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Travel Watch: Planning a UK holiday? Northern England wants Indian travellers to go beyond London
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The Great North is targeting India’s growing UK tourism market, promoting Northern cities, culture, sport, countryside and longer multi-destination holidays.
If your idea of a UK holiday begins and ends with London, the North of England would like to have a word. Manchester, Liverpool, Yorkshire, Cumbria and the North East are joining forces to make a stronger case for Indian travellers to head further north and stay longer.
The timing could hardly be better. India is becoming an increasingly important market for British tourism, with VisitBritain forecasting that Indian visitors could contribute £1.5 billion to the UK tourism economy by 2030. That is a 71% rise from 2026. The Great North is hoping to claim a larger share of that growth.
The campaign brought together Northern mayors, tourism organisations and businesses for the first joint North of England Mayoral trade mission to India. In New Delhi and Mumbai, the group met around 150 Indian travel buyers and media representatives, with one clear message. There is much more to a UK holiday than London. For Indian travellers, the North offers a rather tempting mix. There is Premier League football, international cricket, music, heritage, castles, coastline, countryside and plenty of screen tourism. Then there are cities such as Manchester and Liverpool, each with a very different personality and plenty to keep visitors busy for several days.
- Manchester is likely to be one of the key gateways. Growing air connectivity between India and Manchester is already making the region easier to reach, while the city has another strong connection with Indian travellers through cricket.
- India is scheduled to return to Emirates Old Trafford for major international fixtures in 2028 and 2029. The venue is also home to Manchester Super Giants during The Hundred, adding another cricket link between the city and India.
- Liverpool brings a completely different draw. The Beatles, football, music, arts and culture give the city plenty of recognition among international visitors, while the wider Liverpool City Region has a visitor economy worth almost £7 billion a year.
- Further north, West Yorkshire is promoting everything from Bronte Country and nightlife to the art of Hepworth and Hockney. Cumbria is putting its landscapes and outdoor experiences into the conversation, while the North East is bringing its cities, coastline, castles and sporting experiences to the mix.
The bigger idea is to make it easier for Indian travel companies to sell Northern England as part of a longer UK holiday. Instead of spending most of the trip in one city, visitors could combine several Northern destinations into one itinerary.
The push will continue in November, when Indian travel buyers and media will visit the region for Spotlight Manchester, Gateway to Northern England and North Wales. The event will give them the chance to experience the destinations first-hand and meet local tourism businesses.
For The Great North, the aim is to turn those conversations in India into actual bookings and longer-term partnerships. For Indian travellers, it could mean more reasons to look beyond the usual UK holiday route and give Northern England a bigger place on the itinerary.
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