Britain’s “exorbitant” Air Passenger Duty is damaging London’s tourism industry and putting people off booking trips to the capital for this summer’s Games, leading industry representatives have warned Olympics Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
With 100 days to go before London 2012 begins, executives including Colin Stanbridge, chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce; Anne Godfrey, chief executive of the Guild of Travel Management Companies; and Simon Buck, boss of the British Air Transport Association, wrote in a letter to Hunt: “It is contradictory in the extreme to launch an advertising campaign to encourage inbound tourism ahead of the Olympics just weeks before introducing a double-inflation rise in APD, levied on the very same people we’re trying to attract.”
They said a family of four travelling from Australia or New Zealand would now pay up to £736 in APD to visit the UK.
“It is inconceivable that such a high tax burden won’t impact demand for holidays to the UK.”
how about this!! stay at home do not waste your money. Our transport system is rubbish,constant delays. I wont be going shall watch it on TV.
Everywhere we turn is a tax hike for this and for that. Income is not going up as high. Therefore, people see their income decreasing rather than increasing.
It is discouraging to travel and what with head/departure taxes. I read that T & T’s departure tax is $200.00. I thought, people might as well stay put but for visiting their family and friends.
Governments these days are getting too greedy. They do not consider the income of people. They do not care. All they think is money, money, money and increasing everything more and more.
When we shop we get hit with increased cost. It is enough to frustrate people.
A survey was conducted. The result was people are not traveling as much as previously. It would be a good thing if everyone boycotted traveling. See how quickly costs would decrease.
I would go to France and take the Ferry from Calais to Dover England, and it’s just a short bus ride from Dover to London. Or the Dunkirk to Dover line which is better if you are in Paris. You can also travel from Holland, Belgium, Germany or any one of the neighboring Countries. Teach them a lesson.
@ Traveler
Soon they will also be taxing those passages.
I pray to God that the current stays on and the signal is good, and that I will be healthy in order to watch as mush of it on the TV, cause I wont be travelling there until that tax is removed or reduced.
go europe and take a train into england.. cheaper
Tax to your hearts content but everything is just for a time
I sure won’t be visiting anytime soon.