04 DEC 2018: The European Union’s acceptance of the British government’s draft Brexit plan brings the nation’s divorce from the EU one step closer; however, it’s still business as usual for British tourism and for most Canadians planning to visit the United Kingdom.
Having voted in a referendum in 2016 to politically withdraw from the EU, Britain has roiled in parliament, in the tabloids, and sometimes in the streets as the controversial decision has polarized opinions on both sides of the debate. And despite the recent approval by the EU, British Prime Minister Theresa May’s plan is still uncertain with opposition from her own party and a call for a second referendum on the matter.
Yet in the face of such political turmoil, British tourism continues to “crack on,” says VisitBritain executive VP for the Americas Gavin Landry, even in the face of worries that travel may become much more troublesome, from the border to the bar.
IATA, for example, recently called for “urgent action by the UK and the European Union to put in place contingency planning for the continuation of air services in the event of a ‘no-deal Brexit,’” and to “move much faster” to bring certainty to three critical air transport issues: The uninterrupted continuation of air connectivity, the framework for regulating safety and security, and the policies and processes needed for efficient border management.
Not addressing the issues, warned IATA, “could mean chaos for travellers and interrupted supply chains” if not resolved before the March 29, 2019 deadline.
Meanwhile, some Brits have been stocking up on goods that come from the EU, from medications to favourite wines, should they become difficult or too expensive to obtain under a new set of trade regulations.
“The political aspect [of Brexit] is beyond our remit,” Landry told Travel Industry Today at the recent Destination Britain North America forum in Austin, Texas. “But I will agree there’s lots of information out there in the zeitgeist that’s ginning up the kind of comments [about the difficulties for travellers it would cause], which I think is just abjectly incorrect.”
He adds that it certainly hasn’t affected tourism so far with Canadians posting record visitation numbers since the referendum and still climbing.
“Our sense, from a tourism standpoint in North America and particularly from Canada, is that we are cracking on, where the consumer is not really telling us in any way that there’s any consideration that we should have in our minds relative to how Brexit might affect their travel planning,” says Landry. “So that’s what we’re doing, we’re cracking on.”
VisitBritain execs believe Canadians are much more mindful of the current exchange rate between the countries, which has benefitted by the drop in the value of the British pound since the referendum vote. Average rates in 2018 are $1.69 to £1, compared to $1.96 in 2015 and $1.82 in 2014. Historically, it has cost Canadians around $2 to by a pound, hitting as high as $2.86 in 1981 and more recently $2.50 in 2003. Indeed, frequent UK visitors often simply mentally double the sticker price they see for an easy Canadian dollar conversion.
But with the exchange rate at its most advantageous level in decades, “Canadians see the value in going to Britain and the opportunities that they have to find value,” says VisitBritain Canada’s Cathy Stapells, who points out that travelling beyond the capital is one great strategy for stretching one’s pounds.
“It connects to what we’re trying to do, which is [tell people that] while London is fantastic, there is so much more to enjoy outside of London and your dollar goes further. For example, you can easily find accommodation for 80 to 100 pounds a night in the smaller cities, which is demonstrably cheaper than what you can find in London.”
Meanwhile, a sampling of Canadian tour operators suggests that business to Britain is booming.
Globus reports bookings are “up significantly” year over year, noting that it has added two new product lines in the destination, including “the cobblestone less travelled” tours, which take travellers away from traditional tourist hubs.
Similarly, Goway Europe VP Craig Canvin says, “The UK continues to be one of our strongest drivers of growth to Europe with business up over 80 percent. Consumers are taking full advantage of the strength of their buying power versus the pound and are experiencing all that the UK has to offer.”
Trafalgar Canada president Wolf Paunic says, “The attraction of Britain and Ireland to Canadian travellers is very strong,” adding that four out of Trafalgar’s 10 top guided vacations booked for 2019 include Britain and Ireland.
As for Brexit specifically, Paunic says, “We see no adverse affect on travel to the UK as a result of Brexit situation. The implications of Brexit resonate as a local issue, and our operations are monitoring the situation closely.”
Darlene St. Louis, UK product manager for Toronto-based Senior Discovery Tours, says her 2019 tours are selling well and, in some cases, have so out.
So, Brexit isn’t a concern?
“Oh, that’s simple,” she says. “No!”