STA Travel and VisitBritain Campaign Sets a “WildCard Challenge”
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) September 15, 2014 -- STA Travel has joined forces with VisitBritain for a socially led campaign giving travellers in the United States a preview of British travel spots they may not know so well.
The new “WildCard Challenge” campaign, which launched this September, challenges young professionals, who may have already visited London, to return to Britain and explore beyond the beaten path.
At the heart of the "WildCard Challenge” is a series of seven YouTube videos featuring American hip-hop artist Andy Bothwell, better known to his fans as Astronautalis, embarking on a two-week British adventure. Acting as a travel insider, Astronautalis will provide unique access to his treks throughout Britain that include London, Brighton, Bath, Dale, Liverpool, Manchester, Honister Slate Mine, and Wandering Duck. Travel enthusiasts can actively take part of Astronautalis’ featured adventures on their own through trip packages currently available on STA Travel’s website.
As part of the “WildCard Challenge”, Americans were invited via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to vote on which off-the-beaten-path challenge Astronautalis should face.
“Many young professionals in America may think that after one trip to Britain – which usually revolves around ticking off well-known London tourist attractions - they have covered everything there is to see,” said Adam Cooper, Senior Vice President of STA Travel North America. “Through Astronautalis’ videos we want to overturn this perception by revealing that visiting London alone only scratches the surface and there is much more travel inspiration to be found in Britain’s regional cities and countryside.”
The American public are being given the chance to follow Astronautalis’ adventures throughout September with the launch of his seven videos on STA Travel’s YouTube Channel -- fans can now access the first featured videos – his trips to London and Brighton. The videos are also being shared on STA Travel’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages, and those who tune in and answer a related question will be placed in the running to win one round-trip flight to Britain.
Cooper further stated: “We chose Astronautalis as our ‘travel insider’ because he is a perfect fit for the young professionals we are inspiring to travel to regional Britain. Astronautalis is a well-known musician, blogger, and social media addict who has successfully partnered with STA Travel on past adventures abroad. ”
“My music is shaped by my travels and my life revolves around travel, so when VisitBritain and STA Travel approached me about this partnership, it was a no brainer,” said Astronautalis. “Britain is one of those places that I romanticized growing up. While it was the romance of London that drew me to the UK, it was the adventures that awaited me within England and Wales that made this trip truly magical for me!”
“It’s never been easier for young American travellers to explore Britain with direct flights into regional cities such as Glasgow, Edinburgh and Manchester, and these cities offer a dynamic cultural landscape where music, culture and fashion merge,” states Karen Clarkson, Vice President of VisitBritain for North America. “We are delighted to continue our long-standing partnership with STA Travel showcasing our unique culture, heritage and countryside which inspire Americans to visit the UK.”
To learn more about the “WildCard Challenge” visit http://www.statravel.com/wildcard, view videos on YouTube or join the conversation with #wildcarduk.
About VisitBritain
• VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, is responsible for inspiring the world to explore Britain and for developing the UK’s visitor economy.
• Americans made 2.8 million visits to Britain in 2013 and spent $4.17 billion USD (£2.54 billion). The US remains in the top spot in terms of market value for inbound tourism and is one of the top three most important markets in terms of visitor numbers.
• Visitors traveling to Britain can find out more information from visitbritain.us plus purchase money and time saving local transport, sightseeing, attraction, theatre and tour tickets from visitbritainshop.us
• Follow us on Twitter @VisitBritain, Pinterest (Love GREAT Britain), Instagram: lovegreatbritain and Facebook: LoveGREATbritain
About STA Travel
STA Travel is the youth travel expert enabling students and young adults to explore the world by creating experiences filled with adventure, discovery and personal growth. We offer a unique range of products with exclusive discounts on airfare, accommodations, tours, rail passes and more. Globally we are present in 60 countries with 220 retail locations, sending more than 6 million travellers away each year. Join the conversation with #wildcardUK or to book visit http://www.statravel.com.
Press Contacts:
STA Travel
Robin Lawson, PR
STA Travel
(646) 337-3611
VisitBritain
Dana Polonsky, PR & Communications Executive, USA
VisitBritain
Dana.Polonsky(at)visitbritain(dot)org
(212) 850-0341
Robin Lawson, STA Travel, http://www.statravel.com/, +1 (646) 337-3611, [email protected]
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