"First National Conference of Visitor Attractions (VAC2004) on 12 October 2004. " travmedia.com

travmedia.com: Chaired by former Tourism Minister and ALVA Chairman, John Lee, the not-for-profit event is developed around a number of key themes including:

· the latest industry developments and opportunities for the sector
· evaluating strategies to stay one step ahead of competitors
· innovative marketing strategies to maximise tourism spending
· up-to-the-minute market research
· the expert views and analysis of key industry speakers

The event coincides with the launch of VisitBritain and the national tourist boards’ 2003 Visits to Visitor Attractions Survey which lists visitor figures for nearly 3,000 individual attractions and outlines the top-line trends by attraction category and each country and English region.

To find out more details about the First National Conference of Visitor Attractions in London on 12 October 2004, and to register
.:VAC 2004:.

For further information, please contact:
Elliott Frisby, Press and PR Officer, VisitBritain on 020 8563 3035, mob: 07951 996241

Notes to Editors
· VisitBritain markets Britain to the rest of the world and England to the British, building the value of tourism by creating world class destination brands and marketing campaigns. It also builds partnerships with - and provides insights to - other organisations which have a stake in British and English tourism
· Latest figures show that in 2003 there were 24.8 million overseas visitors (3% increase compared to 2002) to the UK who spent £11.9 billion, a 1% increase on 2002. Domestic visitor figures for the full year 2003 will be available later in the year, but in 2002 134.9 million visits were made by UK residents to England (2.3% increase on 2001), spending £20.8 billion – a rise of 2.5% compared to 2001
· VisitBritain offers a range of marketing opportunities and services for UK operators wishing to reach overseas markets. For further details, visit the website, www.visitbritain.com/ukindustry
· An archive of media releases, information on VisitBritain's marketing activities, around 100 print quality, free-to-download images and more details about the work of VisitBritain in promoting Britain as a destination, can be found on VisitBritain’s new online press centre, www.visitbritain.com/presscentre
· Awarded TIC of the Year at the London Tourism Awards 2003, the Britain and London Visitor Centre (BLVC) boasts a new London-specific information desk, accommodation and ticket booking facilities, computer access to the VisitBritain and Visit London websites, a bureau de change and pay phones. The BLVC also provides the tourism industry with exhibition space, presentation facilities and a conference room