British Tourist Authority
Introduction
The BTA is a statutory body created by the Development of Tourism Act, 1969 which also set up the English, Scottish and Wales Tourist Boards. BTA's main role is to increase the value of tourism to Great Britain from overseas. BTA is also charged with encouraging the provision and improvement of tourist amenities and facilities in Great Britain and has a statutory duty to advise Government and public bodies on matters affecting tourism in Great Britain as a whole.
BTA operates 43 offices overseas, located in 37 countries, and, since 1985, has shared its London head office with the English Tourist Board (ETB). To ensure effective co-ordination and to keep overheads to a minimum, BTA shares a significant number of staff with ETB.
The Chairman, David Quarmby, who also chairs the ETB, is appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as are the five other Board Members. Additionally, the Chairmen of the Scottish and Wales Tourist Boards are ex officio Members.
| | Number of Staff | | | Expenditure (£m) |
| 1995/96 | 355 | | 1995/96 | 51.1 |
| 1996/97 | 385 | | 1996/97 | 51.9 |
| 1997/98 | 385 | | 1997/98 | 51.4 |
BTA's annual report (cover price £15) can be obtained from Mail Order Sales at the above address. From this year, it will incorporate the Funding Agreement agreed annually with its sponsoring department, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. BTA has also set service standards under the Citizen's Charter initiative and complies with the Government's Code of Practice on Access to Information. Copies of these can be obtained from the Secretary at the above address.
Achievements in 1996/97
Building on extensive market research, BTA has developed a segmentation approach to overseas marketing. This highly targeted method increased the value of tourism earnings generated by BTA's activity to £949 million in the last full financial year (1995/6). This means that BTA generated £27 of additional spend for the British tourism industry from every £1 of grant-in-aid invested.
In light of this improved market intelligence, the BTA has initiated many innovative and successful campaigns in 1996 to attract the customer segments on which BTA can, with its limited resources, exercise the greatest leverage. The Movie Map, featuring 180 film and TV locations all over Britain, was distributed overseas in 1996 in 350,000 copies and there has already been a significant increase in visitor numbers to Scotland and Wales. BTA's Internet site was launched in May and hits for movie locations have already risen to over 15,000 a month.
UK The Guide was a highly innovative publication introduced in 1996 to appeal, particularly in Europe and Asia, to the rapidly growing youth market seeking contemporary British entertainment and fashion.
The Style and Design campaign was aimed at a somewhat older target - those with professional income who are travelling to Britain in larger numbers to enjoy British lifestyle, whether for a short break or a longer vacation. Jewels of Britain was a campaign launched in North America to persuade the active retired to travel more widely in Britain and sample the quality of British hotels at the upper and luxury end of the market. The response so far from the American travel trade has been very enthusiastic.
BTA also organised in 1996 the first Showcase Britain travel fair in Malaysia, bringing 60 suppliers from England, Scotland and Wales together to meet over 130 agents from 13 different countries in Asia/Pacific and the Middle East.
Both buyers and sellers welcome this British initiative which enhances significantly their prospects for profitable business development.
The BTA won numerous awards during 1996 including the Travel Trade Gazette Europa Gold Award for the "Best Tourist Office in Europe" and the TTG Worldwide award for "Best European Tourist Office". BTA has also strengthened its links with the industry and is represented on the CBI's Tourism Action Group', London First Visitor Council and the Ministerial Tourism Advisory Forum.
BTA achieved Investors in People status in June 1997.
BTA has also produced a Code of Practice for its Board members and is in the process of preparing a Code of Conduct for its staff.
Plans for 1997/98
- Provide leadership to the tourism industry. BTA will do this by facilitating and co-ordinating overseas marketing by national and regional tourist boards and the private sector. It will also lead the development of the tourism product through gateway branding', geographic themes and product themes.
- Develop key market intelligence to inform BTA's planning and communicate this to trade partners in Britain and overseas
- Promote Britain in overseas markets to raise awareness among potential customers and generate incremental spend in the short and medium term. BTA will help to increase the value of inbound tourism to Britain by 1% more than forecast growth for Europe and will continue to balance the twin aims of raising awareness of Britain as a destination while delivering additional visitors within one year. BTA will also target resources on segments where awareness of Britain can be raised as well as targeting resources on segments delivering immediate returns within the financial year.
- Raise BTA's contribution towards total inbound tourism spend by providing an effective worldwide national tourism network. BTA will recruit, retain, reward and develop the highest calibre of staff and make the best use of its available skills & capabilities.
Key Performance Targets
|
| 1994/95
| 1995/96
| 1996/97
| 1997/98
|
Key Measure
|
Set
|
Achieved
|
Set
|
Achieved
|
Set
|
Forecast
|
Set
|
Maximise the visitor spend generated by investment of resources (£m)
|
540
|
757
|
645
|
949
|
892
|
993
|
1070
|
Generate Partner Support consistent with BTA's focus on target segments (£m)
|
13.8
|
15.9
|
14.7
|
16.6
|
16.6
|
16.4
|
16.4
|
Raise BTA's contribution to total inbound tourism spend
|
5.4
|
7.6
|
5.3
|
7.8
|
6.8
|
7.8
|
7.5
|
| 
