India-UK
British Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Fleming says India forecast to be a billion-dollar visitor market for UK from 2025
British Deputy High Commissioner to East & Northeast India Andrew Fleming on Friday stated that India is one of the most important inbound visitor markets for Britain which is forecasted to touch a billion-pound (billion dollar) visitor market for the UK from 2025.
He described tourism as a major part of British trade.
"Tourism is an economic powerhouse and a major part of British trade, and it is great to see the build back in value post-pandemic with spend already exceeding 2019," he said while addressing VisitBritain's Great Tourism Roadshow in Kolkata.
He said: "Our work with the travel trade in India is incredibly important in East and Northeast India."
He said: "I believe this Great Tourism Roadshow supports us to boost visits across the seasons and across the Bengal-Britain corridor.”
According to a statement issued by the British Deputy High Commission's office in the city, visitors from India spent a record £764 million in the UK in 2022, exceeding 2019 levels.
"Today, we are conducting an itinerary-building workshop with the travel trade industry agents and tour operators here. It will help the participants in creating great itineraries for their clients as per their requirements," Vishal Bhatia, VisitBritain Country Manager, India, told IBNS.
As per VisitBritain website, the UK welcomed 516,484 visitors from India in 2022.
"This year we expect to see close to 700,000 visitors to the UK from India," Bhatia said.
The last statistics, covering the period between January to September 2023, as shared by the British Deputy High Commission's office, visitors from India spent £608 million on their trips to the UK from January to September 2023, up 16 percent compared to the same months in 2022.
More than 50 travel trade industry agents and tour operators attended the Great Tourism Roadshow in the city.
(Reporting by Supriyo Hazra)
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