New Chinese name for Blackpool revealed
After ten weeks of voting in China, VisitBritain has revealed the new Mandarin names for 101 points of interest across Britain, suggested by the Chinese public for the ‘GREAT Names for GREAT Britain’ campaign.
Out of three possible naming suggestions chosen by the Chinese public, Blackpool has decided to adopt the new Mandarin name: Shen Chi Jia Nian Hua translated in English as Deep Pool Carnival. This name received 1300 votes.
Now that the winning names have been revealed, VisitBritain has been working together with all of these attractions to decide how they might use these results and the publicity that the campaign has generated.
Blackpool Council has chosen to embrace its new Mandarin name.
Cllr Graham Cain, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for tourism and leisure, said: “Blackpool is known as a town that has a really positive and fun atmosphere so ‘Shen Chi Jia Nian Hua’, or ‘Deep Pool Carnival’, is a very suitable description.
“We have growing cultural links with China having had our famous Comedy Carpet seafront artwork exhibited at the Shanghai Power Station of Art and we know Chinese visitors just love The Blackpool Tower and the famous Blackpool Tower Ballroom, the home of ballroom dancing.
“We hope the new name will really strike a chord and encourage our friends from China to come and visit us.”
China is now the world’s largest outbound market, with visitors to Britain already spending £500 million. VisitBritain has ambitious plans to double the value of that market by 2020 and to ensure that growth is spread across the nations and regions.
Joss Croft, Marketing Director at VisitBritain said: “The campaign has given Blackpool] huge exposure across China and the opportunity to create a unique affinity with potential Chinese tourists. We hope Blackpool’s new Mandarin name raises its profile and enables it to compete effectively for the world’s biggest outbound market, which will deliver local growth and jobs across the North West.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
VisitBlackpool is the tourism arm of Blackpool Council and is tasked with promoting the UK's most popular holiday destination to leisure and business visitors, both domestically and internationally.
Joe Robinson, Communications Officer, Blackpool Council