Friday, July 16, 2021
According to new research, the status of the UK as the most visited destination for US tourists in Europe is threatened by the mandatory quarantine on arrival. GlobalData recently stated that the list of European destinations now allowing US tourists to travel without quarantine is growing, meaning other European hotspots could prove to be more desirable in the short term.
One of the main factors that is curbing travel demand in 2021 is quarantine. A GlobalData poll found that quarantine restrictions were the primary deterrent for traveling during this pandemic. Another poll found that willingness to traveling to a different continent is high. There is higher demand for domestic trips, but 37 per cent of respondents desired to travel to a different continent, likely opting for a change of scenery after increased time spent at home during the past year.
Paying for quarantine creates extra costs related to accommodation and additional testing if required. GlobalData’s first quarter consumer survey found that 53 per cent of US respondents stated they had cut budgets in the last year due to financial constraints. Demand for transatlantic travel may be high, but tourists are likely to avoid additional costs if possible. This is an area in which the UK may fall short, but other European hotspots such as Italy, Germany and France may prosper.
These destinations have lifted mandatory quarantine requirements for inbound US tourists subject to other measures such as vaccination certificates and negative test results. International arrivals from the US to Europe decreased by 75 per cent year-over-year in 2020, due to international travel restrictions and respective border closures because of the pandemic. Earlier this week London Heathrow Airport shared that limits on travel to the United States were costing the UK £23 million a day.
Johanna Bonhill-Smith, Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, said in a statement that news of a transatlantic air bubble or ‘travel corridor’ between the UK and the US has long been rumoured. She mentioned that it is clear that the longer it is delayed, the greater is the risk of US tourists opting to holiday elsewhere across Europe in 2021 and into 2022. She added that Europe typically attracts US visitors with its vast range of experiences related to history, culture, art, and nature and the UK has been the most popular European travel destination for US tourists.
Tags: Covid-19, the UK, UK Tourism, US
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