UK promotes destinations beyond...

UKinbound and VisitBritain showcase diverse destinations to travel trade at ATM

Travel trade association UKinbound has partnered with tourism agency VisitBritain and 16 other businesses at ATM in Dubai to promote the United Kingdom (UK) as a diverse destination for GCC travellers with opportunities beyond London.

The UK is a top five outbound market from the GCC, according to data by Mabrian, and VisitBritain is forecasting 1.4 million visits from the GCC to the UK in 2025, with those visitors spending AED17 billion (£3.5 billion) on their trips, up 25%.

While England's capital London is perennially popular with travellers from the Gulf, UKinbound and VisitBritain are sharing milestone celebrations and new launches in the UK to encourage the GCC travel trade to promote places beyond hotspots like London.

Backing this strategy is VisitBritain's ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign, launched in February 2025, which showcases numerous locations across England, Scotland and Wales that have acted as film and TV sets, including the iconic Alnwick Castle in Northumberland where Harry Potter scenes were filmed.

Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, UK

New itineraries are themed around film genres that encourage GCC visitors to the UK to broaden their horizons, discover more regional destinations and stay longer.

For 2025, there is a calendar of immersive events in the UK to celebrate the 250th birthday of Pride & Prejudice author Jane Austen, and nationwide celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of the railway. Special events include the Women’s Rugby World Cup taking place this summer, while Bradford (main picture) in Yorkshire is the UK’s City of Culture.

Making it easier for nationals from the GCC to visit the UK, the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) was introduced in 2024, allowing unlimited visits over a two-year period, for around AED80.

“The roll-out of our ETA means a visit to the UK is now smoother, more cost effective and even easier for Middle Eastern visitors," said Joss Croft OBE, CEO of UKinbound.

Gary Robson, Director for Middle East, India and Europe at VisitBritain added that increased airline connectivity, including into regional gateways in the UK, makes travel from the Gulf to the UK more accessible than ever.

Facilitating this further, VisitBritain has signed an MoU with Dubai-based airline Emirates to boost visitor traffic into the UK from more than 140 global destinations, including key strategic markets across the Middle East, Far East Asia and Australasia.

"Growing airline routes and seat capacity into our regional gateways is crucial to our competitive tourism offer to visitors," said Robson.

For more information, visit www.visitbritain.org and www.ukinbound.org

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