UKinbound is calling on the government to recognise the power of sports tourism as an economic driver ahead of the Rugby World Cup kick off on Friday.
International visitors are expected to contribute about £869 million to the UK thanks to the tournament.
The Rugby World Cup will be the single biggest boost to UK tourism since the 2012 Olympics as the tournament attracts more than 440,000 international visitors to 11 cities across the UK, according to new research conducted by Ernst & Young.
UKinbound is reinforcing the key recommendations of its #TourismABC campaign, which was launched to prompt greater consideration from the government for the inbound tourism industry.
Not only should the government ‘Acknowledge’ the economic benefits of inbound tourism, but it should also ‘Build’ a strong national transport infrastructure to drive regional tourism, and prove that it is ‘Committed’ to tourism, according to the organisation.
UKinbound chief executive, Deirdre Wells, said: “The Rugby World Cup will play a key role in cementing the UK’s reputation as a world class tourist destination.
“Sport has a powerful impact on boosting tourism spend and stimulating employment across the UK and it is imperative that the government continues to support sporting events to ensure the continued growth of the British visitor economy.
“Our 350 members all share our enthusiasm in hosting such a prolific sporting event and we hope to support the government in the bidding of such events in the future, further cementing the UK as a must-see, must-visit destination.”