Liverpool Tourism Grows in India After Northern Trade Mission 2026

Key Points

• Visit Liverpool, under the Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership (LCRDP), has been able to increase its footprint in India as a result of the Northern England trade mission.
• The program formed part of the first ever joint North of England Mayoral trade mission to India.
• The Liverpool City Region joined England’s Great North Destination Showcase 2026 in Delhi and Mumbai.
• The program enabled the city region to meet directly with around 150 Indian travel buyers and media.
• The Visit Liverpool marketing campaign focused on Liverpool’s music and culture heritage, sporting offer, waterfront, food and drinks, and attractions & experiences within the city region’s six boroughs.
• The aim of the marketing program was to make Indian tourists visit places other than London, explore Northern England, and remain for longer.
• This included one-to-one business meetings, destination showcases, product seminars and networking opportunities.
• According to LCRDP, research by VisitBritain shows that 94 percent of Indian travellers are interested in visiting film and television locations while traveling.
• The program will complement Visit Britain’s broader efforts in India, such as the “Starring GREAT Britain” screen tourism marketing campaign.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) October 30, 2026 — Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership has reported that VisitLiverpool has built new connections in India as part of a wider effort to grow Liverpool’s international tourism offer. According to the organisation’s announcement, the development followed a successful trade mission to India led by partners from across northern England.

As reported by the Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership, the initiative strengthened Liverpool’s presence in “one of the world’s fastest-growing visitor markets”. The organisation said the mission created opportunities to develop relationships with Indian travel trade representatives and to position Liverpool City Region within a broader northern England visitor proposition.

How did VisitLiverpool build new connections in India?

VisitLiverpool’s engagement in India took place through England’s Great North Destination Showcase 2026, held in Delhi on 12 and 13 October and Mumbai on 14 and 15 October. The Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership said the showcase formed part of the landmark North of England Mayoral trade mission to India.

The programme gave Liverpool City Region the opportunity to meet directly with 150 leading Indian travel buyers and media professionals. According to LCRDP, the purpose was to build new relationships and present bookable experiences that could be incorporated into future itineraries.

As reported by the Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership, the programme included one-to-one business meetings, destination presentations, product seminars and networking opportunities. These activities were designed to allow LCRDP and participating tourism businesses to develop direct relationships with the Indian travel trade.

What did Liverpool promote to Indian travel buyers?

Liverpool City Region used the showcase to highlight the breadth of its visitor offer. The organisation said this included internationally recognised music and cultural heritage, sporting attractions, the waterfront, food and drink, and experiences across Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton.

The promotion was not limited to Liverpool city centre. LCRDP said the initiative was intended to present the whole city region as a destination, reflecting the organisation’s role in promoting the six boroughs collectively.

Products promoted across the wider Great North showcase included experiences connected with sport, culture and music, screen tourism, heritage and premium travel. The Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership said these themes were intended to demonstrate the range of experiences available to Indian visitors considering a trip to northern England.

Why is India important for Liverpool tourism?

India is regarded by the Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership as one of the UK’s fastest-growing international visitor markets. The organisation said its participation in the India programme was part of ongoing work to develop international markets, strengthen travel-trade relationships and convert international interest into visits and economic value for the region.

The initiative was also designed to encourage Indian visitors to travel beyond London and discover more of England. According to LCRDP, the aim was to support longer stays and encourage visitors to explore destinations across northern England.

As reported by Travel and Tour World, the Great North initiative brought together Manchester, Liverpool, Yorkshire, Cumbria and the North East as connected destinations. The publication reported that the campaign promoted regional attractions, stronger travel partnerships and longer holidays, with the aim of helping northern England benefit from India’s growing outbound travel demand.

What role did VisitBritain play?

VisitBritain supported the wider Northern England tourism programme in India. The national tourism body said it worked with Marketing Manchester and industry partners to deliver the tourism programme for the North of England Mayoral trade mission.

The Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership said the India activity built on VisitBritain’s wider work in the market, including the ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ screen tourism campaign.

VisitBritain research cited by LCRDP found that 94% of Indian travellers are interested in visiting film and television locations during their trip. The organisation said this created opportunities for Liverpool City Region because of its strong connections with film, television and popular culture.

How does this fit Liverpool’s wider India engagement?

The tourism mission forms part of a broader period of Liverpool engagement in India. As reported by Liverpool Express, Liverpool City Council led a delegation to Hyderabad from 12 to 14 October before travelling to Bengaluru to support the University of Liverpool at the opening of its new campus on 15 October.

Liverpool Express reported that the civic delegation brought together Liverpool’s civic leadership, universities, the NHS, innovation organisations, business and sporting institutions. It said the programme was developed through the Global Liverpool Partnership.

During the Hyderabad programme, Liverpool City Council and the Government of Telangana signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding. According to Liverpool Express, this made Liverpool the first UK Core City to enter into a strategic partnership of this kind with the Telangana Government, covering health and life sciences, research, innovation, trade, enterprise, skills and sport.

While the tourism and civic programmes were separate in focus, both formed part of Liverpool’s wider international engagement with India during October. The Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership separately described its India activity as part of its work to sell the city region internationally as a visitor, conference, event, sporting and investment destination.

What happens after the India trade mission?

The Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership said the India activity was intended to turn conversations established during the mission into future visits, partnerships and opportunities for businesses across the city region.

The wider northern England campaign is expected to continue beyond the October mission. Travel and Tour World reported that the next stage will take place in November 2026 through “Spotlight Manchester: Gateway to Northern England and North Wales”, an event hosted by VisitBritain and Marketing Manchester for Indian travel buyers and media representatives.

According to Travel and Tour World, participating organisations in the wider programme include Marketing Manchester, Marketing Liverpool, Cumbria Tourism, Experience NorthEast England and the West Yorkshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership. The publication reported that the event is intended to build on relationships established during the New Delhi and Mumbai trade mission.

Background of the development

The Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership is the destination management organisation and Local Visitor Economy Partnership for Liverpool City Region. Its stated role includes promoting the region internationally and supporting the visitor economy across Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton.

The India trade mission followed LCRDP’s announcement on 8 October that it would take the region’s visitor offer to India as part of the Great North Destination Showcase 2026. The organisation said the showcase was designed to grow the North of England’s share of one of the UK’s fastest-growing international visitor markets.

The Great North initiative was supported by VisitBritain and brought together regional mayors, tourism organisations and industry representatives. Travel and Tour World reported that the delegation presented northern England’s visitor attractions to approximately 150 Indian travel buyers and media professionals in New Delhi and Mumbai.

How can this development affect Liverpool’s tourism businesses?

For Liverpool hotels, attractions, tour operators, restaurants and cultural venues, the development could create a route to new international business through Indian travel trade relationships. The Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership said the mission was designed to convert conversations into future visits, partnerships and opportunities for businesses across the city region.

If Indian travel buyers include Liverpool experiences in future itineraries, tourism businesses may see increased interest from a market that LCRDP identifies as fast-growing. The organisation’s focus on longer stays and travel beyond London suggests that the intended benefit is not only more visits to Liverpool, but also more time and spending across the wider city region.

For businesses involved in screen tourism, music, heritage, sport and premium travel, the emphasis on those product areas may create particular opportunities. LCRDP said these themes were promoted through the Great North showcase, while VisitBritain research cited by the organisation pointed to strong Indian traveller interest in film and television locations.

The practical effect will depend on whether initial trade contacts develop into booked itineraries and future visits. For now, the announced outcome is the establishment of new connections and a strengthened platform for Liverpool City Region within India’s outbound travel market.