Brittany Ferries & BCP Tourism welcome French holidaymakers
9th February 2023
Brittany Ferries and BCP Tourism (part of BCP Council) are preparing to welcome a wave of French holidaymakers in 2023, thanks to a brand-new marketing campaign in France showcasing the tourism jewels of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and the south coast of England, as well as the ease of getting there by ferry.
The marketing campaign will be funded by a grant won from VisitBritain’s GREAT Gateway Innovation Fund together with support from Brittany Ferries, BCP Tourism and 10 other destination partners in the south and south-west.
This campaign will showcase the dynamism, diversity, beauty, and warm welcome of the south coast to French visitors, encouraging them to discover (or re-discover) the delights of the region on a holiday or short break, both during and outside the main tourist season.
Brittany Ferries links five French ports—three in Normandy and two in Brittany—to the South Coast ports of Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth, giving easy access to hundreds of thousands of potential holidaymakers across north-western France. Historically the majority of its passengers have been British holidaymakers travelling south to France and Spain rather than French visitors sailing to the UK. The new campaign aims to address this imbalance, as well as to encourage French visitors already planning trips to the UK to stay and explore the south coast of England.
The marketing campaign will build awareness and drive bookings and will include the creation of dedicated tours and accommodation packages in destinations along the south coast. Visitors will be encouraged to travel across the region, following tourist trails between towns, taking in sites and attractions, making overnight stays, and sampling local food and drink, while contributing to local economies.
Brittany Ferries’ partnerships manager Julian Patchett said:
“Brittany Ferries started life 50 years ago, when French farmers acquired a ship to bring their vegetables to the UK. But their vision wasn’t just to transport cargo – they also wanted to enrich the regions served by Brittany Ferries ships by transporting holidaymaker and promoting tourism links.
“Our mission remains the same to this day, as we work with tourism partners across the South and South-West to reveal our fabulous destinations to a new generation of French travellers.”
Craig Mathie, chair of Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole’s Destination Management Board, said: “This is great news for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. We have an incredible destination with a thriving arts and culture scene, family-friendly festivals and beautiful scenery along our award-winning coastline.
“We look forward to being part of this initiative and welcoming more visitors to our three towns.”
Councillor Beverley Dunlop, Portfolio Holder for Tourism, Culture and Vibrant Places at BCP Council, said:
“This is a great opportunity to inspire French visitors to our beautiful destination. I am sure they will love our coast as much we love theirs.
“It's an opportunity for local hospitality and business to attract new visitors and provide a welcome boost to our economy during these challenging times.”
VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates said: “This Fund encourages local destinations in forging partnerships within the industry and boosts their marketing activity, showcasing the very best of their region. It also encourages visitors to broaden their travel itineraries, boosting inbound visits across more of the year and across more of Britain, supporting local businesses, destinations and economies.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Tourism, are the official tourist board for BCP and part of the Destination and Culture Directorate within BCP Council, working in partnership with hundreds of businesses across the resorts and wider Dorset. Its focus is to increase economic benefits of tourism across the destination and to promote the area’s world-class visitor experience across the UK and overseas. For more information about the resort, please see: coastwiththemost.co.uk, bournemouth.co.uk, pooletourism.com and visit-christchurch.co.uk
Altogether 11 towns and tourism bodies have partnered with Brittany Ferries for the campaign:
For more information about the Fund see VisitBritain’s website here, or contact Charlotte.Sanders@visitengland.org or on 0207 578 1428 or on 07500 555651
For more details about Brittany Ferries, visit: https://corporate.brittany-ferries.com/en/
Nigel Wonnacott: nigel.wonnacott@brittanyferries.com
Christopher Jones: christopher.jones@brittanyferries.com
