Airports key to delivering Britain’s visitor economy vision, says MAG CEO
- New Visit Britain forecast tips 2025 to be a record year for inbound tourists, with an extra £2.2bn to be spent in the economy
- That comes on back of a bumper 2024, during which 41.2m people travelled to these shores
- With three-quarters of all visitors coming by air, Ken O’Toole says thriving airports are key to delivering the forecast and boosting the economy in all parts of the country
Manchester Airports Group (MAG) CEO Ken O’Toole today welcomed new forecasts predicting a record year for inbound tourists.
Visit Britain anticipates 43.4m international visitors will be welcomed to the country in 2025, with £33.7m set to be spent at attractions and in shops, bars, restaurants, hotels and other venues during the year.
As a member of the Government’s newly formed Visitor Economy Advisory Council, Mr O’Toole says this shows the continued strength of “brand Britain” and reflected on the “central role a thriving aviation sector” has in supporting the Government’s growth mission.
With world-famous attractions the length and breadth of the country, he also backed Visit Britain’s commitment to promoting all regions of the UK globally.
In an opinion article, Mr O’Toole said: “For generations, visitors have been drawn to these shores in their millions – whether that is by historical monuments dating back centuries, world-leading sports and cultural events or stunning countryside and coastlines.
“And Britain’s global appeal appears to be stronger than ever, with new data from Visit Britain estimating 41.2m international visitors came here in 2024 –the highest number to ever to be recorded - up 9% on 2023.”
Mr O’Toole pointed to the fact around three quarters of international visitors arrive by air every year, underlining the importance of the aviation sector to the visitor economy.
MAG’s airports – Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands - provide a unique catchment serving as a gateway for inbound tourists to the South, Midlands and North.
Mr O’Tool said the unrivalled value-for-money and extensive European connectivity London Stansted offers to visitors travelling to London and beyond is reflected in the “fact around a third of all Stansted passengers are international visitors.”
While looking at Manchester Airport, Mr O’Toole said it “brings more visitors to Britain than any other airport outside of London,” providing a gateway to the North that allows visitors to enjoy “seven Premier League football clubs, three coastlines and three national parks, as well as numerous world-famous attractions”.
He added: “Supporting the visitor economy in this way is just another illustration of the central role a thriving aviation sector has to play in supporting the Government’s growth mission.
“To maximise our contribution, we are investing record sums in our infrastructure. With more than £2bn set to be spent on our airports over the next five years, we are the largest private investor in transport infrastructure outside the M25.”
Concluding, Mr O’Toole said: “Working with Government, we can not only make the UK the most attractive place in the world to visitors but make it easy for them to get here and have an unforgettable experience.”
Read the full article here.
Read the Visit Britain inbound tourism forecast here.