Record April for overseas visitors to the UK

NEW figures released show that it was a record April for the number of overseas visits to the UK and spend.

VisitBritain figures show that 3.7 million visits were made to the UK in April this year, up 19% compared to the same month last year and the highest April since records began. Overseas visitors spent a record £2 billion in April, 20% up on the same month last year.

The figures come on the back of a record first-quarter for inbound visits to the UK and spend. The figures bring the number of inbound visits to the UK for January to April this year to a record 11.8 million, 11% up on the same period in 2016 with visitors spending £6.2 billion, up 14% and also setting a new record.

Growth this year has been led from long-haul regions including North America with more than one million visits from January to April, up 16% compared to the same period last year.

There were a record 8.3 million visits from the EU from January to April this year, up 7% on 2016.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

UK sees record breaking start to 2017 inbound tourism

OFFICIAL figures out today show a record-breaking start to the year for inbound tourism to Britain.  

The figures show that a new record has been set for inbound visits to the UK in the first two months of the year with 5.2 million visits, up 6% on the same period last year. 

• Overseas visitors spent a record £2.7 billion in January and February, up 11% on the previous year.

• There were 3.6 million visits from the EU in January and February, up 5% on the previous year. 

• Strong growth was also seen in holiday visits in January and February, up 15% on the same period in 2016 with 1.6 million visits.

• VisitBritain’s forecast predicts that growth is set to continue in 2017 with 38.8 million visits and with spending reaching £23.9 billion.

 

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Inbound from Malaysia

BRITAIN'S national tourism agency, VisitBritain, has this week launched a promotional event to inspire more visitors from Malaysia to book a trip to come and explore Britain’s nations and regions.

The two-week ‘Discover Great Britain #HomeofAmazingMoments’ promotion includes an interactive display area in Kuala Lumpur’s six-storey Avenue K shopping mall and showcases the amazing moments that can only be had on a trip to Britain.

The promotion gives mallgoers the chance to don traditional costumes, take selfies in front of iconic British backdrops, learn how to make scones, see live bagpipe performances and take part in challenges, giveaways and competitions. There will also be destination information and the opportunity to book exclusive holiday packages to Britain.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

UK tourism boom following Brexit vote

THE TOURISM ALLIANCE has released the results of a survey which show an increase in in-bound and domestic tourism bookings after Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. 

The survey of more than 500 tourism businesses throughout the UK found that 18% of in-bound tourism businesses and 21% of domestic tourism businesses have experienced an increase in forward bookings since the referendum on June 23.

The results also revealed that almost 20% of domestic tourism businesses are looking to increase their current investment levels in the expectation of increasing domestic tourism numbers.

Bernard Donoghue, the Tourism Alliance chairman and director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, welcomed the findings. ‘These result show the strength and responsiveness of the UK tourism industry and our ability to provide employment and growth for local economies throughout the UK,’ he said.

But he cautioned that ‘while the industry was expecting a short-term boom in both domestic and in-bound tourism over the next two years, the long-term prospects of the tourism industry are dependent on the UK securing a deal with the EU that will protect the ability of UK and EU residents to easily travel.’

He added: ‘We will also want to ensure that our industry, which is heavily dependent on workers from the EU, has the opportunity to recruit and attract the workers we need’.

To help achieve this, the Tourism Alliance will be presenting a draft Tourism Exit Strategy to culture secretary Karen Bradley. The document will identify the main tourism-related issues that will affect the UK tourism industry. It will also present the industry’s view on what actions the government should take in order to maximize the future potential and growth of the sector.


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

UKinbound urges government on Brexit negotiations

UK TRADE BODY UKinbound has welcomed the new prime minister, Theresa May, in a letter which included four key ‘asks’ for her to consider in the country’s exit negotiations with the European Union.

They are:

1. A strong narrative promoting the UK as a welcoming destination. At a time of great uncertainty for the UK economy, UKinbound has emphasized the importance of demonstrating that Britain remains an outward-facing nation open for business and which will continue to welcome visitors from around the world. 
2. Continued, tariff-free access to the Single Market to ensure the free movement of goods, finance, and people around the EU. 
3. Continued access to the EU’s Open Skies Agreement. 
4. An assurance regarding residency for its members’ employees. UKinbound’s latest Business Barometer survey revealed that more than 30% of its members’ workforce are EU migrants. 

UKinbound CEO Deirdre Wells OBE said: ‘Although the negotiating blueprint is far from clear for the pending Brexit, we hope that these four key ‘asks’ to the government will support and ensure the maximum growth for our industry.

‘These are issues our members feel are important in maintaining a relationship with the EU. We are a resilient industry and I am confident that our vibrant industry can overcome these challenges we face.’

