VisitEngland hails tourism opportunities of Rugby World Cup 2015

With one year to go until England hosts the Rugby World Cup 2015, VisitEngland has hailed what is the world's third largest sporting event as an opportunity to boost tourism, help grow the visitor economy and create jobs.

Running from 18 September, when England kicks off in the first match against Fiji, to the final on 31 October at Twickenham, the 44-day tournament is expected to be worth £2.1b to the British economy, according to Deloitte.

The 10 host towns and cities in England, alongside Cardiff, and 41 team bases across the country, will be expected to benefit from the expected influx of domestic and international visitors.

VisitEngland has been working closely with the organising committee of the event, England 2015, to encourage visitors to stay longer and explore the areas beyond the cities where matches are taking place. In addition to London, the host destinations are Brighton, Manchester, Leeds, Gloucester, Leicester, Cardiff, Exeter, Milton Keynes, Newcastle and Birmingham.

Lady Cobham, chairman of VisitEngland, said: "England is a world class tourist destination and this high profile event provides a fantastic platform for our host cities and destinations to encourage and entice visitors to explore the wonderful experiences on offer. This is not only an opportunity for the host destinations, but for the entire country, as fans from home and abroad assemble, and media from across the globe focus their spotlight on England as host to the world's third biggest sporting event."

Over the past year VisitEngland has been visiting key markets overseas as part of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour to promote the country's tourism offer. It is also set to provide broadcast guides for visiting media with information on how to get around, where to stay and what to see during their stay.

Potential spectators can apply for tickets, which start at £15 for adults and £7 for children, up until 29 September at www.tickets.rugbyworldcup.com