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UKinbound: Visitor numbers improve but barriers remain
UKinbound has welcomed the latest inbound tourism data showing a continued recovery close to pre-pandemic levels.
It is being led by record visitation from North America, but is still being constrained by excessive costs for inbound travelers, says CEO Joss Croft.
The ONS report on inbound tourism says visits to the UK in 2023 were at 93% of 2019 levels.
“These figures are encouraging and show that inbound tourism is firmly on the road to recovery,” Crodt said.
“The last twelve months were a superb year for the industry as we build towards further growth in 2024.”
“However, this growth risks being constrained by several barriers which put the UK at a competitive disadvantage, from sky-high levels of APD to visa costs,” Croft added.
Croft also cited the lack of tax-free shopping for international visitors as a disincentive for international travellers.
“This will be a year of change for inbound tourism and the Government can back the industry and unleash its potential for economic growth.”
“By fully supporting the inbound sector, we can quickly deliver real growth for the UK economy.”
Related News Stories: VisitBritain publishes inbound tourism forecast for 2024 – TravelMole
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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