UK to see highest level of overseas consumer spending
since 2012 Olympics, with Middle East travellers expected to lead the way;
Arabian Travel Market to showcase Great British destinations
This year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM), a
sister event of World Travel Market London, will provide the perfect platform
for UK destinations, hotels and attractions, as well as regional outbound tour
operators as Middle East travellers are expected to play a key role in the UK’s
continued tourism growth.
According to the World Travel and Tourism
Council the total contribution of travel and tourism to the United Kingdom is
forecast to reach $363.77
billion (£290.9 billion) by
2026. In 2015, (the most recent official full year figures available) the UAE
set a new record for overseas consumer spending in the United Kingdom when
receipts from 347,000 arrivals increased 12% to reach $608.99 million.
“This will rise further as visitors take
advantage of the low exchange rate following last year’s Brexit vote - the UK
voted to leave the European Union in June 2016, a shock result triggering a
fall of over 10% in the value of sterling against the US dollar, providing Gulf
visitors with added value,” said Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, Arabian Travel Market, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 24 – 27 April.
“The UK is a close
partner of the UAE and wider Middle East region, in both tourism and trade,
welcoming more than one million visitors from January to October 2016 – a year
on year increase of 4%.
“The
UK will also have strong representation at Expo 2020, as the seventh country to
announce its participation. As the fourth
largest industry, hospitality and tourism is a lynchpin of the UK
economy, currently representing 10% of GDP, or around $178.82 billion,” added
Press.
“The
numbers speak for themselves. While Britain has enjoyed a long and rich history
of hospitality and heritage, the new conditions have created a favourable
opportunity for the UK in the midst of significant economic uncertainties.”
Some of the
UK-based exhibitors already committed to participating at this year’s ATM include:
AVIS Budget EMEA Ltd, CitySpeed Tours, Digital Trip Ltd, Hertz MEA, Conxxe, JAC
Travel LTD, Let's Travel Services Limited, Miki Travel Limited, Oceandusk
Group, RATEGAIN TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED, Rocco Forte Hotels Ltd, The Travelbook
Group, Travco Corporation Ltd., Travellanda, Traveltek Ltd, and Chic Outlets.
From January to April of last year Middle
Eastern nationalities totalled 38% of the overall UK tax free spend, with a
healthy 11% YOY growth against a -6% decline overall in the UK. Over that period, nationals from Qatar, the
United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia spent an average of $1,923, $1,663 and $1,570
per person respectively.
A recent report
from card payments processor Worldpay revealed UAE tourists visiting the UK in
December spent nearly a third more than they did in the corresponding month in
2015 and, according to predictions from Visit Britain, a taste for luxury goods
could see international tourists spend as much as $30.13bn in the country this
year, an increase of 8% on 2016.
Global arrival numbers to Britain are rising
steadily and are expected to reach 38.1 million by the end of the year, an
increase of 4% on 2016.
Heightened activity
was first reported in July 2016, when 3.8 million visitors arrived in a single
month, spending $3.12bn and continuing a long-term pattern of growth - this
year Britain is expected to enjoy the biggest rise in tourism spending since the
2012 London Olympics.
CitySpeed Tours said: “We are very excited about exhibiting at this year’s Arabian
Travel Market. Every year we are welcoming more and more visitors from the
Middle East and the event will provide us with the perfect opportunity to
showcase to the region exactly what we offer.”
For more information on Arabian Travel Market
2017, please visit: www.arabiantravelmarket.com
