Richard Branson's Virgin Group Plots £1 Billion UK Tourism Comeback
The veteran entrepreneur is backing a bold new vision for British domestic tourism
Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group is preparing to launch one of its most ambitious domestic investment programmes in over a decade, with plans for a £1 billion commitment to British tourism that would see the creation of a network of Virgin-branded hotels, wellness resorts, and premium travel experiences across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The Vision
The programme — dubbed Project Albion internally — aims to capture what Virgin strategists describe as a structural shift in British consumer behaviour following the pandemic and the cost-of-living squeeze. High travel costs and a renewed appreciation for domestic landscapes have, the group argues, created a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a premium British tourism brand with genuine scale.
"Britain is an extraordinary country for travel and I don't think we've ever properly capitalised on that," Branson told TGBN in an exclusive conversation from his Oxfordshire home. "The natural landscapes, the history, the food culture — it's genuinely world-class. We want to create experiences that make British people proud to holiday at home."
The Properties
The initial phase of the programme envisions the conversion of 12 existing properties — a mix of historic country houses and underutilised coastal hotels — into Virgin-branded resorts. Several sites in Cornwall, the Lake District, the Scottish Highlands, and Pembrokeshire have reportedly been shortlisted.
Each property would be developed to a premium specification, with a particular emphasis on sustainability credentials. Virgin has committed to carbon-neutral operations across the entire portfolio by 2030.
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Property & Luxury Correspondent
Sophie Hartington covers the UK's prime and super-prime property markets, luxury brands, and the travel and lifestyle pursuits of Britain's wealthiest individuals. With a background in luxury brand consulting and a decade of luxury journalism at Tatler and Country Life, Sophie brings unrivalled access and expertise to TGBN's coverage of the upper end of British life. She read History of Art at Cambridge.
