Tourist chiefs have begun a campaign to encourage Britons to include cultural experiences in their holidays in England.

A survey found that one in five Britons enjoys a culture holiday and more than a third visit museums while on breaks. Called Culture 08, the £250,000 campaign attempts to showcase “the wealth of cultural attractions, destinations, events and experiences that England can provide, and aims to inspire Britons”.

Liverpool will be welcoming two million additional visitors to more than 300 events during its reign as European Capital of Culture this year.

Also this year London takes the torch from Beijing as host city for the 2012 Olympic Games, and London’s cultural Olympiad – the four-year run-up to the Games – will start in August.

VisitBritain, which is also known as the British Tourist Authority, said that 63 per cent of potential visitors to Britain would be “very likely” to visit galleries or museums, half to go to live music concerts or events and more than a third to go to the theatre, opera or ballet.

Laurence Bresh, VisitBritain’s England marketing general manager, said: “From world-renowned museums and galleries, arts festivals and music events, to theatre and performance, innovative architecture and different communities, England has one of the most vibrant and diverse cultural scenes in the world.

“This is our opportunity to shine the spotlight on the wealth of exciting events that are taking place throughout England throughout the year.

“We want to encourage our visitors to create their own cultural calendar of events, exhibitions, shows and scenes, and get out and about enjoying short breaks in their own country.”

timesonline.co.uk