By Laura McGuire
London will welcome more than two million international tourists this year compared to last, bringing an additional £674m to the capital.
As travel fully recovers post-pandemic, data from the London mayor’s office, shows that London was the top city in Europe for bed nights in 2022 with an increase of 131.5 per cent in 2021.
The capital’s attractions such as the London Eye also experienced a 141 per cent growth in visitors.
“Our capital is roaring back with tourists from around the world joining Londoners in enjoying all of the fantastic attractions on offer,” Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, said.
“Culture is at the heart of our city, and I’m delighted that our world-renowned theatres, venues, galleries and museums are helping to drive our recovery.”
It follows the launch of Khan’s ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign, which aims to encourage tourism back to the city.
The spring and summer months have already been bolstered by King Coronation in May, which drove pub and restaurant trade up.
In August, events such as Notting Hill Carnival and All Points East festival in Victoria Park in August are now also predicted to bring extra travellers into the city.
“It’s been such a pleasure to see the streets of London very noticeably come back to life over the past year; flight bookings to London have reachedpost-pandemic highs,” Laura Citron, chief of Visit London, said.
“With major international events like the Coronation of King Charles III, the return of Major League Baseball to London and the UK’s biggest Pride, 2023 has already been a milestone year packed with new experiences for visitors to enjoy.”
She added: “As eagerness to travel is on the up, new flight and rail options are launched and travel restrictions ease in core international markets like China, London is set for a triumphant summer ahead. We are delighted to continue to see the impact of the Let’s Do London campaign and the return of international visitors in our city throughout the rest of the year.”
