VisitBritain is leveraging the power of Sport Tourism in its new marketing campaign, which features billboard adverts of Olympic athletes in some of the country’s favourite tourism hotspots.

The campaign is aimed at raising international tourism arrivals to the UK in the build up to the 2012 Olympics in London.

The national tourism authority is also pinning its hopes on Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding on boosting Britain’s profile.

(Boxers in London’s famous Borough Market - the capital was voted “World’s Leading Destination at World Travel Awards 2010 Grand Final)

The agency expects an additional 300,000 visitors in 2011 due to Olympic and royal wedding fever, taking total arrivals to 30 million. These extra visitors would contribute an estimated £17 billion in extra revenue.

London, which was voted “World’s Leading Destination” at World Travel Awards 2010 Grand Final in November, forms the centrepiece of the ad campaign, including one image of boxers battling it out at the capital’s famous Borough Market.

However the campaign also features from around Britain as it attempts to lure visitors to other areas of the country in the build up to the Olympics.

Images include the Seven Sisters Cliffs and Angel of the North.

VisitBritain chief executive Sandie Dawe said: “We are looking forward to an exciting and challenging 2011.”

“The eyes of the world will be on Britain as we host the Royal Wedding, and momentum will build as we near the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

(Seven Sisters cliffs)

Sport Tourism is travel industry’s fastest growing sector, and will contribute an astonishing 14 percent of overall travel and tourism receipts, according to WSDE Sport Tourism Expo, the only global exhibition and business forum dedicated to showcasing the full spectrum of Sport Tourism related products and services.

At a time when some traditional tourism trends are in decline, Sport Tourism continues to flourish and is set to grow exponentially in the next decade.

Yet the complex mechanics of Sport Tourism has not yet been fully understood or realised. The annual WSDE aims to present the future business deals and source new contacts and markets, but also to gain invaluable insights from the advanced knowledge of market leaders.

(Thandiwe January-Mclean, Chief Executive, South Africa Tourism, opens the inaugural WSDE in Joburg during the final week of FIFA 2010)

WSDE will take place in Bangkok, capital city and business hub of the magnificent Kingdom of Thailand from 27-30 September 2011. This year it was co-located in Johannesburg alongside the Fifa 2010 World Cup.

World Mobi

In the build up to the 2012 Olympics, World Mobi has launched its new guide to the capital.

London.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up of city guides, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the World Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

The guide offers click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

World.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.