A partnership between Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and VisitBritain, Britain’s national tourism agency, has seen a 25% boost in bookings to Great Britain.

The multi-media advertising partnership campaign “Spilling the Tea on Great Britain,” which ran between January to June 2023, used a play on Britain’s love of tea, inviting visitors to “See Things Differently.” The campaign promoted Britain’s rich cultural heritage, breathtaking coastlines and landscapes, as well as its dynamic cities and destinations including London, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Manchester.

Wego’s statistics show a substantial surge in bookings from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait to Britain during the campaign, up 25% from January to June, compared to the same period last year. Additionally, passenger numbers traveling to Great Britain through Wego are up 27% during the same timeframe. There was also a 78% rise in Wego’s searches from Riyadh to Newcastle and a 63% increase in searches to Manchester.

Wego VP of Brand Marketing and Social Media, Roxana Nicolescu, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the campaign growth figures that our partnership with VisitBritain has achieved. This collaboration signifies our joint commitment to showcasing the unparalleled beauty and experiences that Britain has to offer. The impressive growth in engagement and bookings affirms the impact of our collective efforts in igniting wanderlust and facilitating seamless travel experiences.”

VisitBritain Head of Partnerships, APMEA, Jennifer Huntley, said: “Our partnership with Wego has been instrumental in promoting Britain’s diverse travel experiences across the nations and regions to a global audience. The impressive growth figures from our partnership are also testament to the allure of Britain as a destination and the power of collaboration in driving tourism growth.”

In an initiative to facilitate traveling for GCC nationals, the UK Government is set to launch a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme commencing in October, starting with Qatar. With an application fee of £10, the ETA will also eliminate the necessity for visas among citizens from GCC nations and Jordan making journeys to Britain more cost-effective and convenient.