The initiative brings Northern England’s destinations, sporting attractions, heritage properties and countryside experiences to Indian travel companies, aiming to encourage visitors to explore beyond London.
VisitBritain is stepping up efforts to promote Northern England to India’s outbound travel market through the Great North Destination Showcase 2026, a trade initiative designed to connect regional tourism businesses with Indian tour operators and travel industry representatives.
Organised in collaboration with Marketing Manchester and regional tourism partners, the showcase took place in New Delhi on 13–14 October 2026, with a Mumbai programme scheduled for 14–15 October. The delegation was led by Patricia Yates, chief executive of VisitBritain, and Gary Robson, the organisation’s deputy director for Europe, the Middle East and India.
The initiative comes as VisitBritain projects that visitors from India could generate £1.5 billion in annual spending in the UK by 2030. The organisation also forecasts approximately one million visits from India by that year, presenting an opportunity for destinations across Britain to attract a larger share of international visitors.
The showcase brought together tourism organisations, attractions and experience providers from across Northern England, including Marketing Manchester, Visit Liverpool, Visit Lake District, Experience North East England, Explore West Yorkshire, Harewood House Trust, Muncaster Castle, Lancashire County Cricket Club and Manchester City Football Club.
Through business meetings and destination presentations, participating organisations sought to develop partnerships with Indian travel companies and encourage the inclusion of northern destinations in leisure, luxury, sporting and special-interest itineraries. Patricia Yates, Chief Executive Officer, VisitBritain, said, “Working with Marketing Manchester and our partners across the Great North, we’re proud to be supporting this landmark mission, bringing together the region’s outstanding tourism offer to leading travel buyers and the media. Events like this are so important because they build partnerships between the very people who inspire travel and the people who create and sell tourism experiences. India is one of our most valuable and fastest-growing visitor markets. We are forecasting that visitors from India will spend £1.5 billion annually by 2030, underlining the huge opportunity to sell Britain here. As this market continues to grow, we want to ensure that visitors explore more and discover the breadth of experiences across the Great North.”
Northern England looks beyond established UK itineraries
While London remains a major draw for international visitors, Northern England offers a different combination of urban culture, historic architecture, countryside, sporting heritage and culinary experiences. VisitBritain sees an opportunity to raise awareness of these attractions among Indian travellers who may already be familiar with Britain’s principal tourist landmarks.
According to figures shared by Gary Robson during the showcase, Northern England receives approximately 66,000 visits from India annually, accounting for around 12% of Indian visits to the UK. These visitors are estimated to spend about £80 million in the region each year.
Robson identified destination awareness as a key challenge, suggesting that the region has a broad range of products that can be adapted to Indian travellers’ interests. Cricket and football, food, heritage and opportunities to experience local communities provide potential points of connection.
Transport connectivity is another consideration. Manchester serves as a key gateway to Northern England, with road and rail connections to destinations across the region. Travel companies can also incorporate northern stops into wider UK itineraries using other major arrival points, depending on flight schedules and the route selected.
Manchester strengthens its position as a regional gateway
Manchester is central to the campaign, promoted both as a destination in its own right and as a starting point for exploring the wider North.
Marketing Manchester managing director Victoria Braddock said the city currently attracts approximately 21,000 visitors from India annually. Greater Manchester has set a target of generating £15 billion in economic benefit from its visitor economy by 2030, with international markets expected to contribute to that ambition.
The city offers a mix of music, shopping, food, culture and sport. Its football heritage is a particular attraction for Indian visitors, with Manchester City and Manchester United providing stadium tours and behind-the-scenes experiences. Lancashire Cricket also offers opportunities to explore one of the region’s established sporting institutions.
Manchester’s live entertainment venues and cultural attractions may also appeal to younger travellers seeking experiences they can share with friends and through social media. Marketing Manchester is additionally engaging with Indian meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) planners to attract business events and incentive groups.
For travellers planning a week-long or 10-day UK holiday, Manchester can serve as a base for excursions to Liverpool, Leeds, York and the Lake District, while wider itineraries can include North Wales or southern Scotland.
Sport, wellness and heritage broaden the offer
The showcase highlighted the range of experiences available beyond conventional sightseeing. Manchester City Football Club is promoting its stadium tour, which includes access to selected behind-the-scenes areas and interactive features. Such attractions offer travel companies an opportunity to build football-focused holidays for supporters and families.
Lancashire County Cricket Club is also positioning its ground at Emirates Old Trafford as both a sporting attraction and a venue for corporate events. Its facilities include event spaces, stadium tours and an on-site hotel, creating options for sporting itineraries and MICE programmes.
Wellness tourism is another developing part of Manchester’s offer. Therme Manchester is a planned urban wellbeing resort intended to combine family recreation, water attractions, spa facilities and relaxation spaces. The project has been promoted with a target opening in 2029; its development schedule and final facilities should be confirmed closer to launch.
Further afield, historic properties and countryside destinations provide opportunities for premium travel. Muncaster Castle in the Lake District is exploring the Indian market for private celebrations, family gatherings and destination weddings. Its heritage setting and exclusive-use potential could appeal to travellers seeking distinctive venues, subject to event arrangements and accommodation availability.
West Yorkshire and the North East seek greater visibility
West Yorkshire is promoting its cultural and industrial heritage to encourage Indian visitors to look beyond the UK’s best-known destinations. Leeds, the wider region’s historic towns and countryside attractions offer opportunities to combine architecture, museums, literary heritage and outdoor experiences.
Attractions such as Yorkshire Sculpture Park, alongside the area’s textile history and connections with the Brontë family, can support themed itineraries for travellers with particular cultural interests. The region’s position between London and Edinburgh also makes it a possible stop on longer UK journeys, although routing and travel times will depend on the itinerary.
In the North East, destination management company Northern Secrets is seeking to build relationships with Indian travel advisers and tour operators. The region offers coastal scenery, historic attractions, transformed urban centres and opportunities to engage with local communities. Bespoke programmes for independent travellers and small groups could help introduce these experiences to visitors who have already explored Britain’s main tourism hubs.
Screen tourism adds another route to destination discovery
VisitBritain is also using film and television locations to inspire international travel through its Starring GREAT Britain campaign. Screen tourism can introduce visitors to places they may not otherwise have considered, linking familiar productions with regional landscapes, historic buildings and local experiences.
For Northern England, this approach provides another way to raise awareness beyond established city breaks and traditional sightseeing routes. Combined with trade partnerships and tailored itineraries, it could help regional tourism businesses reach travellers interested in culture, sport, food, heritage and countryside escapes.
Turning interest into bookings
The Great North Destination Showcase reflects a broader effort to distribute tourism benefits beyond Britain’s most visited destinations. For Indian travel companies, the region offers the potential to create itineraries that combine major city experiences with heritage properties, sporting attractions, rural landscapes and local food.
Converting interest into bookings will depend on continued engagement with the travel trade, clear product information, accessible transport links and experiences that match travellers’ budgets and preferences. Familiarity with regional destinations can also help advisers build confidence when recommending places that may be less established in the Indian market.
With Indian visitor spending projected to grow over the coming years, VisitBritain and its regional partners are seeking to ensure that more travellers discover Northern England as part of their British holiday.
