NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (February 9, 2016) – Visit Newport Beach has launched its largest-ever international marketing effort in the U.K. targeting consumers and travel agents. In 2015, 50,000 people spent their holiday in Newport Beach, placing the U.K. as one of the top overseas markets with visitors to visit Newport Beach.

The “Visit Newport Beach U.K. Holiday” is a seasonal integrated marketing and public relations campaign launched in January 2016.

“Visiting the U.K. allows us the opportunity to speak directly to the consumer, as well as travel agents who plan visits to the U.S. and Newport Beach each year,” says Gary Sherwin, president & CEO of Newport Beach & Company. “Every year we welcome more visitors from the U.K. and hope they tell their friends and family, and plan another visit to our charming coastal destination.”

Visit Newport Beach and Newport Beach Film Festival are visiting London at the height of awards season and leading up to the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards to celebrate and recognize the impact that British filmmaking has in entertaining viewers around the world.

The multi-faceted campaign seeks to accomplish three things:
• Incentivize tour operators to book Newport Beach, California for their client’s holidays;
• Generate awareness and promote leisure travel to Newport Beach, California, amongst the consumer audience in the U.K.;
• Celebrate one of the leading lifestyle film festivals in the United States – Newport Beach Film Festival – and its notoriety to the Global Cinema industry.
• Encourage U.K. filmmakers to submit their films and participate in the U.K. Spotlight that will take place on the 2nd night of the Newport Beach Film Festival April 21-28.

In order to reach these audiences and create awareness of Newport Beach in the U.K., Visit Newport Beach and Newport Beach Film Festival partnered with international entertainment retailer, hmv, luxurious Curzon Cinemas and Screen International. Additionally, Visit Newport Beach is running commercials in cinemas across London and in the busy intersection of Piccadilly Circus.

To complete the “Visit Newport Beach U.K. Holiday” campaign, a red-carpet event is being held February 11 at the Bulgari Hotel in London. Jared Harris, actor, and ambassador for the Newport Beach Film Festival will join Gregg Schwenk, president and CEO of the Newport Beach Film Festival and Gary Sherwin in recognizing the film Brooklyn for outstanding achievement in Global Cinema, along with Saoirse Ronan for Best Actress.