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London tourism competition offering spectacular VIP experience

November 2014

London tourism chiefs have created a two-week long lifestyle package fit for any A list celebrity as part of a prize which will be offered to the city’s most enthusiastic visitor from home or abroad.

Following hot on the furry heels of its Paddington Bear tourism campaign VisitLondon has teamed up with VisitBritain to launch a competition to find London’s Official Guest of Honour.

The winner, and their plus one, will get to raise Tower Bridge; fire the guns from HMS Belfast; be a keeper for the day at ZSL London Zoo; have tea at Lord’s cricket ground with Downton Abbey’s butler; tour the Science Museum with Professor Stephen Hawking; ace Wimbledon with Tim Henman; and see behind the scenes at the Royal Opera House with Placido Domingo and Darcey Bussell as guides. These, among other unique experiences, will happen over two weeks in February 2015.

“We’re looking for someone to discover the city as never before,” said a spokesperson from VisitLondon, “they will meet our most famous residents, get behind the scenes access to iconic locations and enjoy a series of amazing magic moments.”

The guest of honour will be required to report on their experiences in a fly-on-the-wall style documentary which will then be used to promote London worldwide through the GREAT Britain campaign.

Those who want to be considered are being asked to submit a minute-long video of themselves demonstrating a passion for the capital, or a photo with a statement which does the same. The competition is open to UK residents and those in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, the USA and Australia but not to those living in any of the London boroughs. Round trip travel, all meals and accommodation at London’s Radisson Blu Edwardian hotel are included.

London is currently the most visited city on earth, according to the Mastercard Global Cities Index. International tourists made almost 8.5m trips to the capital in the first six months of 2014, a 7.6 per cent increase on the same period in 2013 according to figures taken from the Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey.

“International visitors are coming to Britain in record numbers,” said VisitBritain chief executive Sally Balcombe. “We want to ensure we continue to be at the top of people’s wish lists.”

The winner will be hosted throughout the two week experience by mayor Boris Johnson’s promotional company London & Partners, the not for profit public/private organisation set up to promote the city.

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