despite Brexit concerns and a proposed tourism tax. Ian Taylor reports from Glasgow
Balcombe blames Brexit for 10% inbound decline
Inbound bookings to the UK are at least 10% down on a year ago and declining due to Brexit, VisitBritain has revealed.
Sally Balcombe, chief executive
of the tourism marketing authority, told the UKinbound convention in Glasgow: “All the concerns about Brexit are filtering into the results. We saw a decline of 10%-14% in December and when we look forward we see a decline across the board. “Even as we were preparing
these figures we saw the trend data declining.” Balcombe reported ‘intention-
to-travel’ research among EU consumers found 32% “said their perception of Britain has declined”. She described the trend as “particularly strong in France and the Netherlands” and said: “The desire to travel to the UK has decreased again since 2018. There is a decline in every market [in Europe] in interest in Britain.” Balcombe told UKinbound
“There is a decline in every market [in Europe] in interest in travel to Britain”
members: “The messages are not getting through. We’ve said to the government, ‘Give us some messaging’.” Asked what is affecting
perception of Britain, she said: “Anecdotally, we hear ‘Do I need a passport? Do I need a visa?’” She said: “We’re working on messaging with the government and awaiting sign-off. We’ll be ramping up promotional activity across Europe around the themes of welcome and value for money, targeting France, Germany, Italy and Spain.”
Balcombe also promised “a big campaign with easyJet” across France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain.
BALCOMBE: ‘Brexit concerns are filtering into the results’
Despite declining numbers
from Europe, Balcombe said: “We are still forecasting growth [for this year] and still hope to hit 40 million visitors by 2020.” She described 2018 as a “story
of two halves” for inbound tourism following a record 2017 when visitor numbers passed 39 million. Balcombe said: “We had
fantastic growth from China, up 43% on 2017. Chinese visitors will probably spend £1 billion this year, up 50% on 2017. We’ve started to see the Japanese market turn – it was up 9% [in 2018] as airlines put on new capacity. “The US saw really good growth
and we forecast this year to June the US will be 31% up [year on year].” But she said: “However well we
do from China or the US, Europe provides two-thirds of our visitors.”
VisitScotland fears recruitment ‘catastrophe’
Staff recruitment is the biggest Brexit-related concern for inbound businesses, which report difficulty filling vacancies requiring language skills. VisitScotland chief executive Malcolm Roughead
told the UKinbound convention: “The impact of Brexit on how we recruit staff could be catastrophic. “In Scotland, we’re going to need 600,000 jobs
[filled] over the next decade. Where are these people going to come from?” UKinbound chief executive Joss Croft agreed:
“Recruitment is a huge concern.” He noted the government Immigration White
Paper published in December, which sets out proposals for post-Brexit immigration policy, proposes a £30,000 salary cap on EU workers. Croft told Travel Weekly: “Brits are not very good
at foreign languages. Much as we would like the UK to be upskilling, it won’t happen overnight.” Jayne Pearce Travel Recruitment founder
Jayne Pearce said: “The cost of living in London is also affecting [the market].” Croft said: “Some businesses are talking about EU staff going ‘home’. It’s not just Brexit – it is the weak pound and the fact that people’s ‘home’ economies are improving.”
A no-deal Brexit would be scary – UKinbound’s Croft
The prospect of a no-deal Brexit is “scary”, according to UKinbound chief executive Joss Croft, who said: “We’re in uncharted territory.” He suggested “inflammatory” UK media headlines had damaged the perception of Britain abroad, saying: “They get picked up around the world, to the detriment of an industry that contributes 10% of GDP.” But he told Travel Weekly: “The government has begun to deliver a little more clarity about open skies and visa-free travel. Our members need to be able to transact smoothly across borders.” Croft took over as chief
executive in November, joining from the UK Department for International Trade. His predecessor Deirdre Wells
is chairwoman of the Tourism Alliance and head of VisitKent. UKinbound represents almost
400 UK inbound businesses, including 135 tour operators.
ROUGHEAD: ‘We’re going to need 600,000 jobs filled’
14 February 2019
travelweekly.co.uk79
PICTURES: PATRICK BALLS; JAMES DRURY
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