People in France, Spain, Italy and Germany are all more likely to oppose British holidaymakers visiting this summer amid coronavirus fears than they are tourists from other European countries.
While 40%-54% of Spaniards oppose tourists coming from a clutch of European nations, this figure rises to 61% for British tourists, a new YoGov poll found.
In France the figure is 55% compared to 32%-46% for other European countries’ tourists. In Italy it is 44% verses 29%-38%, and in Germany it is 58% verses 34%-52%.
However, people across Europe tend to be most worried by American and Chinese tourists.
US tourists are the most opposed in all countries surveyed, except Sweden where they come second to Chinese tourists, and Finland where they come second to Swedes. Overall 61%-79% of people in each country oppose allowing American tourists spending time in their country this summer.
Chinese tourists are similarly unpopular, with an opposition rate of 57%-77%. They are the most opposed group of tourists in America and Sweden, and second most opposed in most of the other countries.
The study also looked at how willing people are to visit other countries this summer.
“Coronavirus has clearly made people reluctant to travel abroad,” the research found.
“In Britain no destination was considered by more than 21% of people. In fact, for any given country no fewer than 40% of Britons said they would not go there specifically because of coronavirus.
“Given that many people wouldn’t have gone to other countries for other reasons, this means that the vast majority of people who might normally consider going somewhere on holiday are refusing to do so specifically because of coronavirus.
“In terms of the impact on tourism to Britain, a similar story plays out. Only 5%-20% of people in the other countries studied said they were considering spending time in Britain this summer. Again, around four in ten or more say that coronavirus is keeping them away.
“The sole exception here is France, where only 17% said this was the case, although this is because French people are far more likely to turn their noses up at the idea of ever going to Britain in the first place – 71%, compared to 31%-43% everywhere else.
“A similar story of preferring to stay put this summer plays out for most countries, including the French not wanting to visit regardless of how disease-riddled other nations are.”
Given a list of countries and asked whether they supported or opposed allowing tourists from those places to enter the UK without having to quarantine, Britons were more likely to be opposed in all cases, according to te study which was conducted in the wake of the government relaxing travel restrictions and quarantine rules for selected countries.
YouGov polled more than 1,600 people in the UK, more than 2,000 in Germany and 1,000 each in seven other European countries as well as the US.