Business | Tourism
UK tourism authorities scale down Olympics expectations
Ramadan expected to limit increase in high-spending UAE visitors
- By Shweta Jain, Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:00 February 14, 2012
Dubai With only a few months left until the London 2012 Olympics (from July 27 to August 12), the UK will see only a minor increase in visitors from the UAE this year.
Britain received around 250,000 UAE tourists last year, an increase of about five per cent over 2010, and tourism promotion authorities are expecting a small five per cent increase on that number this year, according to Carol Maddison, the UAE manager for VisitBritain, the country's national tourism agency.
"The fasting month of Ramadan this year will begin in mid-July, coinciding with the Games. So a lot of Emiratis may want to be in the UAE during that period," she told Gulf News.
The UAE is considered a high-spend market for the UK, with the average put at well above £1,000 (Dh5,783) per person against the global average of £500 per person, Keith Beecham, director of Overseas Network for VisitBritain, said.
"But we are not expecting a huge increase in visitor numbers to the UK this year — from the UAE as well as globally. We will have a flat year globally keeping in mind reasons such as the Eurozone crisis," Beecham said, adding that Europe accounts for half of Britain's tourism.
With the 2012 Olympics as a platform, VisitBritain is currently engaged in a global campaign promoting and marketing the UK as a tourist destination.
"It's a global campaign we have kicked off over a four-year period. We are investing £100 million into marketing UK as a tourist destination," Beecham said yesterday in Dubai on the sidelines of VisitBritain's marketing promotion in the UAE.
The exercise is part of the agency's efforts to ensure a surge in visitor numbers to Britain this year and the years ahead.
Gulf travellers
Meanwhile, the UK welcomedf 30.6 million tourists last year, according to Beecham, and a similar number is projected for this year as well.
"We expect the Middle East as a region to account for just under half-a-million visitors to the UK in 2012," he told Gulf News. "The UAE is a resilient market and continues to grow."
Further, around 250,000 hotel rooms will be made available in London during the Olympics event, according to Beecham. Asked if the hotel prices are expected to be bumped up significantly during the Games, he said: "We are going to see an increased demand during the Olympics months. However, there is a ‘fair price' charter that exists in the UK."
Meanwhile, VisitBritain has signed up Emirati film director Ali F. Mustafa as the UAE's goodwill ambassador.
The London-born director known for his City of Life joins other prominent personalities including Dame Judi Dench, Dev Patel and Jamie Oliver in sharing their personal views on Britain via the ‘Great Britain You're Invited' campaign.
According to VisitBritain, the idea behind appointing Mustafa was to encourage Emirati tourists to visit the UK.
Business Editor's choice
-
China breaks West's solar monopoly
Some countries in the world, especially Germany and the United States, have made considerable efforts to invest in developing solar energy cells
-
Burberry store spree will cut profit
Trenchcoat maker forges ahead with investment strategy targeting emerging markets
-
Laws needed to spur region bond markets
UAE Central Bank calls for creation of a centralised Sharia board to facilitate the sale of sukuk
