VisitBritain has released its annual report – covering the year in which it was formed from the merger of the ETC and the BTA – and claimed that the British tourism industry has the potential to grow from £76bn to £100bn by 2010.

The tourism marketing body has also said that Britain has recently slipped from fifth to seventh place in the world tourism earnings league – due mainly to a series of crises including foot and mouth and SARS affecting long haul travel to Britain.

Chief executive, Tom Wright, said that the organisation has already developed its plans for 2004 to address this – including building on its partnership campaigns, expanding its marketing presence, growing its database around the world, expanding product marketing and further developing business tourism.

It also hopes to have its online brochure up and running by the end of this year, allowing visitors to the website to assemble their own itineraries.

On the England marketing side of VisitBritain, the organisation has recently launched Outdoor England, a £250,000 campaign to encourage the British people to enjoy the great outdoors this winter.

Being run in association with Best Western hotels, the campaign is the result of VisitBritain research which found 81 per cent of holidays taken in England involved some form of outdoor activity, and centres around a free guide on outdoor activities all over England which can be enjoyed whatever the weather.

It will also be undertaking market research and looking to create an England convention bureau next year.

“In order to grow the British tourism industry,” said Wright, “we must improve skills and quality and invest in the perception of the Britain brand overseas, and this is what we will be focusing on in 2004.”