Exclusive: Hilton's Simon Vincent Talks Visit Britain Partnership

Last week, Visit Britain announced that it had partnered with Hilton Hotels to help promote travel to the UK and Britain. We checked in with Simon Vincent, president, Europe, Hilton Worldwide, to see how the deal will benefit both the brand and the country.

“It’s high profile because the UK is at the center stage of the world, in our humble eyes,” he said, referencing the recent Royal Wedding and the upcoming Olympic and Paralympics games. The partnership, he added, “was something we were keen to do.”

The UK is Hilton’s biggest market outside of the United States, he continued, with 90 hotels throughout the different countries, and 22 in London. All of the UK’s major cities have Hiltons, Vincent noted. “We have a great nationwide presence. What better way for us to showcase our capabilities?” The partnership is aiming to get four million extra overseas visitors and £2 billion more visitor spending in the UK.

“The government is recognizing the importance of tourism to the domestic economy, and the sectors employ a significant portion of people in UK. We haven’t always advertized benefits of tourism to the economy,” he acknowledges, “so this is a way of kickstarting it.”

“The campaign’s tagline is ‘You’re Invited,’” Vincent continued. “That fits in very nicely with our corporate vision. It plays well with hospitality and with our desire to promote the UK.”