THE Beatles brand will be the centre of a massive world-wide marketing campaign which is expected to bring £12m into Liverpool every year.
Tourism managers in the city say the appeal of the Fab Four has not been used to its full potential in luring visitors to Merseyside.
They launched their campaign on Saturday with a concert in central Pisa, starring Liverpool's most recognised tribute band, the Mersey Beatles.
Director of Mersey Partnership (TMP) Martin King said: "The event was an overwhelming success. It was the first of hopefully many similar events, which we will take to other major cities around the world as part of a rolling programme to promote Liverpool as a destination.
"Some people in Liverpool may think The Beatles are over-used as a tourist attraction, but in fact they are not used enough if you look at how Memphis has benefited from the Elvis legacy.
"The Beatles are as relevant as they ever were and if we get the message out there in the right way, there is huge potential to increase the number of visitors in the run up to Capital of Culture."
Organised by TMP, the Liverpool Culture Company and Ryanair, the concert was the first of a string of events, which the organisations want to take to other major cities like Milan, Rome and Berlin.
There are also plans to capitalise on a newly opened tourist market in China since Britain was approved as an official holiday destination by the Chinese government.
Marketing director of the Culture Company Kris Donaldson said: "This is a very exciting time for tourism in Liverpool and all the agencies in the city are working together to make the most it.
"By combining public and private sector resources and funding, we can market Liverpool in a way that has not been done before.
"And it is important to remember that it is not just about The Beatles. Liverpool has a fantastic music scene and plenty of other attractions."
The potentially lucrative marketing drive is being led by the MBIG (Music and Beatles Industry Group), which includes TMP, the Culture Company, Cavern City Tours and National Museums Liverpool.
The group also plans to highlight golfing and art gallery attractions.
The concert in Italy coincided with the recent launch of Ryanair's link between Pisa and Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
More than 600,000 tourists passed through the airport last year.
jessicashaughnessy@dailypost.co.uk
