Travel Industry, News and Analytics

The UK Reveals the Number of Tourists That are Expected to Visit the Country During Christmas

UKinbound, the leading travel association in the UK, has released its new report regarding the number of international tourists that are likely to arrive for the festive season. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic remains the major hindrance for the hospitality industry of the country, so UKinbound doesn’t have its expectations high. The release states that the number of international guests visiting the UK for Christmas will be approximately 75% down in November and December compared to the same period of 2019. The 2019 Christmas season yielded the UK economy £4.25 billion.

Hotels in London, Edinburg, Manchester, and other major cities, as well as local tour operators and attraction companies, also do not expect a profitable end of the year. 89% of respondents that participated in a survey are sure that the number of foreign guests visiting the UK for Christmas will be lower than in 2019. The survey was taken before the new restrictions caused by Omicron, which may shrink the potential revenues even more.

Four out of five local hospitality providers, which participated in the survey, expect their revenues to be down 75% or more. Although many restrictions were lifted for international guests, it is still too early to talk about an influx of tourists. Local hotels were also asked whether they had cancellations of trips to the UK in November/December and what was the reason for that. It turns out that clients decide to postpone holidays in the UK, deferring their visits to 2022.

UKinbound also asked inbound tour operators and destination management companies about their expected revenues as they were responsible for bringing more than half of all international travelers to the UK in 2019. On average, these businesses expect their revenues to be down by 93% in November-December 2021 compared to the same period of 2019.

The industry was on the verge of survival prior to the announcement of the newest restrictions caused by Omicron. Christmas is traditionally one of the most important periods of the year for the hospitality industry. The latest restrictions make it even harder for international guests to visit the UK. Hotels across the country already see an increased number of cancellations for the end of the year. Tourists are increasingly interested in visiting the UK next year but today inbound tourism worth £28.4 billion in 2019 (the third largest export of the country) continues to be in deep crisis.

Individual City Guides

Breda travel guide

Breda is a small town and a motherland of the great artist Diego Velasquez. Even years this town was known as a large center of food industry though for many, this place was traditionally popular as a tourist resort. The key for this lays in the fact there are simply no large and modern megalopolises in the Netherlands, so Breda is considered one of the coziest and most picturesque old towns in the country. This destination will suit those travellers, who seek peaceful and calm rest. One of … Read further

Cuisine of Merida

Merida is ready to delight gourmets with a variety of interesting dishes and drinks. Since the city can hardly be called touristy, most of its restaurants is aimed at locals and serve typical regional food. The menu necessarily contains a variety of pork dishes. Pork is cooked over an open fire, added to soups and goulashes, used to prepare delicious ham and various types of sausages. Seasonal vegetables are given great attention too. Salads and roasts, as well as interesting first courses are … Read further

Traditions and festivals in Kaiserslautern

Kaiserslautern is an old city that has survived through many epochs. During its long history, the city hasn’t changed much in size, so it is still not very big. Perhaps, this is the reason why the atmosphere of peace and serenity reigns here. It feels like time has stopped in Kaiserslautern, so it is the right place to forget about all troubles and relax. Despite the fact that it is considered a tourist city, Kaiserslautern is great not only for relaxing but also for working and studying. It … Read further

Nagano cultural sights

Due to the abundance of ancient Buddhist temples, Nagano has remained one of the major religious centers in Japan for many centuries. One of the most famous religious and tourist sites is Zenkoji Temple, which keeps a unique Buddhist relic - a Buddha image created in the 6th century. This Buddhist treasure is publicly displayed once every six years, and for the rest of the time, its copy is installed in the temple instead. The ancient temple itself is of great historical value too. The exact … Read further

Waalwijk attractions and entertainment

If you choose such an amazing city as Valaewijk as your holiday destination, you will definitely not regret your decision. Despite the fact that the town is quite small, it is ready to offer a lot of entertainment. Thus, bowling fans have a center built especially for them - this is Mini Atlantis with its fascinating interior, which is rightfully considered one of the city's best places to play this sport. Get absolutely fantastic impressions from visiting Jump XL Trampoline Park Waalwijk, a … Read further

Pico Island for families and kids

Pico Island will please active children who are ready to try something new with their parents every day. There are a lot of quite interesting architectural attractions that will definitely interest babies with its unusual constructions. Boys and girls will enjoy visiting the Fort of Santa Catarina, the only preserved fortification on the island since the 15th century. You should definitely visit the Regional Pico Museum with your child, which tells about the history of the settlement of the … Read further

Shopping in Bielefeld

Bielefeld will not disappoint lovers of shopping trips. Many city's shopping streets start right from the railway station. There are six major shopping centers, the most popular of which is Galeria Kaufhof. It was opened in 1879. Originally, it was trading textile products. Nowadays, it can boast dozens of shops, selling clothes and shoes for every taste, perfume, and lovely household goods, goods for children and exciting souvenirs. Its price range may seem quite high to many, but the quality … Read further

Extreme and fun in Albertville

Alpine Skiing. The town of Albertville is located in a picturesque mountain area. If you choose to spend your vacation there, you will be able to admire a breath-taking landscape and enjoy active recreation and skiing. If you are yet a beginner, you will be pleased with a selection of flat trails. For professional skiers, the resort has special, black trails. There are also schools that offer training for skiers of all levels. The town hosted the 1992 Olympic Games, so tourists can ski on the … Read further