Loading ...The number of tourists visiting the United Kingdom has seen a decline in the past few months, mainly due to a strong Pound and the perception that the already hefty cost of accommodation, food and entertainment in
London keeps rising. The number of tourists visiting from overseas countries has “flat-lined,” according to the Office of National Statistics, while the overall number of international travelers arriving in the UK decreased from 3.7 million in August 2006 to 3.2 million this past August, traditionally peak tourist season in much of Europe. The decline in Canadians and Americans visiting the
UK is especially pronounced, with these figures falling from 495,000 last August to 450,000 this year. Additionally, those North Americans who did visit Britain ended up spending significantly less than usual, on everything from accommodation to dining. Canadians and Americans left £1.77 billion in
Britain this past August, which is down from £1.84 billion last year. This past summer’s flooding in parts of the
UK, as well as the low US dollar, when compared with the Pound and the Euro, has contributed to the disappointing numbers.
Yet analysts believe that the British government could help improve the situation, but providing more in terms of grants for VisitBritain, which has seen its budget cut under the Labour government. Most importantly, experts believe that the best way to attract more tourists—especially in the years preceding the 2012 Olympic Games—would be to more aggressively advertise the UK in Canada and the US, which together comprise a market of nearly 330 million people and these citizens are often still most likely to visit Britain than any other European country.