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

New record for Birmingham tourism

BIRMINGHAM attracted one million international visitors last year, setting a new record for in-bound tourism to the Midlands city. 

The UK government’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) data flags the city as the fourth most visited place in the UK by international tourists, with an increase of 163,000 visitors, 17.3% up on the figure for 2014. For the second consecutive year, this was the largest increase for any city outside London.

Consumer spend by foreign visitors reached £386 million – an increase of £87 million on 2014 figures. Similarly, this was the fourth highest of any UK city and only 8% lower than London.

The ONS figures also indicate that the city’s tourist appeal was further enhanced in 2015 by a high proportion of international business visitors. With 619,000 visits recorded, Birmingham again saw the highest growth of any city outside London.  

Councillor John Clancy, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: ‘These figures are great news for Birmingham, confirming the city’s international standing and growing appeal. More people are discovering Birmingham and its surrounding areas than ever before.

‘With more than over £1 billion of investment in the region in the last year, Greater Birmingham is experiencing record levels of growth. These have included the New Street station transport hub, the integrated leisure and entertainment complex Resorts World Birmingham at the NEC, luxury retail centre The Mailbox, and high- end shopping destination Grand Central.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: Worcester & Birmingham Canal - narrowboat - Ash's Lark  via photopin.com

Record February for UK tourism

A NEW February record has been set for the number of international visits to the UK, up eight percent on the same month last year, visitor spending up six percent.

The Office for National Statistics figures show that 2.25 million visits were made in February 2016 with visitors spending £1.08 billion. Strong growth was seen in business visits, 12 percent up on the same month last year, with 750,000 visits.

The figures come on the back of a record-breaking January for in-bound visits.

VisitBritain director Patricia Yates said: ‘These back-to-back record-breaking figures leave no doubt that 2016 is off to a cracking start for in-bound tourism as we continue, through our international marketing campaigns, to promote Britain.’

Last year set a record for in-bound tourism to Britain with 35.8 million visits, four percent up on 2014.

Tourism is Britain’s seventh largest export industry and third largest service sector.

In-bound tourism is worth more than £26 billion to the UK economy.

The industry is also a major job creator; every 22 additional Chinese visitors who come to Britain create one additional job in the sector.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Records broken for international visits to UK

A JANUARY record has been set for the number of international visits to the UK, up six percent on the same month last year. The Office for National Statistics figures show that more than 2.5 million visits were made in January 2016, with visitors spending £1.28 billion.

While this figure doesn’t quite match the highs of the summer months, when a record-breaking 3.7 million international visits were made in July alone last year, this traditionally quieter month represents an encouraging start to the year, according to VisitBritain director Patricia Yates.

VisitBritain recently launched its largest international marketing campaign for 2016 to promote memorable ‘moments’ that can be found only in Britain, to drive tourism across all the nations and regions.

Tourism is Britain’s seventh-largest export industry and third-largest service sector. Inbound tourism is worth more than £26 billion to the UK economy.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Wanted: a fairer deal for English tourism; Wales & Scotland get better deals

 REGIONAL tourist boards, the Association of British Travel Agents, and UKinbound are among the organizations that have written to the government highlighting the need for greater funding to promote England as destination for tourists. 

More than 40 representatives from attractions, airports, and tourist boards have signed an open letter to Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne outlining the importance of VisitEngland and the need for extra funding.

The signatories are calling for an independent fund to be established to improve tourism in England, with a focus on regional counties rather than London.

 The fund would focus on product developments and require £20 million a year to ‘address the serious market failures in the tourism sector’. It is claimed that over four years, the work undertaken as a result of the fund would generate a £1.28 billion spend and support almost 24,000 jobs. 

The letter also highlights how much more funding VisitWales and VisitScotland get from the UK government. ‘While all the home nations benefit from marketing afforded by GREAT and VisitBritain, both VisitWales and VisitScotland supplement this activity with dedicated tourism budgets of over £20 million and £54 million respectively. VisitEngland, on the other hand, receives a core budget of less than £7 million to support the English tourism industry.

‘This is expected to fall below £6 million in the current Spending Review and will be made even worse by VisitEngland no longer receiving Regional Growth Fund money, which between 2012 and 2015 was successful in generating over £1.5 billion spend and supporting or creating over 29,000 jobs – a devastating double setback compounded further by the end of the South West and Northern Tourism Growth Funds.

‘English tourism in our view is being unfairly overlooked with real concern that VisitEngland may soon be forced to end its business development and domestic marketing activity entirely.’ 

It adds: ‘Chancellor, we ask you on behalf of English tourism, its businesses, and its destinations, to review the low funding and damaging imbalance that English tourism currently experiences when compared with VisitWales and VisitScotland.’

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31025616@N00/12378198374">Downtown Reykjavík</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">(license)