Northern England is stepping up its engagement with India this October as VisitBritain, in partnership with Marketing Manchester and tourism industry partners, brings the England’s Great North Destination Showcase 2026 to Delhi and Mumbai.
Two Cities, One Major Travel Trade Push
The showcase will take place in New Delhi on October 12–13 and Mumbai on October 14–15, as part of the inaugural North of England Mayoral trade mission to India. Together, the two cities account for almost half of all visits from India to the UK, making them important centres for developing new travel-trade partnerships.
The four-day programme will connect Northern English destinations and tourism businesses with 150 leading Indian travel buyers and media. Participating destinations include Marketing Manchester, Cumbria Tourism, Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership, West Yorkshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership and Experience North East England, alongside tourism businesses and attractions from across the North.
Turning Interest into Bookable Experiences
The Delhi and Mumbai showcases will feature one-to-one business meetings, destination presentations, product seminars and networking events. Buyers will explore bookable experiences spanning cricket, football and sports tourism, culture and music, screen tourism, heritage attractions and premium travel experiences.
The initiative forms part of VisitBritain’s wider effort to encourage Indian visitors to travel beyond London, explore more of Britain, stay longer and spend more across regional destinations.
India’s Growing Value to UK Tourism
VisitBritain’s latest forecast projects 597,000 visits from India to the UK in 2026, with visitors expected to spend £865 million during their trips. India is forecast to become a £1.5 billion UK inbound visitor market by 2030.
Manchester is already an important gateway to Northern England, welcoming around 21,000 Indian visitors annually, contributing an estimated £8.7 million to its economy. The engagement will continue in November with Spotlight Manchester: Gateway to Northern England and North Wales, bringing Indian travel buyers and media to experience the destination first-hand.
