Travel Industry News at TravelNewsAsia.com since 1997
Thu, 14 October 2021

WTTC Research Shows UK Recovery Severely Delayed by Lack of Spending by International Visitors

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has said that the UKs travel and tourism sectors year-on-year recovery may only claw back a third, whilst international travel spending continues to plummet.

The latest research from WTTC shows recovery in travel has been severely delayed by the lack of spending by international visitors.

WTTC blames strict travel restrictions, such as the traffic light system, for wreaking havoc on the sector.

Now, despite its highly successful vaccine rollout, the UK is set to record further losses in inbound visitor spending than the previous year, a year in which international travel ground to an almost complete standstill.

Conwy, North Wales. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com Click to enlarge.

At the current rate of recovery, WTTC research shows the UKs travel and tourism sectors contribution to the nations economy could rise year-on-year by just under a third (32%) in 2021, broadly in line with the global average of 30.7%.

However, research conducted by the global tourism body shows the increase has been primarily spurred on by the recent boom in domestic travel, with domestic spending growth set to experience a year-on-year rise of 49% in 2021.

While this surge in domestic travel has provided a much-needed boost, it will not be enough to achieve a full economic recovery and save millions of jobs still under threat.

The research goes on to show that international spending is predicted to plunge by nearly 50% on 2020 figures - one of the worst years on record for the sector - making the UK one of the worst performing countries in the world.

While other countries, such as China and the U.S., are set to see a rise in international travel spending this year, the UK lags and continues to record significant losses.

Severe travel restrictions, ever-changing policies, and barriers to travel to the UK, such as the current requirement for visitors to take an expensive day two PCR test after arriving in the country, have had their toll.

Last year, the UK travel and tourism sector saw 307,000 job losses across the country and research shows that jobs in the sector are set to remain flat this year.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said, WTTC research shows that while the global travel and tourism sector is beginning to recover, the UK continues to suffer big losses due to continuing travel restrictions that are tougher than the rest of Europe. Despite government announcements the UK still has a red list, costly PCR tests and a requirement for day two tests which simply put people off travel. Just as the world opens up the UK has more requirements for the double vaccinated than our neighbours.

Looking ahead to 2022, WTTC research provides grounds for optimism.

With the right measures and a strong focus on international travel, the UK could see travel and tourisms contribution to GDP rise by 53% in 2022, resulting in an additional 66 billion to its economy.

International visitor spending could also see a significant increase reaching 29 billion - just 20% below 2019 levels.

Meanwhile, employment growth could see a 14% boost year on year, equating to additional 580,000 jobs in 2022, resulting in over 4.7 million jobs, which is 445,000 above 2019 levels.

See also: UK Reduces Red List from 54 Countries to Just Seven.

See latest Travel Industry News, Video Interviews, Pictures, Podcasts and other news regarding: WTTC, UK, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland.

