Things are on the up as new research reveals overseas visitors increasingly see Britain as a great place to live.
A new analysis of the latest annual Nation Brands Index (NBI) published by VisitBritain shows that this country’s ranking as a location to live and work for a substantial period has gone up from 7th last year to 4th out of 50.
The New York based survey, which looks at countries as if they were commercial ‘’brands,’’ adds that Britain is seen as the 2nd best place in the world to study for educational qualifications and as having the seventh highest quality of life.
International perceptions of the British are also highly positive – we rank 5th in the world league table as potential employees and foreigners are very open to having Brits as close friends (again, we rank 5th).
The Nation Brands Index is based on a poll of 20,000 consumers from twenty countries around the world. Respondents are asked about their perceptions of the cultural, political, commercial and human assets, investment potential, and tourist appeal of fifty developed and developing countries.
This provides a unique barometer of global opinion.
Overall, the UK emerges as arguably one of the most robust nation brands. It comes in the top six for all six brand ‘dimensions’ (Governance, Exports, Immigration and Investment, People, Culture, and Tourism).
The UK’s ranking for having good Governance has gone up one place to 6th, thanks to more positive international perceptions of the new Government. The UK’s ranking for Immigration and Investment has gone up from 4th to 3rd based on being seen as a great place to live, work and study.
| Brand Dimension | How the UK was ranked (out of 50 nations) in 2010 | How the UK was ranked (out of 50 nations) in 2009 |
| Governance | 6th | 7th |
| Exports | 4th | 4th |
| Immigration and Investment | 3rd | 4th |
| People | 6th | 6th |
| Culture | 6th | 4th |
| Tourism | 5th | 5th |
The UK is still seen as a world-class destination in terms of being rich in historic buildings (4th), and having vibrant city life and urban attractions. But there is work to be done on our welcome, with other nations seen to be more welcoming than the UK (13th). The UK’s reputation for being a place rich in natural beauty has improved from 24th to 22nd, although this remains the lowest score in any of the dimensions the survey looked at.
The value of all things British and our ability to deliver quality products is admired. Britain is ranked as the 5th best nation on this, up from 6th in 2009, indicating people feel positive about purchasing a product with a British seal of approval. Foreigners see Britain as a creative place with cutting edge ideas and new ways of thinking (rank 5th).
