Bookings for UK hold up despite terror attacks

UK tourism appear to be relatively undaunted by recent terror incidents, according to ForwardKeys.

As of June 17, bookings for July and August were 12 per cent ahead of what they were at the same time last year, a more positive position than the European average (7.8 per cent ahead).

Prior to the London Bridge attack on June 3, forward bookings for travel to UK in the same two-month period were 16 per cent ahead year-on-year.

There was no significant wave of cancellations after the incident, ForwardKeys stated, although there has been a slow-down in new bookings.

ForwardKeys emphasised that the stall in bookings could also have been influenced by the June 5 holiday in most major European countries, when fewer people book flights (the holiday fell a week earlier in 2016); and the dramatic impact of the Qatar travel blockade which led to mass cancellations by those flying to the UK via Doha.

Following the Westminster attack on March 22, the year-on-year increase in bookings for London slowed from 16.5 per cent (prior to the incident) to 7.3 per cent.

Enthusiasm for the UK seemingly waned further following the Manchester bombing on May 22, as the rate of bookings for London fell 3.5 per cent on last year.

Looking at arrivals from the beginning of June to bookings for the rest of June, ForwardKeys’ latest assessment is that June will still show double-digit growth on last year, 11 per cent ahead.

ForwardKeys stated that London and UK booking figures reflect a near-identical trend.

Sponsored Post