Bloomingdale's Unveils Its "Great" British Invasion

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- VisitBritain, the national tourism board, has teamed up with Bloomingdale's on a first-of-its-kind partnership showcasing the best of England, Scotland, and Wales via custom British travel packages promoted in-store, online and in the highly anticipated fall catalogs. These one-of-a-kind travel packages were inspired by the iconic Great Britain landscapes in which Bloomingdale's shot portions of their Fall men's catalogs, and will be available exclusively to Bloomingdale's customers.

Supported by Go-Today, each luxury travel package captures a unique personality of Great Britain:  Royalty & Rock, Town & County, Opulence & Escape, and History & Legend. 

Royalty & Rock:  Iconic cities, rock Idols - from London's Abbey Road to Liverpool's Penny Lane, experience what inspired the British Invasion.  While in London, live like royalty while staying in the luxurious St. Ermin's Hotel located in Westminster, just a minute's walk from St. James's Park.  Learn how to make the drink made famous by 007 in the Martini Master Class at the Dukes Hotel, a favorite of James Bond author Ian Fleming.  Take in the sights around the city in a private, guided tour in a stylish classic MINI Cooper.  Before heading to Liverpool, toast with a glass of bubbly on board the London Eye, the world's largest cantilevered observation wheel. 

Have your own British Invasion experience in Liverpool, home of the Beatles, where you can visit locations that inspired their songs from Penny Lane to Strawberry Field, listen to The Cavern Club Beatles play in The Cavern Club where the Beatles first performed and stay in the world's only Beatles' inspired hotel – the Hard Days Night Hotel.

Shoot locations:  Westminster Bridge; Savile Row; East London

Town & County:   From rolling green hills to tranquil coastlines and charming villages along the way, experience the best of England.  Get a new perspective of London taking in all the iconic sites including Houses of Parliament and Big Ben on a relaxing cruise down the River Thames.  Whether it's the Tower of London's risque past or the enchantment of Kensington Palace, once home to Queen Victoria and Princess Diana, the Three Palace Pass will allow you to explore both in addition to the majestic Hampton Court Palace.

Head through England's lush countryside to Sussex, a picturesque, historical region of England known for its rich heritage, traditional celebrations and seaside resorts.  Visit Firle, a countryside estate and village located in the heart of the South Downs National Park.  The estate has reopened to the public after extensive renovations.* The historic village is also home to The Ram Inn, a quintessentially English pub where you can grab a bite and a pint in the charming local.  The atmosphere is warm and friendly, while the food highlights the delicious local produce on offer.  While there, discover the coastal towns of Hastings and Brighton & Hove. The unique and palatial Royal Pavilion in Brighton - a former royal summer residence of King George IV - is a must-visit as well as the famous Brighton Pier.

Shoot Location:  Firle Estate

Opulence & Escape:  From dramatic mountains to white sandy beaches, explore the castles and wild landscape of Wales.  Take in the jaw-dropping views of Northern Wales as you drive through the region on your way to the beautiful Bodysgallen Hall Hotel.  Snowdonia National Park is a hiker's paradise offering trails for avid hiker's or those just beginning to enjoy the outdoors.  After taking in the breathtaking scenery, head toward Conwy, a quaint village set on an estuary and home to medieval Conwy Castle, stopping at the Bodnant Welsh Food Centre.  Foodies won't want to miss this must-visit stop comprising a farm shop, tea room, restaurant and cookery school.  Bodnant Welsh Food Centre are passionate about Welsh food and use locally sourced ingredients from both its own estate as well as local producers.

Cross the Menai Strait to Anglesey, which the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have fondly called home for several years.  Stroll on the sandy white beaches of the Wales Coast Path, explore Beaumaris Castle set in the charming seaside town of Beamaris with a CADW Welsh Explorer Pass and stop for lunch at The White Eagle (a favorite local pub of William and Kate) that offers locally sourced food and beautiful views.

Shoot locations:  Snowdonia National Park; Llandwyn, Isle of Anglesey

History & Legend:  From bustling cities to the legendary highlands, discover Scotland's whisky trails, time-tested castles and breathtaking scenery.  Nothing is more quintessentially Scottish than a wee dram.  After a lesson in single malt whisky, enjoy dinner at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh.  Fashionistas will relish in the fashion-forward Hotel Missoni tastefully decked out in its signature patterns.  Heading north toward the Highlands, enjoy an exciting full-day tour of castle ruins, tranquil Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park and the historic town of Inverary.

Explore the breathtaking Highlands including taking a cruise down the famed Loch Ness and staying at Inverlochy Castle, a luxury 5-star 19^th century property.  No trip to the Highlands is complete without visiting one of the most iconic images of Scotland - Eilean Donan Castle.  Set on an island where three sea lochs meet, the castle is surrounded by majestic scenery that is truly awe-inspiring.

Shoot locations:  Eilean Donan Castle; Aldourie Castle

Joss Croft, global marketing director, VisitBritain said, "Britain is synonymous with world-renowned designers and is home to some of the best shopping in the world. It has been a great opportunity to partner with Bloomingdale's on the GREAT British Invasion campaign, allowing us to showcase the beauty of Britain as the shoot location for their Fall men's catalogs, as well as throughout their stores across the country and online."

"Bloomingdale's is always looking for new and unique partnerships to create great experiences and dynamic ways for communicating with our shoppers," said Frank Berman, executive vice president of marketing, Bloomingdale's. "The underlying theme we are seeing in merchandise this season is British influence and by partnering with VisitBritain we are able to use their expertise to create authentic content that our shoppers will be interested in. It's all about content, distribution and bringing it all to life in our stores and on our website."

To experience the GREAT British Invasion at Bloomingdale's and to book these exclusive packages, please visit www.bloomingdales.com/visitbritain.

For more press information about travel to Britain: www.visitbritain.com/Mediaroom  
For access to VisitBritain's free photo library for media: www.visitbritainimages.com
Twitter (Corporate): @VisitBritainBiz |  Twitter (Consumer): @VisitBritain | Facebook: LoveUK

About VisitBritain

VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, is responsible for inspiring the world to explore Britain and for developing the UK's visitor economy. Americans made 2.8 million visits to Britain in 2012 and spent $3.7 billion USD (£2.4 billion). The US remains in the top spot in terms of market value for inbound tourism and is one of the top three most important markets in terms of visitor numbers. The VisitBritain/Bloomingdales partnership is part of Britain's GREAT campaign, the UK Government's largest ever integrated international marketing campaign, driving inward investment and tourism to the UK. Created to maximize the economic benefits of London's Olympic and Paralympic Games, it is showcasing the very best of the Britain - from business to sport to culture - across the globe. Visitors traveling to Britain can find out more information from visitbritain.us plus purchase money and time saving local transport, sightseeing, attraction, theatre and tour tickets from visitbritainshop.us. Follow us on Twitter @VisitBritain and Facebook: LoveUK & LoveUK Film & TV. For hi-res images, HD B-roll and other press materials register at www.visitbritain.com/mediaroom

About Bloomingdale's

Bloomingdale's is America's only nationwide, full-line, upscale department store and a division of Macy's, Inc. It was founded in 1872 and currently operates 37 Bloomingdale's stores and 13 Bloomingdale's, The Outlet Stores in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, New Hampshire, California, and Texas. In addition, Bloomingdale's has an international presence with a location in Dubai. Be sure to follow @bloomingdales on social media, become a Loyallist, and for more information, or to shop any time, visit www.bloomingdales.com.

SOURCE VisitBritain