UK inbound expects international visitors to decline by 75 per cent in November and December

Thursday, December 2, 2021

UK inbound has released stark new figures that specify that its members expect international visitors to decline by 75 per cent in November and December, compared to 2019.

In 2019, inbound tourism during this period was worth £4.25 billion to the UK economy.

In a recent survey of UK tour operators, accommodation providers and attraction members, undertaken before the latest Omicron restrictions, 89 per cent of respondents said that November/December international arrivals/visitor numbers would be lower than 2019 figures.

Among these businesses, four in five said that they expect to be down by more than 75 per cent, and although many restrictions at UK borders have been removed, the country is not expecting a lot of international visitors before Christmas.

On an average, these businesses opined that they expect revenue for 2021 to go down 93 per cent compared to 2019.
Commenting on the results, chief executive of UKinbound Joss Croft said, “Prior to the announcement of the latest Omicron restrictions, the inbound tourism industry was already facing a tough winter.With annual revenues down 93 per cent and international visitors expected to be down 75 per cent during a critical part of the year, Christmas, businesses are skating on thin ice.”

Croft added, “Additionally, the latest restrictions have sent shockwaves through our industry.We will need to see what the implications are on travel and health, but inevitably fragile consumer confidence will be dented.We were seeing green shoots and our members were reporting an increase in enquiries for 2022, however cancellations for December and early next year are already starting to come through.”

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