Nigel Pocklington from Hotels.com, a global expert in online travel, is urging the Government to take full advantage of what is being described as Britain’s summer of fun, to generate a long-term boost for UK tourism.

Six weeks before the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations and less than 100 days to go until the start of the Olympics, London and the UK will be in the international spotlight more this summer than ever before.
Over 12,000 new hotel rooms will have been built and added to the market in time for the Games and Hotels.com has seen room prices during the peak Olympic period rise by 97% compared to last year.

Nigel Pocklington says people shouldn’t be put off by the popularity of the games.

“There are still good deals and availability during the Olympic period but, if you find the hotel you want for the dates you want, book now on a reputable booking site and don’t wait forbargains at such a busy time of the year.”

“Prices will be at a premium but we expect visitors to be willing to travel further to get to and from the sporting events, and don’t forget there are plenty of events being held outside of London.”

‘Looking further ahead this is a unique opportunity for the UK tourist industry. Never again will we be able to showcase the UK and London in such a spectacular way over an extended period of time. To take full advantage of this beyond this year, the Government needs to ensure that everything is geared up to welcome tourists to Britain. This country currently has amongst the most expensive aviation taxes anywhere in the world and that must be addressed. We have a bigger hotels supply than ever before in our capital, we have spectacular events to attract visitors and everything has to be in place to make the UK an attractive travel location for international visitors.”

The ‘summer of fun’ effect is expected to last at least three years with many visitors planning return visits. The Royal Wedding reignited worldwide interest in the UK and with all the landmark events this year we expect the feel good factor to continue, with everyone benefitting, from restaurateurs to taxis and the economy in general.