UK hotel tourism peaks following Brexit
Despite the economic and political uncertainty that quickly developed following the country’s decision to leave the European Union in June, one area of industry reported healthy business growth.
Hotels in the UK have seen a rise in bookings as summer tourism gets into full swing and tourists take advantage of the weaker pound. According to HotelsCombined, a global hotel price comparison site, the UK has welcomed the majority of its tourists from Spain, Italy, Portugal and the UAE post-Brexit.
It reported a 50% increase in searches and a 30% increase in bookings over the summer period. Italians were most keen to visit, increasing their bookings by 164% year on year, followed by the Spanish at a 140% increase, Portuguese residents, who made 92% more bookings than in 2015; and finally those from the UAE, where bookings increased by 95% compared to last year.
Dmitrijus Konovalovas, country manager for UK and Ireland at HotelsCombined, said: "The weaker pound has proved appealing to European visitors seeking an affordable short break. The key to ensuring sustainable growth will be for the UK travel industry to continue to demonstrate affordability and good value for those considering a visit from abroad.”
