Undervaluing inbound tourism ‘will hamper the UK economy's recovery from coronavirus'

Tourism trade association UKinbound has issued a stark warning that the country risks damaging and prolonging its economic recovery if the inbound tourism industry does not receive long-term financial support alongside domestic and outbound tourism recovery plans.

The warning comes as the association releases its latest business barometer results, with one in three tourism businesses stating they will have to stop trading in the next six months, even with the current government support in place. Just 27% of respondents said their business will survive the coronavirus crisis.

The barometer, compiled in conjunction with Qa research, also found that confidence about the impending 12 months hit an all-time low, with just 11% of respondents saying they were confident about the coming year.

Joss Croft, chief executive of UKinbound, said: "Over the past two months the government has put in place vast financial support programmes which has been a lifeline for many tourism businesses, albeit some are still falling through the gaps. But as we look to the recovery path and the lifting of domestic restrictions, it's imperative that the needs of those businesses that rely wholly on international visitors aren't forgotten."

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