Headlines: AirAsia to Launch Direct Flights Between Penang and Hong Kong  First-Ever Scheduled A380 Service to Indonesia Lands in Bali  Aeroflot to Launch Direct Flights Between Khabarovsk and Phuket, Thailand  Air Niugini Orders Two Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners  Hong Kong Aviation Academy Recognised as Platinum Training Centre of Excellence by ICAO  Air France Unveils New Business Class Cabin for Future A350s  Ohio City Becomes British Airways' 27th Destination in America  Euramec Expands Flight Simulator Solutions with ISR Mission Training Capabilities  BCD Explores Pain Points Associated with Business Travel Expenses  Air Tanzania Takes Delivery of First Boeing 767-300 Freighter  Malaysia Airlines Enhances Operations with Sabre Network Planning and Optimization Solutions  ATPCO to Add IATA's CO2 Connect Data to Routehappy Amenities  ATR Unveils Luxurious New Cabin Designs  Embraer to Showcase Eve's eVTOL Cabin Mock-Up at Paris Air Show 2023  Solomon Islands Reports Q1 2023 Visitor Arrivals  Hani Akkari Appointed GM of The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort in Doha, Qatar  FCM Partners Executive Education Division of National University of Singapore Business School  Spas at Mandarin Oriental to Launch Music Programme on Global Wellness Day  HotelIQ Appoints Estella Hale as CCO  Qatar Aviation Services Receives IEnvA Certification  Tourism Seychelles - Exclusive Interview with Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary  InterContinental Bangkok Reopens After Multi-Million Dollar Renovation  Yvonne Manzi Makolo Becomes First Woman to Chair IATA Board of Governors  Vietnam and Turkish Airlines Sign Codeshare Agreement  Holterman Expands Range of Xtreme Motoryachts with 60-Footer  Accelya Working with American to Make EDIFACT Tickets Exchangeable Through NDC  Emirates to Host 80th IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit in 2024  IHG Working with Apple to Enable AirPlay in Hotel Rooms  Air France-KLM to Enhance Corporate Travel Management Solution with Cytric  Concur Partners battleface Corporate Travel Insurance  Can Flight and Accommodation Supply Keep up with Demand?  IndiGo Expands International Services with Six New Routes  Wyndham to Rebrand 591-Key Hotel in Singapore  ANA Transforms Boeing 787-9 into Pikachu Jet NH  Star Alliance Appoints Theo Panagiotoulias as CEO  IATA Reports Substantial Increase of Unruly Passenger Incidents  Diogo Elias Joins Avianca Cargo as Vice President of Corporate Development  Hong Kong Airlines to Resume Flights to Chongqing and Sanya; Increase Hangzhou  Air Canada Launches Flights from Montreal to Three Destinations in Europe  SalamAir to Launch Flights Between Salalah and Bahrain  Minor Hotels Signs Second Anantara Resort in Brazil  Indonesia and Malaysia Named World's Top Two Destinations for Muslim Travellers  IHG Simplifies Hotel Wi-Fi with Auto Connect Solution  Qatar Airways Resumes Flights to Tokyo Haneda  Global Air Traffic at 90.5% of Pre-COVID19 Levels in April 2023  Steve Armitage to Leave BEIA for Hospitality New Zealand  Air Canada Café Opens at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport  Air Algérie Orders Five A330-900s and Two A350-1000s  IHG Signs Third Kimpton Hotel in Spain  Norse Atlantic Launches London Gatwick - Washington Dulles Flights  Marriott Signs World's Largest Aloft Hotel in Singapore  All Nippon Airways Expands Use of Sabre Slot Manager  IATA Reports Continued Decline in Global Air Cargo Demand  Accor Opens Mantra Hotel in Bunbury, Western Australia  DiDi Enterprise Solutions Partners Amadeus for China Expansion  Yannick Alléno's First Restaurant in London to Open 1 July 2023  World's First All-Inclusive Tivoli Resort Opens in Algarve, Portugal  Upgraded Credit Ratings for Pegasus Airlines  SAS Opens Reservations on Historic First Commercial Electric Flight  Qatar Airways Signs Deal with Shell for 3,000 Metric Tonnes of SAF at AMS  Qantas to Resume Flights to New York, USA in June  Singapore Airlines to Offer Unlimited Free WiFi in All Classes  Plaza Premium Opens First Airport Lounge in Japan  Carlos Rodriguez Appointed Senior Executive Chef of Two Luxury Resorts in Seychelles  Vietnam Airlines Completes SkyTeam's Sustainable Flight Challenge  Munich Airport Breaks Ground on 358-Room ibis