UK visitor numbers plummet (TOURISM IN TROUBLE ALERT)

BBC News ^ | October 31, 2002 | BBC News

[MadIvan]

The number of foreign tourists visiting the UK saw its biggest fall in 20 years in 2001, official figures show.

The impact of September 11 and the foot-and-mouth outbreak contributed to the sharp decline, which saw a £1.5bn drop in the amount spent by visitors to the UK.

Visitor numbers fell 9% to 22.8m.

To make matters worse for the struggling UK tourist trade, the same period saw more Britons than ever choosing to holiday abroad.

This saw the tourism deficit - the difference between the amount spent by visitors to the UK compared to that spent by Britons abroad - rise to a record £14bn.

The figures, produced by the Office for National Statistics, show a particularly steep decline in the number of tourists from the US - traditionally the highest-spending visitors to the UK.

An ONS spokesman said the foot-and-mouth outbreak which affected much of rural Britain during the first half of last year had contributed to both the decline in overseas visitors and the increase in Britons holidaying abroad.

The spokesman said the figures up to August for 2002 had shown some improvement on 2001, but were still below 2000's level.

"We would hope that the travel balance of payments deficit will be lower this year, but it is too early to say."

Ken Kelling, spokesman for the English Tourism Council, which promotes domestic tourism in England, told BBC News Online the figures were disappointing, but that efforts were already underway to attract British and foreign tourists to holiday in the UK.

He said: "Foot-and-mouth and September 11 had a serious impact on tourism here, foot-and-mouth on our image overseas and September 11 on people's willingness to travel.

"Visitors from nearby European countries, Spain, Germany etc, have come back quite quickly, but it has not been so quick with the high-spending US and Japanese markets."

He said that as well as encouraging foreign tourists to return, it was important to encourage Britons to holiday in their own country.

"We had a stark reminder last year that four out of every five pounds spent on tourism in this country is spent by people who live here."

The figures are released as the British Tourist Authority unveils a long-term plan to increase the UK's income from tourism.

The BTA's "Leading the World to Britain" campaign aims to build on emerging markets in eastern Europe and the Far East, as well as putting more emphasis on the distinctiveness of Britain's three nations, and increasing UK tourism's internet presence.

[MadIvan]

I would urge my American friends to take a trip to the UK - here are a few things to see:

The Imperial War Museum
The Cabinet War Rooms
The London Transport Museum

You can also have a fine meal at:

Rowley's of Jermyn Street

I will post more links on request.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[chasio649]

I have been told by friends that the IWM was the highlight of their vacation....i would really like to see that one day. I am just now learning more about Churchill, savior of the free world in my opinion.

[Happygal]

Oi!!! You forgot to tell them to take a trip on the ferry over to Ireland when their at it!!! :-)

Remember Ireland was hit bad with F&M too (no thanks you lot exporting it into us!! *L*) The least you can do now is nudget a few Yanks in our direction :-)

[MadIvan]

Oi!!! You forgot to tell them to take a trip on the ferry over to Ireland when their at it!!! :-)

Ah, but darling, why would I have to do that, when most assuredly you'd be reminding our friends here that you lot retain all of the good Guinness. ;)

Love, Ivan

[Happygal]

We also hold the franchise on sassy, fiesty, Irish women ;-)

Come and git 'em boys! *LOL*

[MadIvan]

We also hold the franchise on sassy, fiesty, Irish women ;-)

I suspect some people in Boston might want to argue. Not that they'd win, mind you. ;)

Come and git 'em boys! *LOL*

I already did. ;)

Love, Ivan

[Happygal]

I suspect some people in Boston might want to argue. Not that they'd win, mind you. ;)

Damn right they wouldn't win....as you well know *LOL*......and besides, why settle for the 'plastic' version when you can have the real thing? ;-)

[MadIvan]

Damn right they wouldn't win....as you well know *LOL*......and besides, why settle for the 'plastic' version when you can have the real thing? ;-)

Well probably for the same reason why people go to Epcot Centre rather than the real Ireland or Britain for that matter. Not that I know why people go to Epcot Centre, either. ;)

And I'm glad I have my real thing, darling. ;)

Love, Ivan

[Jmouse007]

The Imperial War Museum is outstanding and well worth the trip (I was going to say worth "the price of admission," but it, like many other state run museums in GB are FREE!) The IWM is huge, 4 or 5 stories high and filled to the brim with history. I saw the Munich Pact "Peace in our time" letter along with the tank Monty used in North Africa, just to name a few things.

[Jmouse007]

One more thing, they speak ENGLISH there! I live in the Bosotn area, if you hear of any cheap air fares let me know, I would enjoy taking my wife for a 4 day trip :o)

[billorites]

There's tons to see in the UK, but for a few more bucks an American can continue on to Southern France.

"Yorkshire or Provence? How to decide..."

[MadIvan]

There's tons to see in the UK, but for a few more bucks an American can continue on to Southern France

You actually want to give money to the French?

Regards, Ivan

[mewzilla]

And for the folks with older interests, there's also Stonehenge and Avebury, Cirencester, Bath, Glastonbury. Just to name a few :)

[from occupied ga]

While I'm sure that there are plenty of Brits who are not insane (yourself for example), I would rather visit places where my tourist dollars are not going to help sustain a form of madness called "socialism." For the same reason, I do not voluntarily visit places like the Peoples' Democracies of Massachussetts, Kalifornia, New Jersy, New York, Maryland, etc. unless I absolutely must.

My last vacation of any note (several years ago) was in Wyoming and Montana. Since I have my own business I rarely take vacations anyway.

[Always Right]

An ONS spokesman said the foot-and-mouth outbreak which affected much of rural Britain during the first half of last year

I blame the foot-n-mouth outbreak from anti-American Editorials which appeared throughout much of Britain during the first part of this year.

[Gorzaloon]

Well probably for the same reason why people go to Epcot Centre rather than the real Ireland or Britain for that matter. Not that I know why people go to Epcot Centre, either. ;)

Well, Ivan, we just got back from nine days at WDW, and our Yankee accents were very much in the minority, as it seems most of the UK were there.

We loved holidaying in the real UK. Favorite places were the South (Dorset, etc.) and Snowdonia...and of course, London.

The difference is, people _live_ in the Real UK. I felt funny gawking at people's gardens.

However, the fake UK at WDW, the Rose&Crown, does not provide stilton with their ploughman's (Imagine!), so a plane ticket IS in order.

[MadIvan]

I blame the foot-n-mouth outbreak from anti-American Editorials which appeared throughout much of Britain during the first part of this year.

You get the same amount of anti-American editorials from your own press.

Britain has sent our troops and our government has stood with you, saying that we will pay the "blood price". That should negate any effects from a few whingeing lefties in the newsrooms of unpopular papers.

If it doesn't...well then that's just petty.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

While I'm sure that there are plenty of Brits who are not insane (yourself for example), I would rather visit places where my tourist dollars are not going to help sustain a form of madness called "socialism."

I don't see how you are helping socialism if you make British business stronger, which will in turn lead to donations to the British Conservative Party.

Regards, Ivan