The CotswoldsPlus Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) is proud to promote its continued international outreach, having just returned from the prestigious Destination Britain Americas event held this year in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Now the team are entering final preparations for the Hankyu British Fair in Japan this October.

At Destination Britain Americas, organised by VisitBritain, Rebecca Clay represented CotswoldsPlus LVEP, engaging with top travel buyers and media from the USA, Canada, and Brazil.

Rebecca, who has extensive experience in liaising with tour operators, said: "Last week was all about telling a great story. Thanks to VisitBritain for putting on an incredible event. We were able to introduce the destination to a wonderful group of buyers and press, including some new faces and travel agents with innovative business models."

The CotswoldsPlus team went beyond the classic postcard imagery, showcasing everything from quintessentially British experiences like etiquette lessons, Gloucester Cathedral's American connection experience to the region's modern, cool side — highlighted by filming locations for Bridget Jones and Rivals linking to VisitBritain's StarringGreatBritain campaign.

Rebecca added: "It was a privilege to help agents, operators and the key press editors to ensure they get the full picture of the extensive offer across the wider Cotswolds region. We can't wait to work with our new partners to shape their itineraries and highlight some of the incredible, lesser-known spots this destination has to offer."

Building on this momentum, the LVEP team is now preparing for the 58th Hankyu British Fair in Osaka, Japan — Japan's largest and longest-running celebration of British culture, attracting over 250,000 visitors annually.

Several Cotswolds businesses will attend, including Cotswold Cheese Company, The Little Bakery Company, Jane Wright Lace, North's Bakery, and Cotswold Lavender.

Keiji Hayashi of Hankyu Hanshin Express has worked closely with CotswoldsPlus to curate a selection of businesses that reflect the authentic charm of the English countryside.

Charlie from Cotswold Lavender, who hosted Hankyu representatives on a tour of the lavender fields this summer, said: "The Japanese market values quality, heritage and authenticity — qualities the Cotswolds and its small businesses have in abundance,"

CotswoldsPlus LVEP is committed to supporting local businesses in building long-term international links that extend beyond tourism into retail, trade, and brand partnerships.

The team extends its sincere thanks to VisitBritain for organising the Americas trade mission and to Hankyu Department Stores for providing a high-value platform to showcase the region in Japan.