As Britain gears to host the next summer Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012, VisitBritain, UK's national tourism agency, is working on its strategy to promote Britain as a leading tourist destination.

VisitBritain’s global network of offices will promote the nation as the place for watching and participating in sport at all levels, for events and for experiences, attractions and destinations with a unique blend of historical and contemporary culture, said a statement.

Thanks to the Olympic Games in 2012, Britain’s visitor economy could benefit to the tune of an extra £2 billion, said an official.

One in ten visits from overseas – 4.7 million and 14 per cent of the total – involve watching a sporting event or taking part in sporting activities, he added.

Although they travel from the other side of the world, visitors from Australia and New Zealand live up to their reputation as ‘sports mad’ with 28 per cent of New Zealanders and 25 per cent of Australians watching or participating during their stay.

Sport is also a way of attracting the attention of visitors from emerging markets where year on year growth often exceeds that from more mature economies. 16 per cent of Brazilians, 15 per cent of Malaysian, 14 per cent of Czech and 13 per cent of Russian visits involve sport – all higher percentages than the French, Germans, Japanese and Italians.-TradeArabia News Service