One of the world’s leading travel wholesalers today predicted a more than 30% rise in UK hotel room nights in the second half of the year – largely due to Brexit.
Travel brokerage company Tourico Holidays has already sold nearly 250,000 room nights in the UK in 2016 – led by a 12% year-on-year increase from the US.
While source markets like China and Germany only account for 4% and 6% of inbound UK travel bookings respectively, both countries have seen average daily reservations double since the referendum vote to leave the European Union.
The US-based business is forecasting that Brexit will significantly strengthen inbound travel to UK even further.
Tourico currently partners with more than 1,000 hotels in the UK, including Park Plaza Hotels, Corus Hotel Hyde Park London, and Hilton Hotel Group.
The company has increased its resources in the UK to prepare for the heightened demand by taking on a team of new sales staff dedicated to contracting travel suppliers and operators across the country.
Secondary markets, like Manchester, have already grown 60% in forward bookings since the Brexit vote.
Tourico European region vie president, Mark Richmond, said: “The United Kingdom has always been one of Tourico’s top revenue earning destinations, but early booking trends since Brexit show a falling pound is actually strengthening the UK travel market.
“Not only will international travellers see it as an opportunity to finally book a trip to what was formerly considered a high-priced destination, we anticipate British travellers will also travel more within the UK – to avoid exchanging a weak currency.
“We partner with over 1,000 UK-based hotels – from London to Glasgow – and we expect high demand at all of them in the second half of 2016.”