Wallace & Gromit’s ‘Great Adventure’

£4m domestic marketing campaign aims to boost tourism in the UK in 2013

Today, together with Rt Hon. Maria Miller MP, Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, we launched ‘Great Adventure’ – the pan-UK marketing campaign starring Wallace & Gromit, designed to inspire Britons to take a holiday at home this year. The iconic British duo will appear in a much-anticipated television advertisement on Sunday this week.

The television ad encourages consumers to book a holiday through their local travel agent. Viewers can find out more about the campaign by visiting yourgreatadventure.co.uk where they can enter their postcode to find details of the nearest participating travel agent and book their own ‘great adventure’ in the UK. A range of specially-commissioned postcards featuring the Wensleydale-loving pair on their holidays, can be shared through social media channels.

Visitors to the site can also watch an exclusive ‘behind the scenes’ film about the making of the TV ad which includes an interview with Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park who talks about what an inspiration Britain has become for him and his work.

A range of high-street travel agents including TUI, Thomas Cook, Advantage, Midcounties Co-op Travel, Premier Travel and The Travel Network Group have signed up to support the government-funded campaign with promotional activity. Also on board are operators Attraction World, Superbreak, Hoseasons, Bourne Leisure and Shearings Holidays, all of which provide an outstanding level of service and knowledge when booking a UK break. This campaign supports our travel trade partners, operators and high-street travel agents, complementing our full programme of activity which spans all routes to market, from SMEs and independent operators to national chains and aspirational brands.

Secretary of State, Maria Miller, said: “Our tourism industry plays a key role in delivering economic growth, creating jobs and supporting businesses up and down the country. I’m delighted that we’re thinking innovatively about how to promote Britain and the new ‘Great Adventure’ campaign, starring the much-loved Wallace and Gromit, will showcase fantastic UK holiday destinations, delivering an £80 million economic boost.”

To celebrate the grand launch of their Great Adventure, Wallace & Gromit will be taking centre stage at The World on Regent Street Festival on Sunday, 12 May (11am – 6pm). Regent Street will be entirely closed to traffic and fully pedestrianised, showcasing several world-famous destinations, including Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Visitors can have their photo taken with the stars of the tv ad, and enter a competition to give Gromit a new look! The design that best represents London will be painted onto a Gromit statue which will be auctioned in October to raise money for Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal.

This campaign forms part of Holidays at Home are GREAT, a pan-UK government funded strategy which launched last year. Designed to boost domestic tourism, the campaign aims to raise £80m in additional tourism spend and over a million overnight stays.

For hi-res images from Wallace & Gromit’s Great Adventure, go to the VisitEngland Flickr Group.