Inbound UK figures down for summer
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Inbound tourism bookings to the UK are significantly down this across the entire summer following a lack of accommodation for groups, new research has found.
Figures from UKinbound and Qa Research has found 66% of its members said bookings were ‘significantly lower’, while 22% said results were ‘slightly lower’ between 23 July to 12 August.
Around the same number (82%) said they had seen decreases for the post-Olympic period up to 9 September, with 72% saying there was a lack of accommodation for advanced group bookings.
UKinbound’s chief executive Mary Rance has now called on the government to not be complacent by the successful London 2012 and deliver the legacy it promised.
“Now is not the time to pat each other on the back and say job well done. If the Government is going to succeed in their ambition of welcoming 40 million visitors by 2020, there must be a genuine determination to attract overseas visitors at a time when the ‘Olympic’ effect no longer exists,” she explained. Rance said urgent action is needed to change APD and the visa system to encourage more visits to the UK.