Coronation of King Charles III in London can boost economy and tourism

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

The coronation of King Charles III in London is going to boost country’s economy and tourism as well. There are millions of visitors around the world is going to gather to witness the event. As the summer travel is coming faster this event gives a hope to revive country’s tourism approach.

The coronation is a highly anticipated event that is attracting royal enthusiasts and visitors to London from all over the world. The ceremonial spectacle and drama of the monarchy are fascinating to many, and the opportunity to experience a piece of British history is too good to pass up. Tour companies, shops, and restaurants are all getting in on the action, offering everything from decked-out bus tours of London’s top sights with high tea to regal and kitschy merchandise.

The weekend of events, starting on May 6, will bring a much-needed cash infusion to central London businesses, especially hotels, pubs, and restaurants. However, for U.K. residents struggling with an economy on the brink of recession and a cost-of-living crisis that has led to months of disruptive strikes by workers seeking pay hikes, the coronation won’t do much to alleviate their financial woes.

For those willing to splurge, hotels across London are offering coronation-themed packages, menus, and decor. The Royal Suite at the five-star Hotel Cafe Royal is offering an overnight stay and a limo ride to the Tower of London for a private tour and viewing of the Crown Jewels for a whopping 12,995 pounds. The Dorchester Hotel, a favorite with royals and celebrities, has created a lavish, five-tier coronation cake and re-created the decorations it used to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.

Many international visitors are drawn to the idea of a “beautiful fairytale” about “the royals and everything that is around them,” according to general manager Luca Virgilio. The Royal Lancaster London hotel near Hyde Park is serving afternoon tea inspired by Charles’ favourites, including roast beef sandwiches, Darjeeling tea, and damson plum mousse.

Officials are optimistic that the upcoming coronation of Prince Charles will provide a much-needed boost to the U.K.’s tourism industry, which has been struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the country received 29.7 million visitors, which is still almost a third less than the number of visitors in 2019.

According to Patricia Yates, the CEO of VisitBritain, events like the coronation have the power to jumpstart the tourism industry and put the U.K. back on the world stage. She cited the example of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which brought in an additional 2.6 million visitors to London.

Yates also noted that history, heritage, and the royal family are the biggest draws for international tourists, with royal pageantry being particularly popular among Americans. In fact, the U.K. has seen a 10% increase in flight bookings from the American market in May.

However, there is still some uncertainty surrounding the Chinese market, which was the U.K.’s second-most-valuable market before the pandemic. While the country is not yet seeing the numbers it would like to see from Chinese tourists, officials remain hopeful that the coronation will help to attract more visitors from all over the world.

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