The cities of Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and Edinburgh have a huge appeal amongst Indian travellers. Whether you’re a movie buff seeking out the stories from the latest film releases, or after that picture-perfect pose at the places that play host to your favourite TV show – Great Britain has something for every visitor to go on a star-studded adventure. Whether you’re fascinated by classic matchmaking with Jane Austen, indulging in the estates and parks of Bridgerton, or admiring the Cotswolds villages for a taste of high Regency, 2024 is the year for set jetting across Britain and visit your favourite fictional destinations through the lens of literature.
By H.E. Mr. Harjinder Kang, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia & British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India
VISHAL BHATIA, VISITBRITAIN COUNTRY MANAGER – INDIA, SAYS
“India is one of our most important inbound visitor markets, forecast to be a billion-pound visitor market for the UK from 2025. It boasts strong airline connectivity including to regional destinations, and we know there is pent up demand for travel. Looking at top activities that Indian travellers are keen on – Britain caters for all. Visiting famous/iconic tourist attractions, experiencing coastal places & scenery, exploring local food & drink are the main categories for Indians. Our focus in India is to drive growth outside London through regional gateways, across the seasons, trade and business-to-business engagement to drive recovery and growth, and support His Majesty’s Government partners in India.”
Visitors from India spent a record £764 million in the UK in 2022, exceeding 2019 levels. This growth continued in to 2023. India is forecast to be a billion-pound visitor market from 2025 with visits predicted to recover to 2019 levels by 2024, making it one of the UK’s fastest growing Asian visitor markets. Airline seat capacity from India to the UK is also showing strong recovery and growth. Scheduled seat capacity on non-stop flights from India to the UK, when looking at the first eight months of 2024, is already 33% higher than in 2019 with capacity particularly ramping up from May. There are 16 India-UK direct routes from nine Indian cities into London and Birmingham. Indian visitors are great to have as they are staying longer, spending more, and travelling around. As per Indian Passenger Statistics (IPS) from 2022, Indians spent more than half trip outside London, stayed 3 times longer (27 days) than an average global visitor (8 days). Indian visitors spent an average of £1,480 per visit in 2022, which is 75% more compared to the average spend in 2019 of £840. Business visitors spent £241 million in UK in 2022, 32% of the total spend from India.
BATH, BRIDGERTON AND LANDMARKS
Bath has been a popular filming location due to its stunning Georgian architecture, surrounding manor houses and countryside. Netflix’s charming period drama series, Bridgerton, based on the bestselling books by Julia Quinn has made the city a popular choice for travellers to explore some of Britain’s most recognisable landmarks, including The Royal Crescent and The Holburne Museum among many others. Since the show’s release, many tailor-made experiences have popped up in this picturesque city. Themed walking tours include a bespoke Photo Tour and a Bridgerton Sights and Music Tour with welcoming and fun guides and a Bath Regency Walking Tour which explores locations including Pulteney Bridge, the Pump Room and Queen Square. Brit Movie Tours offer a two-hour Bridgerton Tour through Bath’s historic streets, with some unmissable photo stops and numerous filming locations.
OXFORD, BIRMINGHAM, MANCHESTER WONKA AND CHOCOLATES
Visit the enchanting world of Willy Wonka, a whimsical character appearing in Roald Dahl’s 1964 children’s novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, for your next trip to Britain. The latest released Wonka film features several iconic British locations as breathtaking backdrops, enticing you to create your own magical treats during mouthwatering chocolate factory tours and immersive sweets masterclasses. Head to Oxford’s Hertford College and the iconic Radcliffe Camera, a working library of the University of Oxford, for a glimpse into the Wonka-verse. Get the inside scoop on a guided tour of the Radcliffe Camera. The nearby Catte Street and Sheldonian Theatre also mark other locations in the city used in the film. Explore the theatre on your own or join a guided tour to enjoy the best indoor 360-degree panoramic views of the city from the Cupola.
Continue your sweet journey further north for some more appetising experiences that include the Cadbury World in Birmingham. 2024 marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the very first Cadbury shop. Step into the scrumptious world of chocolate and sweets at Cadbury World in Bournville on the outskirts of Birmingham. Create your very own bespoke chocolate and embark on a journey through the heritage of chocolate- making including interactive exhibits and mouthwatering tastings. Heading to Manchester, the Chocolate Factory Experience provides a paradise for chocolate lovers. Immerse yourself in a world of cocoa confections as you explore a chocolate factory filled with delicious surprises. From tastings to interactive workshops, this experience offers a hands-on journey into the art of chocolate-making while discovering the secrets behind crafting gourmet chocolates.
LONDON AND SCOTLAND, HARRY POTTER AND MAGIC
Britain is bursting with spell-binding Harry Potter filming locations, making it magical for Harry Potter fans everywhere. Head to King’s Cross station’s Platform 93⁄4 with its disappearing luggage, the Reptile House at ZSL London Zoo, where Harry first discovers his gift for talking with snakes, or stand in the exact spot of the dramatic sequence of the Millenium footbridge collapsing. Spoilt with tour choices for entering the world of Harry Porter, discover many of the real film locations you see in the Harry Potter films through the Harry Potter London Cab Tour. The taxi tours are from location to location so that you can see, stand next to and even walk in the actual places where Muggles fear to tread. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the spellbinding making of the Harry Potter films with the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Through the Wizards London Bus Tour you can enjoy a 3-hour magical fun packed tour just outside of London.
You may head up north to Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands for a familiar film sight. Hop onto a Hogwarts style steam-locomotive on the Jacobite Steam Train cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct running daily from end of March until late October for breathtaking views of Britain’s highest mountain and shortest river. Unleash your inner wizard in the enchanting world of The Cauldron: Potion Making experience in Edinburgh. Here you’ll brew magical concoctions and elixirs to create themed cocktails. This immersive adventure lets you become a part of a mystical world, filled with wonder and taste sensations.
Alternatively, a visit to Alnwick Castle (Hogwarts) sets the scene for the first flying lesson in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Meet fellow witches and wizards alike during a broomstick lesson and become an expert in the skies with guidance from skilled instructors.
“VISIT THE WORLD OF WILLY WONKA, MAIN CHARACTER OF THE 1964 NOVEL ‘CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY’”
NATIONAL TRUST, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND JANE AUSTEN
Following the popularity of Pride and Prejudice, every Jane Austen book lover eagerly awaits the next adaptation of their favourite novel to be seen on the big screen or TV. The much beloved adaptation of the classic novel includes several of National Trust locations in Britain, like the Lyme Hall in Cheshire, which acted as the exterior of Mr Darcy’s Pemberley Estate. Lacock Abbey, in Wiltshire, which was used to depict some of the interior of the Pemberley Estate, while the village of Lacock itself was used as the setting for Meryton. Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire and swathes of the Peak District National Park also provided the backdrop for this classic tale. You may head down south to Hampshire and walk in the footsteps of the world renowned author Jane Austen with a visit to Jane Austen’s House, open to the public as a museum since 1949 and celebrating their 75th anniversary this year and 250 years since the birth of Jane Austen in 2025. It was in the inspiring Hampshire cottage that Jane Austen wrote and published all six of her globally beloved novels.
