Inn England: putting pubs on the map - includes video
What are the first things that tourists want to visit when they come to this country?
Sure - Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Stonehenge …but right up there alongside them is the English pub.
More than 13 million (40 per cent) overseas visitors went to a pub when they visited the UK in 2007.
And the number rated even higher for people planning a visit, with more than half (55 per cent) saying visiting a pub is something they are "very likely" to do when they get here.
Now the pub's place at the heart of England's tourism industry has been writ large with the launch of the Inn England campaign by VisitEngland.
But the initiative is not only aiming at foreign tourists - with many in England opting to stay at home this summer due to the weak pound and the credit crunch it's also well placed to drive more domestic travellers back to the pub.
Seventy per cent of Brits planning a holiday in the UK list a visit to the pub as "extremely likely" while they are away.
The campaign is getting a high-profile marketing push at home and abroad, including a supplement in The Sunday Telegraph this weekend (June 14) and virtually blanket coverage across the other national newspapers, while 600,000 email newsletters highlighting Inn England are being sent out in this country and abroad.
Coming after the presentation of VisitEngland's Outstanding Contribution to English Tourism award in April, the validation from the tourism industry is a timely boost to a trade which could do with a little support.
The obvious choice
VisitEngland chooses one vital aspect of English tourism to focus its campaigning on every year - and the organisation's head of marketing Amanda Smyth said the pub was the obvious choice in 2009.
"This was the combination of two things coming together," she says.
"Firstly, we were looking for a worthy winner of the Outstanding Contribution to English Tourism award - and the pub was the unanimous decision. With local food and drink becoming increasingly important, and with pubs being so well-known internationally for being a huge part of this country, this year it had to be the pub.
"Secondly, we wanted to tangibly help support an industry which is a really important part of tourism by making it the focus of our annual campaign - and give a real message to the public both at home and abroad."
Amanda says a key ambition of the campaign is to encourage visitors travelling within the UK to go on the website and find pubs as they are planning their holiday in their own country.
Later on this year the organisation's offices in the US and Australia will be promoting it - meaning that those pubs that get involved have the potential to spread their message to the other side of the globe.
Everything to play for
There's little to lose and everything to gain for pubs adding themselves to the website, Amanda points out.
"If you think you have a great offer for visitors, then shout about it. Log on to the website, upload your details and tell us all about your pub," she adds.
"This isn't just about the typical tourist areas - for domestic visitors any area could be potentially of interest. That could be because of local heritage, or you could be close to great walking country."
VisitEngland believes there is scope for pubs to become unofficial tourist information centres for visitors to an area. Your pub could be the starting point for a tourist trail or a signpost on a route that can help bring a holiday to life.
As the website was being put together, VisitEngland wanted to identify some of the best pubs in the country to kick-start the initiative - and the obvious starting point for the organisation was knocking on The Publican's door to pinpoint exactly where they are.
"We wanted to launch the site with great content - so it was natural to come to The Publican to find out more about some of its award winners," says Amanda.
Which is why a number of Publican Award-winners are being heavily featured on the site - and already benefitting from some great PR that has come out of it as a result.
Why not add your own pub today?
Outstanding award on tour...
VisitEngland presented the Outstanding Contribution to English Tourism award to 'the English pub' at the Enjoy England Awards 2009.
Collected by Neil Morrissey on behalf of the industry, the award is now winging its way around the country on an Olympic flame-style tour under the Proud of Pubs campaign.
The latest recipient of the award was Doggett's Coat & Badge in London's Blackfriars, a magnet for tourists on the South Bank and famous for its cask ales - and the launch pad for Morrissey Fox Proud of Pubs Best Bitter (see front page story).
Assistant manager Dave York collected the award from Neil Morrissey last week.
If you want to put your pub forward to host the award for a week email proudofpubs@thepublican.com and tell us why you are proud of your pub!
Register your pub today
If you think your pub has something to offer a visitor to your area - and come on, if you don't, what are you doing in the pub industry?! - register your pub on the InnEngland website today.
You can list your pub's facilities onto the database, and even upload a photo.
Website users planning a visit to your area will then find your pub, with users able to search for pubs under categories including family-friendly, historical, stunning views and 'best for food'.
The website includes a listing of the top 10 pubs under the above categories, together with a rundown of the latest pubs to be added.
