This summer’s high-profile sporting events in the UK are providing a further boost for the country’s growing domestic market, reveals the World Travel Market 2014 Industry Report, released today (Monday 3 November).

Key summer sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and early stages of the Tour de France, which covered Yorkshire and London/the South East, have put host cities and regions firmly in the spotlight and have whetted the appetite among Brits to visit.

When asked whether the hosting of a major sporting event made UK consumers more or less likely to visit, 18% said they would be more likely to visit London; 18% said they would be more likely to visit Yorkshire and 15% would be more likely to visit Glasgow.

Expectations are high among senior executives in the travel industry too, with 67% anticipating an increase in bookings to London and the South East and 57% expecting more bookings to Yorkshire, which held Le Grand Départ in Leeds. Furthermore, 64% expect to see an increase in bookings to Glasgow, following the Commonwealth Games.

Of those industry respondents with programmes in the regions, 56% will commit extra capacity to the South East and London, while 47% will commit extra capacity to Yorkshire as a direct result of the Tour de France exposure.

Looking ahead, interest for holidaying in the UK on the back of sporting events is expected to continue, with more high-profile championships in the diary.

In September and October next year, England hosts the world’s third largest sporting event, the Rugby World Cup 2015. With 10 host cities (as well as Cardiff) and 41 team bases across the country, the tourism potential is immense. What’s more, with the tournament taking place over 44 days, and with several days between each team’s fixtures, domestic and international fans will have plenty of time to explore the host destinations and beyond.

Further ahead, the spotlight will be on London again, as Wembley Stadium hosts both semi-finals and the final of UEFA EURO 2020.

World Travel Market, Senior Director, Simon Press said: “In the past, critics of major sporting events have said they hinder, rather than boost, tourism to host destinations.

“The WTM Industry Report shows the UK has certainly kicked that belief firmly into touch and reveals a keenness among consumers to visit London, Yorkshire and Glasgow on the back of their huge success of hosting recent major sporting events.

“In addition, key decision makers in the industry also believe the UK will benefit, with many committing extra capacity to London and Yorkshire following the high-profile initial stages of the Tour de France.”

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About World Travel Market

World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend four-day business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry.

More than 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press, embark on ExCeL – London every November to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends at WTM.

WTM, now in its 35th year, is the event where the travel industry conducts and concludes its deals.

WTM 2013 generated more than £2 billion of travel industry contracts, revealed independent research by Fusion Communications.

WTM is owned by the world’s leading events organiser Reed Exhibitions (RE), which organises a other portfolio’s of travel industry events including IBTM Events, the world’s leading showcases for the meetings and events industry and International Luxury Travel Market events.

In 2013, RE held more than 500 events in 40 countries bringing together more than six million people from around the world generating billions of dollars in business.

Reed Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is the world’s leading provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry, with a wide-ranging portfolio of 21 international events in 14 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa.

Its market-leading, business-to-business events cover all elements of travel and tourism, including leisure travel, luxury travel, meetings, events, incentives and business travel, as well as golf, ski and spa travel.

RTE is part of Reed Exhibitions.

www.reedtravelexhibitions.com