Britain is ready for its close-up—and Canada is in the front row.
TravelPulse Canada was in attendance at the exclusive high tea event hosted by VisitBritain on March 5 in Toronto, where the tourism agency officially launched its latest global campaign, “Starring GREAT Britain.”
With blockbuster-worthy landscapes and iconic film locations, the UK is inviting travellers to step into the scenes of their favourite movies and TV shows—no stunt double required.
First announced in January, the campaign is designed to drive tourism across the UK by positioning the country as the star of the big screen.
The campaign’s promotional film is inspired by blockbuster hits, featuring iconic moments from film and television such as Mission: Impossible, Bridget Jones, Spider-Man, Succession, House of the Dragon, Harry Potter, Paddington, Fast & Furious, Mary Poppins Returns and more.
Directed by Academy Award-winning British filmmaker Tom Hooper, the launch film takes audiences on a journey through Britain’s famous filming locations, emphasizing the UK’s appeal as a real-life movie set.
Britain: The Ultimate Leading Lady
VisitBritain is leveraging the power of film tourism to inspire visitors to explore the real-life settings of their favourite movies and television series.
“We recently did a launch event in Berlin, as well as in Sydney and Melbourne in Australia. Last week was Dubai, and we've got another 14 scheduled across the next few months,” Gavin Landry, VisitBritain International Director, told TravelPulse Canada.
“This Toronto event was put together by our Canada team under the leadership of Cathy Stapells, and we invited our media partners, commercial partners like Delta Airlines and Virgin, trade partners, and our diplomatic partners. It’s a great opportunity to work together to drive tourism.”
VisitBritain (Photo Credit: TravelPulse Canada)
Canucks Across the Kingdom
The event underscored Canada’s importance as a key market for British tourism.
“Visits from Canada to the UK are a million annually, and we’re going to exceed that in 2024 when our numbers come out in a few weeks,” said Stapells.
“Canadians spend about a billion pounds a year in the UK, and we’re forecasted to only see that improve."
This puts Canada in the top ten markets.
Beyond London, Canadian travellers show a strong interest in exploring other regions.
“Canadians love Oxfordshire, Yorkshire, Scotland, the West Midlands, and Birmingham—fans of Peaky Blinders love Birmingham,” Stapells added.
“Canadians actually get outside of London more than almost any other market that we operate in.”
All Aboard
Landry told TravelPulse Canada that the UK’s railway system makes travel between regions seamless.
“The rail service in the UK is really quite good,” he said.
“Before I started this job, I did an 11-day tour all by rail—never stepped into a car or on a plane. It was so pleasant to see all the views, read a newspaper, have breakfast, and travel from location to location.”
‘Good Growth’
The campaign ties into VisitBritain’s broader strategy of regenerative tourism.
“We’re trying to actually make places better as a result of the tourism they receive,” Landry explained.
“It’s all about growth, but it’s about good growth. What better way to drive regional growth than to showcase all the filming and TV locations across the UK?”
According to VisitBritain’s latest screen tourism research, more than 90% of potential visitors to the UK express interest in visiting destinations featured in film and TV productions (as also proven through the "White Lotus effect," which underscores the impact of entertainment on travel trends).
VisitBritain Team, British Consulate Toronto Team, Stephen Goulding (Virgin Atlantic) and British Consul General of Toronto, Fouzia Younis (Photo Credit: VisitBritain)
Virgin Atlantic's Return
Stephen Goulding, the Country Manager for Canada at Virgin Atlantic, attended the packed event to highlight the airline's return to Canada. He noted that Toronto is the second-largest market in North America for flights to London.
Virgin Atlantic will resume services in Canada with daily non-stop flights from Toronto Pearson (YYZ) to London Heathrow (LHR) starting on March 30, 2025, after previously ceasing flights from Vancouver in 2014.
Virgin Atlantic and WestJet recently announced an expanded codeshare agreement from Canada to the UK and connecting regions, including India.
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