VisitBritain has forecasted inbound tourism for 2021 and the first signs of recovery for overseas visitors is predicted to be slow in the UK. VisitBritain has also forecasted  16.9 million inbound visits in 2021 which is an increase of 73 percent on this year. However, less than half of the 40 million visitors that the UK welcomed in 2019. In 2021, visitor spending is expected to reach  £9.0 billion in 2021. These figures are up 59 percent on 2020 but are still less than a third of the all-time spending high of £28.4 billion seen in 2019.

VisitBritain will launch campaigns across their major European markets in 2021

Tourism minister, Nigel Huddleston, said: “This forecast shows our tourism industry can look ahead to 2021 with renewed optimism for recovery.” VisitBritain is gearing up for the launch of a campaign in early 2021 across its major European markets including Germany and France, its third and fourth most valuable tourism source markets respectively. 

VisitBritain director, Patricia Yates, said: “UK tourism businesses usually welcome tens of millions of overseas visitors each year with those visitors spending billions, supporting jobs and local economies right across the country.This year of course has been very different with international travel largely at a standstill and businesses having lost months of vital trading.

She added: “Beginning to see signs of some green shoots is encouraging news for the industry and the economy as we look to 2021 and beyond. Tourism is also a fiercely competitive global industry and the key to success will be attracting visitors, those who can travel now, stimulating demand and bookings to drive the quickest return of international tourism spend.”

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