UK government policies hurt tourism spending

The UK government faces accusations of undermining the tourism industry, with international visitor spending in 2024 falling £2.2 billion below pre-pandemic levels. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) attributes the decline to government policies creating "barriers to travel," including electronic travel authorizations, the lack of tax-free shopping, and increased air passenger duty. The WTTC reported that visitors spent £40.3 billion in 2024, a 5.3% decrease from 2019. The WTTC also criticized budget cuts to VisitBritain and called for greater prioritization of the tourism sector, which contributes significantly to the UK's GDP and employment. The government plans to launch a visitor economy strategy this autumn.