The flights will connect London Heathrow Airport with Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. As a result, Maryland will have daily direct British Airways connectivity with the UK throughout the year for the first time.
The expanded schedule will increase transatlantic access to Maryland and provide additional options for leisure travellers, media visits and familiarisation trips. It will also support travel to destinations across the state, including Baltimore, Annapolis, Frederick and communities along Chesapeake Bay.
The service expansion coincides with a new statewide tourism collaboration involving the Maryland Office of Tourism, Visit Baltimore, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County and Visit Frederick.
The organisations will coordinate destination marketing activities aimed at strengthening Maryland’s profile in international markets, including the UK. Their cooperation will combine resources, destination content and tourism experiences from different parts of the state.
Maryland’s winter tourism offer includes coastal destinations, historic cities and cultural attractions. Winter also coincides with the state’s peak oyster season.
The Maryland Crab and Oyster Trail connects raw bars, oyster farms, waterfront restaurants and heritage locations across the Chesapeake Bay region. Tourism organisations plan to use the route as part of multi-destination itineraries promoted through the statewide partnership.
Cassandra Vanhooser, Managing Director for the Maryland Office of Tourism, said: “Gone are the days when travellers treated Maryland as a secondary stop. Well-priced fares, increased frequency, and a growing list of compelling reasons to visit mean consumers are now choosing BWI as their primary arrival point, with nearby cities such as Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and New York becoming easy day trips by train. Maryland’s landscapes, communities, and character now lead the experience with the outstanding tourism product and increased flight capacity.”
Baltimore/Washington International Airport also provides rail access to Washington, DC, Philadelphia and New York. The tourism partnership will position Maryland as the principal destination for arriving passengers while highlighting onward connections to nearby cities.
The daily Heathrow-Baltimore service will operate alongside the tourism organisations’ coordinated international marketing programme. The partners plan to use the additional flight capacity to support UK visitor growth and increase awareness of tourism products across Maryland.
Tags: Cassandra Vanhooser, Maryland Office of Tourism British Airways