London Tower Bridge against the city skyline
TOURIST arrivals in London hit a record 31.5 million in 2015, an increase of 20 per cent over the last five years.
International visitors reached 18.6 million in 2015, up seven per cent from 17.4 million in 2014. Meanwhile, domestic tourism (from within Great Britain) accounted for 12.9 million visitors last year.
The unprecedented visitor volumes have translated into a 35 per cent increase in tourism spending compared to 2010, amounting to 15 billion pounds (US$21.7 billion) in receipts on hotels, restaurants, shopping and attractions.
Tourism players such as Bernard Donoghue, director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, attributed the robust tourism performance to “the diversity and excellence of our tourism experiences…from Harry Potter to Beatrix Potter, Shakespeare to shopping”.
As well, major events including Cosmonauts: The Birth of Space Age, at the Science Museum, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at the V&A, The Elephant Man at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and the 2015 Rugby World Cup helped draw visitors to the city.
This year is looking to be another momentous year as the UK celebrates 400 years of Shakespeare’s legacy, events to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday and Tate Modern opening a major new extension, which is being hailed as the most important new cultural building in the UK since the British Library in 1998.
London could welcome 35.6 million visitors to the city by 2020, according to predictions by independent forecaster Oxford Economics.
Mayor Khan voiced his support for the tourism industry
“London has something for everyone and an appeal that clearly extends across the globe,” said Sadiq Khan, the newly-elected mayor of the city. “I’ve pledged to do all I can to support our vital tourism industry so London continues to be a top choice for travellers.”
The tourism industry contributes over 36 billion pounds to the capital every year and supports around 700,000 jobs.
