UK expects visa reform will boost Emirati tourist numbers

Emiratis on holiday in the UK shopping in London’s Oxford Street. Stephen Lock for The National

Britain’s tourism authority hopes the new visa-waiver scheme for Emiratis and other Arabian Gulf citizens will help to contribute to a 32 per cent increase in visits to the United Kingdom from the region by 2016.

VisitBritain is forecasting that in 2016 there will be 700,000 visits to the UK from residents of the GCC, up from 530,000 in 2012. Visitors from the UAE are expected to be at the forefront of this growth.

Of the 239,000 visits to the UK from the GCC in the first half of last year, 44 per cent were made by GCC residents, said Sandie Dawe, VisitBritain’s chief executive.

The British government announced a visa-waiver scheme for UAE citizens in November.

Under the scheme, which is available online, visas can be obtained for no charge up to 48 hours before departure.

The project, which went live on January 1, is also open to citizens of Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.

Ms Dawe described the initiative as “great news” for Britain, and one that would enable more spontaneous travel to the UK from the UAE.

“One thing I think it will do is encourage more repeat and short-term visits,” she said. “For example, you can decide on a Wednesday that you want to fly to London on a Saturday and go to a football match.”

“The new rules will mean Emiratis will be able to travel the UK by simply filling in an online form 48 hours before they travel, and they don’t need a visa,” said Dominic Jermey, the UK’s ambassador to the UAE. “This makes it easier for them to travel to the UK and it reflects that we want, as a British government, to make the relationship between the UK and the UAE ever closer.”

VisitBritain has been particularly keen to boost travel from the GCC to the UK for both business and tourism, with the average spending from such visitors more than twice the world average.

UAE residents made 256,000 visits to the UK in 2012, spending £467 million (Dh2.8 billion) during their stay in the country, said Ms Dawe.

Both figures are forecast to rise for 2013; in the first six months of last year there were 104,000 visits from UAE residents, who spent £186m.

VisitBritain hopes that the annual spending by GCC visitors to Britain will increase to £1.3bn by 2016.

Britain is the UAE’s most visited European destination, and the second most visited outbound destination after Saudi Arabia.

“Many visitors from the UAE think of London as a second home,” said Ms Dawe. “Many are coming here virtually every year, so it’s a loyal, strong market for us.”

“There’s a great deal of interest and high regard for culture, heritage, shopping, sport and the green spaces. London is seen as a serious business centre, but also as a good place for luxury experiences.”

The authority’s figures show that 91 per cent of UAE visitors to the UK are repeat visitors, with the highest concentration of visits occurring between July and September.

In addition to the ongoing popularity of shopping destinations such as Harrods and Bicester Village, VisitBritain is keen to encourage the development of more family friendly attractions, given the popularity of the London Eye, Madame Tussauds and London Zoo.