UK’s India Growth Plan Means Getting Travelers Out of London

Photo Credit: A file image of aircraft at Manchester Airport. MAG The UK is betting that India’s fast-growing outbound travel market can deliver more than another wave of visitors to London. The bigger opportunity, VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates told Skift, is persuading Indian travelers to venture beyond the capital, stay longer and spend more across the country. Visit Britain expects India to generate around £865 million ($1.1 billion) in visitor spending for the UK in 2026 with a potential to grow to about £1.5 billion ($2 billion) by 2030. The tourism board also expects roughly 600,000 visitors this year and for it to go up to 960,000 by 2030. “Our target as a government body is all about growth outside London,” Yates said on the sidelines of the Great North Destination Showcase in India. The challenge is giving travelers enough reasons, and practical ways, to explore the rest of the country. London Dominates the Route Map About 94% of direct seat capacity between India and UK is bound for L