Over two-thirds of tourist visits to Great Britain come from Europe, and VisitBritain, the body responsible for tourism promotion, reassures European citizens traveling to London and the rest of the United Kingdom: the procedures will not change during 2020.
Flights, ferries, coaches, and trains will continue to operate normally, and the documents required by EU citizens to travel to the United Kingdom for holidays will not change at least until 2021. EU citizens will be able to travel with identity cards, use European healthcare and Health Insurance Cards (EHIC), and will continue to travel to the UK for holidays or short trips without the need for a visa. Travelers holding a biometric passport can use e-gates for quick and easy entry into the country.
VisitBritain’s Director for Europe, Robin Johnson, said:
“Europe has been and will always be an incredibly important market for the UK, which welcomes around 27 million European visits every year. We are reassuring EU visitors that entry and travel procedures to the UK will not change in 2020 and they can continue to book with confidence. Visitors can expect a warm welcome and, with our breathtaking landscapes, world-renowned culture, rich heritage, and vibrant cities, it’s always a great time to visit Britain.”
“We have been encouraged by the strong response from our clients in Europe to our reassurance campaigns and welcome messages, and we are confident that visitors will continue to choose Britain as one of their top holiday destinations. With our hotels, shops, and attractions offering great value for money this year, it really is a great time to book a trip to Britain.”
VisitBritain research shows that for most potential visitors from Europe, the UK’s exit from the EU does not affect their decision to holiday in Britain and the country is still regarded as a welcoming destination. For many months, we have been working with industry partners across Europe on reassurance messages to clarify to visitors that they can still visit the UK after it leaves the EU under any circumstances.
VisitBritain will launch a major new campaign in Europe this spring to promote the fantastic experiences visitors can have only in Britain, telling stories of people and places that make modern Britain such an exciting and welcoming destination. The campaign will run in France and Germany, two of the UK’s largest tourism markets, as well as in Italy, the Netherlands, Nordic countries, and Spain. This follows last summer’s promotion of the UK as a tourist destination in Europe with the “British Summertime” campaign, in addition to regular marketing activities, to drive last-minute bookings and extend the summer booking period.VisitBritain is also continuing to work with partners across Europe, including airlines and tour operators, to support the industry in converting the aspiration to visit the UK into actual bookings.
VisitBritain has recently released its inbound tourism forecast for 2020. It has predicted a record year both for the total number of visits to the UK and for the amount that will be spent by visitors. Overseas visitor spending in the UK is expected to reach a record £26.6 billion in 2020, up 6.6% from the projected £25 billion spend in 2019.
The number of overseas visits to the UK is expected to rise this year to 39.7 million, the highest ever, and up 2.9% compared to 2019.
Pubblicato in Destinations
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