More tourists came to the UK in 2016 than ever before February 17, 2017 No, it's not your imagination – there were more tourists visiting the UK than ever before in 2016. Last year, a record-breaking 37.3m inbound visitors filled the streets of Britain, up three per cent from 2015 and even more than the predicted number of 36.7m, VisitBritain's latest figures show. The numbers point to strong growth from North America. [...]
If you enjoy eating lunch in very pointy buildings, floating high above ant-sized Londoners, well you really can’t go far wrong with Oblix August 23, 2016 A dazzle-swank brasserie and rotisserie on the 32nd floor of a very tall building, Oblix is a high-altitude restaurant serving grilled Western comforts, steaks and fine seafood with impressive panoramic views of London all around. Sit by a window and you’ll feel like an omniscient god in some top-down strategy video game. WHERE? Easily the [...]
Eurotunnel profits rocket as boss hails “best year in our history” March 1, 2017 Groupe Eurotunnel, the owner of the Channel Tunnel, has announced its "best year" ever as profits shot up, despite Eurostar passenger numbers being "badly affected" by terrorist attacks in Paris, Brussels and Nice. Read more: Records fall as Eurotunnel keeps on truckin' The figures Net consolidated profits were €200m for the year, compared to €75m for 2015. [...]
Mayoral candidate Ivan Massow plans to raise £400m from a London tourist tax June 16, 2015 London could rein in almost half a billion pounds in public revenue with a tourist tax, a Conservative mayoral candidate has told City A.M.. Ivan Massow, who is in the running to take over from Boris Johnson as mayor of London, believes there should be a charge a rate of £1 per star per [...]
This architect has already designed a Mexican border wall for Donald Trump January 27, 2017 Now Donald Trump is all systems go on his border wall, here's one step he can skip: the design stage is already in the bag, thanks to Mexican architecture practice Estudio 3.14. In conjunction with the University of Connecticut, the firm has helpfully created a design for a giant wall between the US and Mexico, [...]
Leicester City’s Premier League title win delivered £140m to the local economy – and this year it will be even more November 21, 2016 Leicester’s Premier League title triumph contributed £140m to the local economy during 2015-16, according to a new study, and that figure is expected to rise again this season. The Foxes’ historic 5000-1 success delivered a total economic output of £193m, generated taxes of £78m and supported 2,500 jobs, the report by EY for the club [...]
Weak pound draws tourists to London’s Westfield centres September 28, 2016 Westfield shopping centres have been inundated with Chinese customers bulk buying Burberry handbags on the back of the weak pound. In July, Chinese spend in Westfield Stratford jumped 116 per cent year on year. Chinese spend in Westfield London, White City, increased by 16 per cent. Read more: Westfield Stratford set for more visitors in [...]
The weaker pound sent Chinese and US tourists on a spending spree in the UK last month August 22, 2016 The UK's purse received a boost from tourist spending in the month following the referendum, as visitors from made the most of the weaker pound. International tax free shopping spending rose seven per cent overall in July, according to retail tourism experts Global Blue. Travellers from the US increased their tax free shopping by 22 per [...]
London is a monument to the benefits of openness and internationalism February 6, 2017 "London is open”. This much-publicised campaign, launched by mayor of London Sadiq Khan and garlanded with column inches and broadcast coverage, is doing a great job of communicating the fact that the world’s greatest city wants nothing to do with the protectionism that seems to be appearing elsewhere in the world. We stand as a [...]
Brexit will be a huge challenge for London – but our best days still lie ahead | City A.M. March 28, 2017 Today London mayor Sadiq Khan visits Paris on his shortened tour through continental Europe, just a day before the government invokes Article 50. As the mayor passes through the French capital, it will send an important and timely signal that London remains committed to openness, engagement and internationalism. London has a glorious past, a dynamic [...]