VisitBritain Names Gauger As Interim EVP-Americas
by James Shillinglaw /London's Millennium Bridge.
VisitBritain has named Paul Gauger as interim executive vice president-Americas, replacing Karen Clarkson, who has left the organization. Gauger’s appointment comes after a recent global reorganization at VisitBritain to revitalize Britain’s brand proposition in North America and continue to build growth markets in Latin America.
Newly released data from the U.K. Office for National Statistics reveals that 2015 was a record-breaking year for travel to Britain. Visits from the United States, Canada, and Brazil rose almost 10%. Spending from the U.S., Britain’s most valuable source market, grew by 2% to £3 billion, the first time any single market has spent that much.
Gauger will lead the consumer and B2B marketing strategy to grow outbound tourism in the Americas. He also will implement a new organizational strategy;, promote the existing GREAT Britain: Home of Amazing Moments #OMGB campaign; build VisitBritain’s commercial capabilities across retail and product development; put in place market digital and content strategies; and forge strategic local partnerships across the three regions.
Gauger joined VisitBritain in 2003 and has held senior roles within the organization, most recently as global head of international media and destination PR based in London. He was previously based in New York for five years as VisitBritain’s communications director-Americas. He also served as VisitBritain’s Global Leader, 2012 Games Media, where he maximized the opportunities created by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.