PM launches Great Global Bus Tour in New York
Prince Harry and UK Prime Minister David Cameron promote Britain as a world class destination for trade, tourism and investment.
HRH Prince Harry and UK Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday kicked off a global tour promoting Britain as a world class destination for trade, tourism, investment and education as part of the GREAT Britain Campaign.
Prince Harry and Prime Minister Cameron launched the tour at Milk Studios in New York City, arriving in style on a special edition GREAT London double decker bus. This marks the first stop of a global tour that will take in 4 continents and 16 countries, including key markets such as India, Russia and South Korea, over the next 12 months. Two of the eye-catching New Bus for London (NBfL) have been loaned by Transport for London (TfL) to the British government to help promote Britain abroad.
Prince Harry and Prime Minister Cameron rode the GREAT bus to an event for the creative and tech community in New York at Milk Studios’ Manhattan headquarters. There they met US companies exploring investment in the UK as well as British companies successfully operating in the United States. During the New York leg of the tour, the bus will attend Internet Week New York and NYCx Design, the city’s inaugural design festival. The bus is an innovative platform that will help support British companies in developing their overseas markets, generating local interest in investing in Britain, as well as increasing numbers of tourists and students.
Renowned British designer Thomas Heatherwick created the NBfL to share some of the design DNA of the iconic Routemaster double-decker bus. Built by Wrightbus, one of Northern Ireland’s leading manufacturers, the NBfL is a public transport vehicle for the 21st century. The NBfL is fully accessible to the disabled and uses the latest green diesel-electric hybrid technology to increase fuel efficiency. It produces half the carbon dioxide of a conventional diesel bus.
London’s Transport Commissioner Sir Peter Hendy CBE said:
London’s red buses are recognised the world over as an iconic symbol of our city, with this trip echoing a pioneering journey made by 3 London buses to the United States and Canada over 60 years ago. It is fitting that the New Bus for London, which was designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, has been chosen to fly the flag for great British design as part of this prestigious campaign.
Wright Group Managing Director Mark Nodder said:
Being part of the GREAT campaign is a unique opportunity for us to showcase this phenomenal new product. The New Bus for London represents the pinnacle of British automotive engineering design and we are tremendously excited to show the world what we have achieved.
The tour aims to generate sales of this state-of-the-art vehicle. UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) teams will work with Wrightbus to market the NBfL to potential customers.
Further information
The GREAT Britain Campaign was launched by the Prime Minister in New York in September 2011. The aim is to promote Britain abroad as a world-class destination for trade, investment, tourism and education, helping generate jobs and growth, shape international perceptions of the UK and enhance our global reputation.
Find out more about Wrightbus on the Wright Group website.
Visit the Heatherwick Studio website for more information on their work.
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The photograph above was taken by Masha Maltsava, Milk Studios.