Travel advertising returns to broaden UK news brand readers’ horizons
Print Innovations | 07 September 2021
Anyone who’s ever lived in the United Kingdom for long enough will understand this: Sometimes, you just have to get away.
Now, I love my island home with its beautiful scenery, ancient history, and endless things to see and do, but one thing we’re sadly not known for is reliable sunshine. To find some of that, we Brits normally head overseas.
Except, to trot out the new cliché, the last two summers have been anything but normal. Leisure travel has been almost impossible as lockdowns have kept people local both in the United Kingdom and abroad. Even as travel started to open up slowly this spring, changeable regulations have meant many would-be tourists are cautious about being caught out by quarantines.
But now, with summer 2021 open for some locations and something closer to normality looking promising for 2022, both the travel industry and lockdown-weary news brand readers are broadening their horizons once again. Here’s some of the best recent creative inspiring readers to plan their next trip.
British Airways
Here’s a conundrum for you: Would you rather be stuck in traffic jams on the A30 or by the sea thinking about the £30 you spent each way on flights to your European getaway? Tricky, I know. I’ll give you some time to think about that one.
This is classic British humour from our flagbearer.

Visit Spain
For those Brits who enjoy a sunny European holiday, Spain is a favourite for many. However, just because Spain might conjure up images of sandy beaches and cold beers doesn’t mean that’s all it has to offer.
In a twist to what you might expect, Spain’s tourism board doesn’t just invite you to explore new routes — it acknowledges that you deserve to. This ad tugs at our neglected sense of adventure.

P&O Cruises
Planes aren’t the only way to get away, of course. The return of cruises will be more than welcome for our nation’s seafaring holidaymakers, as will the stunning panoramic views their routes offer. But for those who have never seen them for themselves, P&O would be happy to give you a glimpse — if only there were enough ad space to do it justice.

Great Western Railway
With the situation still changing and concerning for some, not everyone is comfortable with travelling abroad right now. For those people, there are still exciting adventures waiting to be had by rail.
Great Western Railway, the train operator that runs services across Southwest England and South Wales, promises great days away with help from Enid Blyton’s intrepid literary thrill seekers, the Famous Five. This is an innovative use of classic cultural references to build a captivating brand.

National Rail
And then there’s the reminder that travel isn’t always about jetting off for the next beach getaway or a grand day out. Often, it can be about reconnection, especially with the people and places we’ve spent more than a year dreaming of seeing once again. Appealing to our need to make up for lost time, National Rail’s widespread print campaign warmly invites us to get our lives “back on track.”
