ABTA: Outbound travel contributes £22.1 bn to UK economy
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UK’s outbound travel industry contributes £22.1 billion towards the economy annually, representing 1.6% of the GDP, according to new statistics released by ABTA.
In an aim to quantify the industry’s ‘worth’ within the economy, the association’s research found that overall the industry and its suppliers create £54.2 billion, with more than £6 billion in taxation and around 1.26 million jobs in the wider economy. Holidaymakers are to spend £31.2bn annually on a holiday before they even leave the country both at duty free and planning ahead with a new wardrobe, electronics, magazines, books and toiletries.
“These numbers quantify what we already know and that the sector is touching a mass number of industries across the UK,” said Stephen d’Alfonso senior public affairs and research manager of ABTA at its Travel Matters conference today.
At the same conference, John Penrose, Minister for Tourism and Heritage urged the industry to not think of outbound, inbound and domestic travel as a complete industry rather than competition. He faced criticism from the audience over the GREAT campaign but said early indications of the promotion had been positive.