Member Article

Tourism receives a boost, after record numbers visit UK in June

June was an excellent month for the UK tourism industry, with almost 3 million visitors coming to British shores and spending £1.685 billion in one month alone.

The visitor figures are up 9 percent on the same period in 2010, and the positive increase has also strengthened earlier gains made in the first quarter of the year.

This trend is especially encouraging in the run up the Olympics and Paralympic Games next year, as many businesses in the UK begin to make the most of the opportunities an event on this scale will present.

Sarah Stewart, chief executive at destination marketing agency NewcastleGateshead Initiative is encouraged by the findings.

She commented: “We are working with partners and national tourist board VisitBritain to ensure we’re best placed to make the most of opportunities, ensuring that we deliver a wide-range of events and experiences for visitors during the next year and showcasing all Newcastle Gateshead has to offer.

“I’d encourage tourism businesses across the area to make the most of the profiling opportunities presented by the 2012 Games and talk to us about how they can best do this.”

Interestingly, many of these visitors are coming to the UK from beyond Europe and North American, and flights between Brazil and Britain are up 65 percent on 2010.

Patricia Yates, Director of Strategy and Communications said: “This is good news for tourism operators and good news for the British Economy for which the sector is a significant contributor.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .