The United Kingdom expects an influx of foreign visitors for the holiday season

Bookings for flights entering the United Kingdom increased by 9% between Sunday 23 December 2018 and Saturday 5 January 2019, compared to the same period last year.

Flight bookings from China, the Middle East and the United States increased by 44 %, 59 % and 27 % respectively. The increase in bookings from long-haul priority markets for Great Britain suggests that this is a longer-term trend.

Between December 2018 and May 2019, bookings to the United Kingdom from the United States increased by 27% compared to the same period last year. The American market is the most buoyant market for Great Britain in terms of tourism revenues. In 2017, American visitors spent £3.6 billion in the United Kingdom, an increase of 9% compared to 2016. The number of visits from the United States increased by 13% in 2017 to reach a record 3.9 million.

Bookings from China, the world’s most buoyant issuing market, increased by 25% for the period from December 2018 to May 2019. China climbed into the top 10 most buoyant markets for the United Kingdom in 2017 with 337,000 visits (+29% compared to 2017) and £694 million in revenue (+35%). Every 22 visits from China, a job in the tourism sector is created in the United Kingdom.

Bookings are also up from the Middle East, up 10% from December 2018 to May 2019. Visitors from the Middle East are the biggest spenders and in particular residents of the Gulf States (GCC) who spent an average of £2733 per visitor in the United Kingdom in 2017, more than 4 times higher than the overall average of £625.

Patricia Yates, Director of VisitBritain, explains:

« Tourism is one of the UK’s most promising export sectors. It does not need any trade agreement to attract foreign investment. It is also an extremely competitive global industry with a wide range of products and services. Our goal is to make the United Kingdom the number one destination for international travellers. We are therefore looking forward to seeing bookings increase in the coming weeks and months in some of our most important long-haul markets. »

The British Minister of Tourism, Michael Ellis said:

« The United Kingdom is one of the most visited destinations in the world and the increase in bookings ultimately reflects the strength of the British tourism sector. We are committed to supporting this vital industry and are continuing negotiations for a tourism sector agreement to stimulate long-term economic growth and investment in accommodation and attractions across the country. »

VisitBritain’s international campaign, « I Travel For… » (« I Travel For… »), was launched in early 2018. It highlights the unexpected experiences and lesser-known destinations of the United Kingdom in addition to the great classics to encourage visitors to venture further and stay longer in Britain.

For 2019, it will be extended and enriched in Australia, China, Europe and also in the Gulf States, India and the United States.

VisitBritain promotes the United Kingdom internationally as a tourist destination as part of the government’s « GREAT Britain » campaign.

The United Kingdom was ranked third out of 50 for its overall brand image in the Anholt Nation Brands Index 2018 published last November, a ranking that the country has held since 2011.

Every year, tourism brings £127 billion to the UK economy, a sector that creates jobs and growth for all nations and regions of the country.