UNITED KINGDOM, Set Priorities

VisitBritain met with top tourism industry leaders at its annual event recently to set out the priorities to support the industry in its recovery and rebuilding. The hybrid event looked at helping the recovery of national and international tourism, stimulating demand and supporting the rebuilding of a more resilient, sustainable and accessible industry.

Forecasts from VisitBritain show a slow recovery, with spending on domestic tourism this year estimated at UK£51.4 billion, just over half of the UK£91.6 billion in 2019. In 2020 alone the national tourism sector lost about two-thirds of its value, representing a loss of UK£58 billion for the economy. The forecast for inbound tourism spending in the UK this year is UK£6.2bn, down from a quarter of UK£28.4 billion in 2019.

Tourism represents UK£127 billion to the economy; the industry is the UK's 3rd largest service export, employing more than 3.1 million people.

The pandemic saw visitor spending fall by 78% in 2020 compared to 2019, and national spending by 63%, resulting in an estimated loss to the economy of UK£285 million a day from tourism.

Tourism is a fundamental industry for the UK that generates employment and economic growth and reinforces the country’s place on the world stage.

WORLD TOURISM ORGANISATION OPENS 1ST REGIONAL OFFICE IN RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

The United Nations’ World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has launched its firstever regional office in the Middle East in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh. The new office will act as a hub for the UNWTO to coordinate with the region’s 13 member states on various tourism projects, products and initiatives. Saudi Arabia has also recently donated UK£70.62 million to the World Bank’s tourism fund.