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VisitBritain branches out

20.06.08 Tom Holman

VisitBritain hopes to become a bigger force in tourism books after signing a new publishing deal with the Heritage House Group.

The seven-year licence gives the group exclusive rights to publish all of the tourism agency's consumer publications, including its annual accommodation and attraction guides, plus leisure and gift books.

VisitBritain's head of publishing David Moncrieff said the switch would help the agency to step up its publishing. "We've been looking for some time for a company that can help us penetrate non-traditional book outlets. We hope that hitching our wagon to the expertise and professionalism of HHG will help us to release the power of the VisitBritain brand."

HHG director Kelvin Ladbrook said: "We're very proud to have won the contract, and gratified that VisitBritain has bought into what we're doing." He added that Heritage House would also develop new book and series projects. "We've got lots of ideas and can see a huge amount of leverage in the VisitBritain brand and profile."

VisitBritain is responsible for marketing Britain worldwide and driving tourism, so Ladbrook expects substantial sales to come from overseas and through tourist websites. HHG has signed a partnership deal with Globe Pequot in the US and is also in talks about distribution in Asia and Australia.

The contract tightens HHG's grip on the tourism and heritage sector. The new-look group, set up in autumn 2007, also owns the Hudson's Historic Houses & Gardens series and the Jarrold contract publishing business previously owned by the NPI Media Group. VisitBritain and HHG will seek to combine content from their various publications on new projects.

Ladbrook said the group was well placed to corner segments of the tourist guide market such as stately homes and visitor attractions. "This sector is driven by lots of small companies in small niches rather than the multinationals, and we want to become a one-stop shop for it."

The deal between VisitBritain and HHG was brokered by mergers and acquisitions agency Bertoli Mitchell.

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