming attraction of inbound tourism to nan UK. However, VisitBritain is now pivoting towards regional gateways to bring attraction to nan divers destinations of nan North West of England and Wales. This strategical displacement is not conscionable astir diversifying visitant arrivals—it’s astir creating economical opportunities successful regions extracurricular nan capital.

Through targeted trading and collaborative partnerships, Liverpool and Manchester will service arsenic key introduction points for world visitors from Paris and New York. These cities will enactment arsenic launching pads for exploring the Lake District, Chester, and North Wales. By making it easier for American and French visitors to entree nan northbound via easyJet’s Paris to Liverpool way and Virgin Atlantic’s New York to Manchester flights, VisitBritain is ensuring that these regions spot a surge successful visitors, thereby spreading nan economical benefits of tourism much evenly crossed nan UK.

Key Routes and Their Impact: Paris to Liverpool and New York to Manchester

Two of nan superior routes being promoted by VisitBritain are easyJet’s Paris–Liverpool flights and Virgin Atlantic’s New York–Manchester services. These nonstop connections are strategically positioned to unlock entree to cardinal destinations crossed nan North West of England and Wales. Let’s research really these routes are expected to style tourism trends.

Table: Key Routes and Expected Impact

By connecting Paris straight to Liverpool and New York to Manchester, these flights alteration visitors to immerse themselves successful nan unsocial civilization and landscapes of nan Lake District, Chester, and North Wales—regions historically underrepresented successful world recreation marketing.

A £400,000 Investment to Boost Regional Tourism

VisitBritain’s £400,000 backing allocated to Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership and Marketing Manchester will support a bid of trading campaigns to target world visitors from France and nan United States. These campaigns will item nan cultural offerings, natural beauty, and historical landmarks of nan North West of England and Wales, offering visitors a seamless recreation acquisition that connects Manchester and Liverpool to surrounding regions.

Chart: Projected Impact of nan £400,000 Funding connected Regional Tourism

Expected Growth successful Visitor Numbers and Spending (2026)

• USA: 5.5 cardinal visits projected, £7.6 billion spend
• France: 3.7 cardinal visits projected, £2.2 billion spend

The Role of Screen Tourism successful Attracting International Visitors

One of nan astir breathtaking components of VisitBritain’s run is nan ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign, which leverages nan fame of screen tourism to tie visitors to iconic filming locations crossed nan UK. Tourists from France and the United States will beryllium encouraged to sojourn places they’ve seen connected screen, including locations successful Liverpool, the Lake District, and North Wales. For example, nan Lake District was featured successful Mission Impossible: Fallout, while North Wales is known for its Harry Potter and The Lion King filming locations.

Screen tourism has been shown to thrust real-world visits to destinations, and VisitBritain has seen a £217 cardinal boost successful visitant spending acknowledgment to this campaign. For each £1 spent connected nan campaign, £20 successful further spending was generated by world visitors.

Tourism Forecast for 2026: How France and nan USA Are Key Markets

With France and nan United States remaining 2 of nan UK’s largest sources of world visitors, VisitBritain has precocious expectations for 2026 tourism growth. Projections show important increases successful some nan number of visitors and visitor spending from these countries:

Table: Tourism Projections for 2026 from France and nan USA

This expected maturation demonstrates nan occurrence of nan gateway initiative, encouraging French and American visitors to recreation straight to Liverpool and Manchester, bypassing London to entree nan champion of nan UK’s location destinations.

Liverpool and Manchester arsenic Key Regional Gateways

Liverpool and Manchester will service arsenic cardinal regional gateways, facilitating greater tourism dispersal to nan wider North West and Wales. As portion of nan GREAT Gateway Innovation Fund, these cities will beryllium showcased not only arsenic destinations successful their ain correct but besides arsenic entree points to nan Lake District, Chester, and North Wales—regions that connection some municipality excitement and earthy beauty.

By focusing connected direct flights, VisitBritain intends to make location recreation much accessible for world visitors. In summation to nan taste and earthy experiences disposable successful Liverpool, Manchester, and surrounding areas, visitors will besides beryllium encouraged to widen their stays by exploring adjacent locations for illustration the Peak District, Chester, and Lancashire.

Collaborative Partnerships: A United Effort for Regional Tourism Growth

To guarantee nan occurrence of this initiative, VisitBritain has teamed up pinch aggregate cardinal partners crossed nan tourism sector. These see airlines for illustration easyJet and Virgin Atlantic, airports specified arsenic Manchester Airport and Liverpool John Lennon Airport, and regional tourism boards for illustration Cumbria Tourism and Visit Wales.

By moving together, these partners are helping to create a cohesive tourism acquisition that will guideline world visitors done a travel of exploration, from Liverpool’s vibrant culture to North Wales’ adventure-filled landscapes, and from nan historic beauty of Chester to nan peaceful serenity of nan Lake District. This multi-sector collaboration ensures that nan £400,000 investment will person a far-reaching effect crossed nan UK’s location tourism landscape.

The Future of UK Regional Tourism: Expanding Access and Opportunity

This groundbreaking inaugural by VisitBritain represents a important measurement successful decentralising UK tourism, ensuring that much regions—specifically Liverpool, Manchester, North Wales, and the Lake District—are positioned arsenic starring destinations for world travellers. Through strategical partnerships, direct formation routes, and innovative trading campaigns for illustration nan ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign, VisitBritain is successfully expanding nan UK’s tourism offerings beyond London.

As tourist arrivals from Paris and New York increase, these regions will use from an economic uplift, pinch much world visitors exploring nan champion that Liverpool, Manchester, and nan surrounding areas person to offer. By making it easier for American and French visitors to entree these regional gateways, VisitBritain is not only increasing tourism but ensuring that nan benefits are shared crossed a wider area.

Conclusion: A New Era of Regional Tourism for nan UK

Through nan £400,000 investment successful Liverpool and Manchester, VisitBritain has group nan shape for a revolutionary shift successful really world visitors acquisition nan UK. By positioning regional gateways arsenic accessible and enticing options, nan inaugural ensures that visitors tin acquisition nan champion of Liverpool, Manchester, and nan North West, while contributing to a much equitable tourism distribution crossed nan UK. As nan GREAT Gateway Innovation Fund continues to unlock nan imaginable of nan Lake District, Chester, and North Wales, these regions will thrive arsenic must-visit destinations successful their ain right, ensuring that nan UK’s tourism early is agleam and diverse.