Diamond Jubilee prompts Diamond Pass
SPARKLING DIAMOND PASS ANNOUNCED AT A ROYAL TIME FOR TOURISM
As plans for the ‘flagship’ event on the River Thames were announced today for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, a heritage-inspired pass allowing free or discounted entry to 60 famous castles, stately homes with royal connections and other attractions – one for each year of the Queen’s reign – is to be launched by VisitBritain.
VisitBritain has created a ‘Diamond Pass’, designed for overseas visitors, which delivers great value for money and taps into not only the high profile of the Monarchy but also the popularity of short breaks during 2012.
The modern traveller wants to travel light, have access to instant information and obtain value for money. Consequently, downloadable mobile apps and quick reference maps will be the main source of information for Diamond Pass users, who will also benefit from savings of up to 40% on published gate prices.
Our “culture and heritage’’ – extending from museums, galleries, to Premiership Football, castles and stately homes – generates just over £4.5 billion in total spending by overseas tourists and supports 100,000 jobs. A large proportion of these attractions – ranging from the Tower of London and Blenheim Palace to Edinburgh Castle and Caernarfon Castle – are associated with Britain’s Royal Family.
Laurence Bresh, VisitBritain Director of Marketing, said: “The exciting Diamond Pass is a unique and great value product that will build on the momentum and buzz already being created by the Royal Wedding among our overseas visitors.
“The pass will also offer a tailored vehicle for the attractions industry to address concerns over displacement and dispersal during 2012. It will bolster visitor numbers and promote the regional spread of tourists across the whole of Britain in line with the aspirations of our ‘Britain You’re Invited’ campaign.
“It will launch on the first day of 2012 to coincide with next year’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and many of the properties connected with Her Majesty’s ancestors are included in the pass portfolio. It offers a fantastic opportunity to explore a vast range of attractions, old and new, that make Britain such a popular destination.”
Ann S Wilson, Head of Sales at Historic Royal Palaces said: "2012 promises an exciting year of commemorative events at Historic Royal Palaces that will mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year. VisitBritain’s Diamond Pass provides visitors to Britain with a fantastic value-for-money ticket that they can use to explore all of our palaces, including Kensington Palace and the Tower of London where we will be unveiling exciting new visitor experiences and exhibitions especially for the anniversary year."
Mark Anderson, Sales and Marketing Manager at Warwick Castle said: "We are delighted to be able to support VisitBritain’s Diamond Pass in the year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and during such an exciting time for British tourism. We look forward to helping tourists discover more of our great country, experiencing all that Britain has to offer and making sure Warwick Castle is on their list of things to see."
Hannah Payne, Marketing and PR Manager at Blenheim Palace said: "With the interest and excitement building around 2012 and the Diamond Jubilee it is excellent to have VisitBritain’s Diamond Pass available to ensure we promote the unique and wonderful heritage our site has to offer overseas visitors. As the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace is delighted to be part of the Diamond Pass".
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Mark Di-Toro, Corporate Press Officer on 020 7578 1098 or 07919 392 137
NOTES:
The pass will be available for the 12 months of 2012 only.