Birmingham Tourism Boost: New United States of Birmingham-Inspired Itinerary Launches
A new official itinerary celebrating the ‘United States of Birmingham’ series, presented by comedian Joe Lycett, has been unveiled, promising to offer visitors an alternative and unique experience of the city. The checklist, titled ’10 Things You Need to Do in Birmingham, UK’, features a range of iconic attractions and landmarks, and is available for download on the city’s tourism website, Visit Birmingham.
According to The Phoenix Newspaper, the itinerary was launched to promote the city and its vast cultural heritage, and includes experiences such as trying a balti in the city’s original Balti Triangle, riding the famous number 11 bus service, and paying homage to Bird’s Custard in Digbeth. The checklist also features Birmingham favourites, including the Black Sabbath bridge, the city’s canals, and the Pen Museum in the Jewellery Quarter, home to the Queen Mother’s Pen.
The pen was loaned to Joe Lycett to sign ‘Friendship Agreements’ with officials from the North American Birminghams during the four-part series. Visitors can also head to Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery to pledge allegiance to the ‘United States of Birmingham’ under the flag, which was raised in the city’s Victoria Square on 24 September 2024, the inaugural International Day of Birmingham. As reported by The Phoenix Newspaper, the new Sky Max series chronicles Joe Lycett’s mission to put his beloved home city on the global map by heading to North America, which has no fewer than 18 Birminghams.
Lycett, self-appointed Second City Ambassador, said: “Birmingham is the greatest city in the whole world and this is a handy checklist of the best things to do there, thereby making these the best things to do in the whole world.” Each of the ten items on the new checklist is inspired by an iconic moment in the Sky show, and by Birmingham’s vast and vibrant heritage. The city welcomed a record 47.5 million visitors in 2023 – up 4.5% on the previous 12 months – with tourist spend rising to £9.25 billion, a 17% increase on 2022 data, as per The Phoenix Newspaper.
Becky Frall, Head of Tourism at the West Midlands Growth Company, which manages the Visit Birmingham website, said: “The United States of Birmingham’s ‘10 Things You Need To Do’ itinerary is a fun, eccentric way of exploring many of the city’s brilliantly unique tourism venues, attractions and landmarks. This must-do checklist should make Birmingham residents feel proud of what we have on offer here and give our many domestic and international visitors a fresh, quirky way of experiencing the city.” As stated in The Phoenix Newspaper, the region has been seen-on-screen in hits such as Peaky Blinders, Mission Impossible, and This Town, with the VisitBritain campaign capitalising on the growing travel trend of ‘set jetting’, the phenomenon of tourists visiting locations they have watched in films and on television.
The ‘United States of Birmingham’s ’10 Things You Need to Do in Birmingham, UK’ is a City Curator and Visit Birmingham collaboration, made possible with thanks to the support of Sky TV, North One, My Options Were Limited, Colmore BID, Jewellery Quarter BID, Southside BID, and Westside BID. Joe Lycett’s ‘United States of Birmingham’ is available on Sky Max and streaming service now. The Phoenix Newspaper has learned that the itinerary includes the following top 10 experiences:
- Listen to the United States of Birmingham playlist on the Black Sabbath Bridge
- Try a Balti in the original Balti Triangle
- Experience the whole outer circle on the number 11 bus
- Eat a Cadbury’s Curly Wurly by the Bull at the Bullring
- Say Alright Bab to someone under the Alright Bab sign in Colmore Square
- Honour Mr Egg in whichever way you choose
- Admire the Queen Mother’s Pen at the Pen Museum in the Jewellery Quarter
- Enjoy a cob by the canal
- Pay homage to the founder of Bird’s Custard in Digbeth
- Pledge allegiance to the United States of Birmingham under the USB flag at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
For more information on the ‘United States of Birmingham’ series and the new itinerary, visit the Visit Birmingham website. According to The Phoenix Newspaper, this new initiative aims to showcase the best of Birmingham and attract even more visitors to the city.
