- JEDDAH: More Gulf visitors to Britain arrived in 2011 than 2010, and even more are expected in 2012, according to VisitBritain, the UK’s national tourist authority, thanks in large part to the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games, as well as a host of other significant events.
The UK government body measures how many Gulf visitors travel to their shores each year, but 2012 is predicted to be an exceptionally-strong year with the London 2012 Olympic Games taking place for two weeks from July 17, as well as Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in early June.
The diamond jubilee marks 60 years of the Queen’s reign. Queen Elizabeth came to the throne on February 6, 1952.
Buckingham Palace is coordinating the events of the Diamond Jubilee weekend, June 2-5, which include a musical concert at Buckingham Palace, the Epsom Derby, and a Thames River Pageant, among many others.
In addition, in the lead up to the Diamond Jubilee Bank Holiday Weekend, numerous public events and exhibitions are expected to be held across London and the rest of the country in recognition of the 60 year reign of Queen Elizabeth, according to a statement.
Carol Maddison, manager UAE, VisitBritain, said: “2011 brought us the Royal Wedding of Prince William, and yearlyvisitor numbers spiked accordingly. 2012 is even more exciting with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and, of course, the London 2012 Olympic Games. We expect Gulf visitor numbers to the UK to surge over 2012, and continue to grow steadily over the coming years.”
2011 visitor growth from the UAE, specifically, was up 13 percent over the same time last year, at 240,000 visitors.
