BRITAIN’S tourism industry is booming as a result of the pound becoming weaker following the result of the vote to leave the EU in June.
The weaker pound means luxury products, accommodation and travel in Britain is generally cheaper in comparison to other countries which has made Britain a popular location for overseas tourists.
Despite this news, Apple revealed in September that prices would be increased on this years iPhone for UK consumers in line with Britons choosing to leave the EU.
This meant that the iPhone in previous years which retails normally at £539 would increase by £61 leaving it at £599 for the most basic model. It is in fact now cheaper for the consumer to buy an iPhone in the United States.
Britons on Twitter mocked the fact Britain’s currency, sterling had weakened.
If anyone is thinking of going to Britain for a holiday, come now whilst our currency is a joke
— Inactive (@KatyCatZilla) October 7, 2016
Another user, @Steven993SW even anticipated the drop, four month ago, in a response to another users tweet about Brexit.
@MetteLysdahl It’s ok. I’ll start saving up for my next holiday. In Britain! As my pound might not be worth much.
— Steven Williams (@Steven993Sw) July 25, 2016
Last year, Manchester welcomed just over 999,000 international visitors.
According to Manchester Airport spokesperson Richard Wheeldon, 5.5 million non-UK passengers used the airport in 2015.
Earlier this year, the airport started operating four flights a week from Hong Kong and Beijing citing increasing passenger numbers from Asia to the North West.
Dubai-based airline Emirates have also increased frequency from Dubai to Manchester and upgraded the smaller Boeing 777 used on the route to the super-jumbo Airbus A380 which can hold nearly 800 people.
The Office for National Statistics said that more than £76.3m has been spent by overseas visitors in the North West since January this year and £2.2bn overall across the UK.
Nationally Britain’s tourism board Visit Britain said recent results show £700 per second is spent in the UK by overseas tourists, which is an increase of 5% from last year.
With the latest figures from this summer not yet available, it is expected that number will be even higher when results are finalised later this year.
(Photo credit: MKY661)
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