Styles Hotel  IHG Breaks Ground on Even Hotel in Doral, Miami  Multi-Modal Cargo Hub to be Constructed at Noida Airport in Uttar Pradesh, India  Norse Opens Ticket Sales on London Gatwick - Miami Flights; Confirms End to FLL Service  Emirates' Complimentary 1 and 2-Night Hotel Stay Promotion Ends 11 June  Starlux Airlines to Launch Flights Between Taipei and Clark, Philippines  Qantas Unveils Details of Group Strategy Through 2030  Asia Pacific Airlines Report 198.9% Increase in RPK  Hyatt Expands Inclusive Collection with Adults-Only Impression by Secrets Brand  Stéphane Gras Returns to USA as GM of Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco  Dusit Opens Second Asai Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand  AirAsia Aiming to Establish Fuzhou Airport as a Gateway Hub for Southeast Asia  Textron Expands Partnership with Absolute Aviation  Boeing Phantom Works Begins Construction of 47,500 sqft ACC in St. Louis, Missouri  Lancashire Cricket Helps Youngsters in UAE Improve Their Game  Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines Explore Joint Venture  Wyndham Signs Two Hotels in Bangkok, Thailand  Norse Atlantic Launches Flights to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale from London Gatwick  Eve Air Mobility to Build First Full-Scale eVTOL Prototype in H2 2023  ITA Airways Takes Delivery of First Airbus A330neo  Dassault Business Jets to Feature Honeywell's Cabin Sentinel  AC Hotel by Marriott Opens in St. Julian's, Malta  Fiji Airways to Increase Flights to Hong Kong  Qantas to Bid Farewell to Boeing 717 VH-NXI Named Blue Mountains  Boeing Signs P-8A Poseidon MOU with ST Engineering  PPHG Opens Two Hotels in Same Skyscraper in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan  Holiday Inn Club Vacations Buys Four Royal Resorts in Mexico  Air Corporate Orders 43 Airbus Helicopters  British Airways Begins Phased Rollout of New Uniforms  United Airlines to Expand Services at Denver Hub  Air Canada Adds More Sun to Winter Schedule  Honeywell Partners PT Dirgantara Indonesia on Philippine Air Force NC212i Program  Korean Air Celebrates Earning Lithium Battery CEIV Certification from IATA  Rolls-Royce Expands Business Aviation Solutions with CorporateCare Flex  Embraer Appoints Frederico Lemos as CCO - Defense & Security  Malaysia's SKS Airways to Lease Ten E195-E2s; Signs Services Deal with Embraer  Mandarin Oriental Signs Residential Project in Madrid, Spain  Heekyung Chung Moves to Vietnam as DOSM of Hyatt Regency Danang  Hong Kong Airlines to Launch Flights to Nagoya, Japan  Scoot to Add Nine E190-E2 Aircraft to Fleet  CAE to Open 8,000 sqm Business Aviation Training Centre in Vienna, Austria  Minor Opens Eighth Anantara Hotel in Europe  Marriott Bonvoy Launches Two-Way Points Exchange with FFPs of ANA and JAL  Turkish Airlines Extends Contract for Accelya's Industry Insights Solution  Thai Airways Signs SAF-Related MOU with Bangchak  Mandarin Oriental Signs Hotel and Residences in Athens, Greece  Living With One Eye - Six Years On by Steven Howard  Seoul's Yellow Balloon Tour to Upgrade Services with Sabre Partnership  Solomon Islands Lifts All COVID19-Related Travel Restrictions  Renaissance Hotel Opens in Porto, Portugal  Aruba Certifies ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia to Maintain Several Aircraft Types  Honeywell Appoints Galaxy Aerospace as an Authorised Avionics Dealer  St. Regis Hotel Opens in Chicago, USA  IndiGo to Expand Domestic Services from the Wine Capital of India, Nashik  Outrigger to Buy Two Hotels in Maui, Hawaii  Cebu Pacific Resumes Laoag - Manila Flights  Marriott Appoints Brian Povinelli as SVP Global Head of Marketing and Brand  Hyatt Signs Second Thompson Hotel in California, USA  Air New Zealand's New Amenity Kits Feature Skincare Inspired by Traditional Maori Practices  Birmingham Airport Partners Smiths Detection for Security Screening Upgrade  Jetstar Takes Delivery of 7th A321neo LR; Changes Check-In and Bag Drop Times  Emirates Expands Free Inflight Connectivity  Doug Parker Joins Qantas Board  Etihad Airways to Launch Flights to Osaka, Japan  Saudia Partners Accenture for Digital Transformation  Sheraton Hotel Opens in Kagoshima, Japan  IndiGo to Expand Kolkata Network; Launch Bangkok Flights in June  Air Canada to Launch Flights