A new initiative aims to unite Britain’s ‘Ocean City’ and Brittany Ferries as Plymouth gets set to welcome an influx of French visitors this year.

Travellers from France can reach Plymouth in as little as six hours on a Brittany Ferry, setting up the city – and the whole of the south west region – as a tempting short break destination.

The partnership is being financed by VisitBritain’s GREAT Gateway Innovation Fund, enabling a joint marketing campaign and focusing on north west France to target the post-Covid-19 short-break travel market. Amanda Lumley, Destination Plymouth’s Chief Executive, says: “We’re delighted to be involved in this initiative, which is such a good fit for our ethos as a sustainable destination offering unrivalled coastal and countryside locations and activities, value for money and a plethora of other travel options from here onwards. We are known as Britain’s Ocean City and have enjoyed a very proud maritime history of welcoming visitors by sea for centuries, so we're eager to see many more make that short journey across the channel to explore all the opportunities Plymouth has to offer. ”

VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates adds: “This Fund encourages local destinations in forging partnerships within the industry and boosts their marketing activity, showcasing the very best of their region. It also encourages visitors to broaden their travel itineraries, boosting inbound visits across more of the year and across more of Britain, supporting local businesses, destinations and economies.”

Brittany Ferries sails from Roscoff to Plymouth once or twice a day from March to November. Sailings take around six hours by day and nine hours by night. With motorway links from the Loire, Dordogne and Atlantic Coast to the French port, it offers easy access to crossings to Plymouth for travellers from a large swathe of France.

“While Brittany Ferries links 12 ports in France, UK, Spain and Ireland – we never forget that Plymouth was our very first destination port 50 years ago when French farmers established a fledgling ferry route from Brittany to Devon,” comments Julian Patchett, Partnerships Manager of Brittany Ferries. “Their vision wasn’t just to transport cargo and holidaymakers - they wanted above all to enrich the regions served by Brittany Ferries ships by promoting trade and tourism links. Our mission remains the same to this day, as we look to reveal the fabulous destinations of Plymouth and the south west to a new generation of French travellers.”