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Jan 24, 2006
Visit London
has predicted that total visits to London
will grow by 1.2% to 26.6 million while visitor spending will rise 2.7% to £9.8
billion in 2006.
The visitor forecasts were made at an
industry briefing held to discuss the impact that the July bombings will have
on the capital's second largest industry. According to the panelists, 2005 got
off to a strong start with a sharp rise in foreign arrivals in the UK and London.
However, domestic travel was down, and this uneven growth was further
compounded by the London
bombings with an immediate reluctance from domestic consumers to travel to the
capital. Nonetheless, foreign visitors continued to flow into the UK.
Observers say the London bombings will not have a lasting
impact on the travel industry. The strongest overseas growth levels in 2006 are
likely to come from Eastern Europe and Asia
taking foreign visits to a record level of 14.9 million, with spending
increasing by 4.5% to £7.2 billion.
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