Between Toronto and Yellowknife  InterContinental Danang Builds Bridges for Red-Shanked Douc Langurs  Vietnam Airlines Launches Hanoi - Mumbai Flights  Hong Kong Airport Handled 3.1 Million Passengers in April  Korean Air Employees Make a Difference in Chitwan, Nepal  Qatar Airways Signs Codeshare Agreement with Air Seychelles  Boeing Business Jets Sells Two BBJ 787-8s and a BBJ 737-7  Argentina Wins Rugby Sevens Cup Title in London; New Zealand Crowned Champions  IndiGo to Expand Network with New Direct Flights to Middle East  Jagdeep Thakral Moves to Oman as GM of dusitD2 Naseem Resort Jabal Akhdar  Royal Jordanian to Expand Fleet with Eight Embraer E2 Aircraft  Air Canada Installs Air Quality Sensors from IAGOS on an A330  Qantas to Lease Two Finnair A330s  American Airlines Signs 10-Year Use and Lease Agreement with DFW  airasia shop Expands Duty Free Options with Dufry  Songtsam Partners Xiamen Airlines to Promote Tourism to Yunnan, China  Air Astana Celebrates 21st Anniversary; Targets 8.5 Million Passengers in 2023  Elbit Systems to Supply 20 PULS Artillery Rocket Systems to Royal Netherlands Army  India's Aviation Market - Interview with Roshan Mendis, EVP / CCO of Sabre Travel Solutions  Ascott Appoints Two Vice Presidents of Business Development  Minor Hotels Partners Saudi Arabia's Tourism Development Fund  Air Canada Signs Codeshare Agreement with flydubai  IHG Signs MDA with Tashyid for 12 Holiday Inn Express Hotels in Saudi Arabia  Chiva-Som Wellness Resort in Thailand Launches Personalised Supplements Service  Accor Signs New-Build Novotel Hotel in Box Hill, Melbourne  Paris Saint-Germain Football Players Make Dreams Come True at Parc des Princes  Swiss-Belhotel Joins airasia SuperApp's OTA  Hellenic Air Force Takes Delivery of First Two M-346 Training Aircraft  AirAsia Malaysia Launches Flights Between Kuala Lumpur and Kertajati in West Java, Indonesia  Finnair Makes Major Changes to Baggage Restrictions; Launches Superlight Tickets  Plugo to Install EV Charging Stations at Marriott Hotels in Japan  Forward Bookings Show Peak Northern Summer Holiday Season Up 35% on 2022  SITA Reports Increase in Mishandled Baggage  Jewar Airport in Uttar Pradesh, India Signs PPS Agreement with Amadeus  Two Senior Appointments at Mandarin Oriental  India's Star Air Begins Commercial Flights with First E175 Aircraft  Savills Reports Strong Growth in Hotel ADR for Most Cities in Australia  Skyservice Business Aviation Opens FBO at Napa County Airport in California, USA  Hong Kong Rowing Association Celebrates Opening of Major Extension in Sha Tin  Embraer Showcases Short Runway Capability of E190-E2 in South Korea  Cathay Pacific Offering 5,590 Free Tickets to Residents of Bangladesh, India, Nepal and UAE  IHG Signs Two Hotels in Cairo, Egypt  Hong Kong Disneyland Reports Record-High Local Attendance and Annual Pass Membership  China Airlines to Operate First Passenger-Carrying Flight Using SAF  Singapore Festival of Football Attracts Top European Teams  French DGA Tests Airbus VSR700 Unmanned Aerial System at Sea  IHG Opens InterContinental Hotel in Rome, Italy  BP Completes US$1.3 Billion Acquisition of TravelCenters of America  Yotel Signs First Hotel in Thailand  AirAsia Malaysia to Launch Three New Routes to China  China Airlines to Launch Flights Between Kaohsiung and Seoul (Gimpo) in July  MasterCard Publishes Travel Industry Trends 2023 Report  Pictures from Miss International Queen 2022 in Pattaya, Thailand  HD Video Interviews from Miss International Queen 2022 in Pattaya, Thailand  HD Videos and Interviews  Podcasts from HD Video Interviews  RSS Feed - Travel Industry News  Ticker - Travel Industry News  Travel Industry News Archives  Travel Trade Shows  High-Res Picture Galleries  Travel News Asia - Latest Travel Industry News 

Subscribe to our Travel Industry News RSS Feed Travel Industry News RSS Feed from TravelNewsAsia.com. To do that in Outlook, right-click the RSS Feeds folder, select Add a New RSS Feed, enter the URL of our RSS Feed which is: https://www.travelnewsasia.com/travelnews.xml and click Add. The feed can also be used to add the headlines to your website or channel via a customisable applet. Have questions? Please read our Travel News FAQ. Thank you.

     
Advertising
Advertising
Copyright © 1997-2023 TravelNewsAsia.com