VisitBritain, the national tourism agency for Britain, has announced the appointment of Ritu Varma as Country Manager for India. Based in Mumbai, Ritu will lead VisitBritain’s efforts to strengthen inbound tourism from India to the UK. Her role will focus on product development, expanding distribution strategy, and working closely with travel trade and industry partners to inspire more Indian visitors to discover Britain’s diverse destinations.

VisitBritain Deputy Director Europe, GCC & India, Gary Robson said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Ritu Varma to the VisitBritain team. Ritu brings with her over two decades of extensive experience in business development, most recently at Tourism Australia. Ritu has a strong record in product innovation and market growth, making her well placed to lead our team here in India and drive our ambitious market strategy in this key inbound market for Britain.”

VisitBritain Country Manager for India, Ritu Varma said, “I am delighted to take on this responsibility and lead the VisitBritain team in India. It is an exciting time with India showing such strong growth and with Indian visitors forecast to spend a record £1 billion next year on their trips to the UK.”

Ritu also highlighted the importance of partnerships: “I look forward to working with the excellent VisitBritain team to boost this even further, encouraging Indian visitors to explore dynamic and diverse destinations right across Britain. Equally, I am committed to working closely with our partners across the UK travel and tourism industry to ensure they are part of one of the fastest-growing markets, creating opportunities that deliver long-term growth and shared success.”

India is reported to be an important inbound market for Britain, with 666,000 visits forecast from India this year, with those visitors set to spend a record £900 million on their trips.