The Catalan capital is taking over central London with a unique advertising campaign on double-decker buses that capture the essence of Christmas.
With more than fifty of these iconic vehicles, the city presents itself to Londoners and international visitors with the message “Barcelona, a Christmas open to the world”.
Each bus mimics the structure of an advent calendar, with the letters of “Barcelona” arranged as open squares, creating an enchanting visual effect.
This initiative is part of an ambitious Christmas promotion campaign promoted by Barcelona Tourism, which, for the first time, extends to the United States, considering that it is one of the main tourist issuing markets for the city.
However, the focus is on the action in London, where the impact is expected to reach approximately two million people over the Purisima long weekend.
The focus of the campaign is to attract Anglo-Saxon shopping tourism, a segment known for its higher spending and appreciation of local culture and traditions.
The Christmas season is crucial for international tourism, as it is the only time of the year when tourist spending exceeds the annual average, which can reach over 100 euros per person per day.
Christmas campaign on double-decker buses in London
The UK campaign focuses on cities such as Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow, using various digital formats to reach a wider audience. British visitors are favored by the Tax Free VAT refund service, which provides an additional incentive to spend on purchases.
Advertising on the red buses for two weeks is estimated to impact approximately two million people, reinforcing Barcelona’s presence as an attractive destination for Christmas shopping.
The international promotion strategy is not limited to London and the United States, as it includes other consolidated markets such as France, Italy, Ireland and Germany.
The campaign, with a budget of 600,000 euros, represents a significant effort to attract visitors throughout the winter season and not only during the Christmas season.
An international tourism strategy
The public-private tourism consortium highlights that spending by visitors from the U.S. and Asian markets is particularly high, with an average of 109.8 euros per person per day and total travel spending reaching 1,900 euros, compared to the international average of 1,100 euros.
The campaign in the United States was launched at the end of October, using digital platforms such as META, TikTok, Google and YouTube, with a special focus on cities such as Vermont, Los Angeles and San Francisco, Boston, Washington, Miami, Chicago and New York.
