VisitEngland launches campaign to inspire young Brits to discover the UK by taking mini gap-year style breaks

LONDON, UK, 2018-Oct-30 — /Travel PR News/ — VisitEngland is today (Wednesday 24 October) launching a campaign to inspire more young Brits to discover the UK by taking mini gap-year style breaks.

The £2.5 million ‘Join the World – #MyMicrogap’ campaign targets young people with experiences and activities typically taken during a gap-year that can be condensed into a micro-holiday of one to three nights in the UK. The campaign kicks off today with the first in a series of short films that are being rolled out across digital display and social media channels during the coming months.

The campaign, launched by VisitEngland and run in partnership with the tourism organisations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, is part of a drive to get more young people to holiday at home. Statistics show that in 2016, 16-to-34 year olds took almost 1.4 million fewer holidays in Britain than a decade previously.

The microgap campaign follows research by VisitEngland into the travel habits of young Brits which showed that less than a quarter (24%) of 18-to-34 year olds were likely to take a career break to travel in the next three years.

The idea of ‘microgapping’ however appealed to almost two-thirds (64%) with more than half (57%) likely to take a microgap during the next three years. Research showed that young people keen on taking a microgap wanted the same self-development opportunities typical of a gap-year. Top activities and experiences sought were wellbeing and relaxation, visiting iconic landmarks, trying local food and drink and seeing nature and wildlife.

VisitBritain/VisitEngland Director of Marketing Clare Mullin said that whether learning a new skill, volunteering or ticking off a bucket list experience, the UK was packed full of life-enriching experiences right here on our doorstep.

“From mastering the pottery wheel at a ceramics course in North Wales to walking alpacas in the Lake District, from canoeing on Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland to soaking up the live music scene in Glasgow, Scotland, we want young people to take a new look at the adventures, experiences and destinations on offer.

“Working with destinations and tourism businesses we want to ignite the passion for domestic travel in young people, inspiring them to take a holiday at home in the UK right now and throughout their lifetimes, boosting the economy now and driving growth from tourism in the future.”

Content for the ‘Join the World – #MyMicrogap’, campaign, which runs until the end of March 2019, is being developed in partnership with VICE, based on the motivations for microgaps. As well as running across VICE’s social media channels, #MyMicrogap would also drive online traffic to www.visitbritain.com/jointheworld with microgap itineraries and experiences to explore.

Join the World – #MyMicrogap, part of the UK Government’s GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign, is expected to generate an additional £62 million in domestic tourism spend for the economy. It builds on an earlier campaign in 2017 which targeted the ‘lost generation’ of young Brits to take a holiday at home.

Domestic tourism is worth £86 billion to the British economy.

Notes to Editors:

• VisitEngland’s Microgapping Research surveyed 2,000 18-34 year olds in the UK in July 2018. The research found that financial constraints and the impact on job progression were the two biggest barriers for 18-34 year olds when considering taking a career break to travel in the next three years, cited by 75% and 41% of young people respectively. You can access an overview of VisitEngland’s Microgapping Research here.
• In 2006 there were 14 million overnight holidays taken by 16-34 year olds in Britain. In 2016 there were 12.6 million overnight holidays taken by this age group in Britain. There had therefore been a decrease of 1.4 million overnight holidays taken in Britain by 16-34 year olds compared to 2006 (source Great Britain Tourism Survey).
• For more information on microgapping in England see our website.
• Read more about last year’s campaign urging young Brits to take a holiday at home here and here.
• For other market intelligence and statistics see our insights page.

Press enquiries:

Charlotte Sanders
E: Charlotte.sanders@visitengland.org
T: 020 7578 1428

Source: VisitEngland

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