Impact of COVID-19 on Tourism Industry in the UK

This essay discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry in the UK, including the restrictions on travelling, the decline in revenue, and the challenges faced by businesses. It also explores the importance of the tourism industry in the UK and its recovery from the crisis.

Essay

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
The tourism industry has badly impacted by the COVID- 19, due to restrictions on travelling as
well as falling off in demand among tourist. In recently, The World Tourism Organisation
calculating that international traveller arrivals decreased at its lowest level, which leading to a
huge loss in global tourism revenue (Almeida and Silva, 2020). In many country, like UK, as a
result of COVID 19, the government have imposed various restrictions such as entry bans,
quarantines or many others for the people of nation or recent travellers to the almost affected
region. Also, they closed down the area or places like, museums, sports venues, malls,
amusement park, or airlines.
The report cover about the issue or background of COVID 19 and the importance of tourism
industry in the UK. Further, it describes the impact of this pandemic on tourism sector in the UK
and its recovery for the crisis.
MAIN BODY
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the new virus known as SARS-CoV-2. The
first case of this virus found in December 2019, in Wuhan, China. Since, the disease is spread
across the world, which lead a current worldwide pandemic. The World Health Organisation
announced about the pandemic on 11 March, 2020. Recently, more than 5 million deaths or 390
million cases caused by this pandemic which make it one of the deadliest in last years (Covid
map: Coronavirus cases, deaths, vaccinations by country, 2022). SARS-CoV-2, it is recently
discovered virus and it's first case identified in December 2019, at Wuhan, China. Early, the
cases were connected to people who had visited or lived in this place, further it spread to human
to human transmission or people travel across the world. Sometimes, people have different
symptoms or some changes in their symptoms after some days with the same diseases. However,
the pandemic of COVID-19 destroyed the tourism sector in the UK (Romagosa, 2020). The
pandemic has badly impacted the tourism and travel industry in 2020 and 2021, the government
of UK announced restrictions on travelling in all over the country to prevent the spread of corona
virus. On March 2020, the government prohibited unnecessary travel in some regions then they
imposed the complete lockdown in the country till June 2020. All these restrictions have badly
impacted the whole tourism sector of the country. It has also brought challenges for tourism
industry that they have to invest extra capital in assurance sanity to maintain social distancing,
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security, health and hygiene to avoid infections and the spread of virus. Many hotels, culinary
and transportation businesses are unable to continue their business as they suffered from
insufficient profit or revenue so, they cannot bear their daily expenses or cost of hygiene
products.
Tourism industry of UK play an important in the contribution of their GDP. These
services generate various jobs opportunities in UK or worldwide which enhance the economy of
the country. Tourism industry includes various sector such as food hotels and restaurants,
transportations, recreation or entertainment, accommodations and travel services.
Figure 1: Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in the UK 2012-2020, 2021
(Source: Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in the UK 2012-2020. 2021)
In this figure, it shows the overall contribution of tourism industry to the GDP in the UK
at its peak about 237 million pounds in 2019. After this pandemic, total contribution of these
industries decreased badly in 2020 because the negative impact of COVID-19 and restrictions on
travelling imposed by the government (Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in the UK
2012-2020, 2021). Before it, the government has been promoting this sector because it
contributes one fourth of the total UK economy which generates millions of job opportunities for
youth. Tourism is essential to almost all regions of the UK. As increase in this industry can lead
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positive impact on overall economy development of the country such as generation of income
and employment. This growth shows the satisfaction level of tourists that positively impact on
their future development and relations also. The government of UK can earn tax revenue which
enhance earning of local community by development of tourism sector in local areas. There are
many tourism places in UK such as Big Ben, London eye, Trafford Centre, Tower of London,
The British museum and many other places which attract worldwide tourist to visit it. After
globalisation, social media and digital marketing which change the mind-sets of people toward
tourism industry (Gil-Alana and Poza, 2020). People are more interested or engaged in travelling
or vacations, start many innovative businesses related to this industry and interested to investing
in it. Tourism industry also help a nation to build their relations with other nation through sports,
their food culture, entertainment or transport services such as many business ideas invite foreign
investors. Also many students of different countries go there to explore their skills and learn
something new such as language, sport, music and culture. Due to COVID-19, all these places
and activities are close down and the businesses suffer from huge loss so, some businesses are
shut their business permanently because they cannot bear the cost and loss.
COVID-19 pandemic impacted tourism industry in many ways. It is evaluated that the
restrictions on travelling in UK, in the first fourth months of 2020 the airlines businesses are
closed and government introduced national lockdown and close their boarder and cancelled all
flights . After that, the airlines and transport business has been badly impacted, which lead more
than 50% people loose their job in this sector. Along with this, airlines business generated huge
amount of revenue which contributes in GDP of the UK, as the result of these changes, this
sector suffer from huge loss that also indicate the drop of country's GDP (Beh and Lin, 2021).
During summer, in 2021, the government unwilling to rule out on these restrictions until the
number of cases and transmission seems to be under control. Further, there is hope, that the
government reduce some restriction on travelling along with some precautions like, PCR tests
before flying and quarantines for some days. Tourism is the major source of generating
employment, income, foreign exchange profits and tax collections. The travel sector also
includes, hotel and restaurants which also affected by this pandemic, that means a significant
loss of revenue and jobs. Most of the hotels and restaurants are closed their business due to less
tourist and some five start hotels convert into hospital for quarantine facilities. Many restaurants
cannot bear their operating costs, which is rising because of increasing in the cost of maintaining
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hygiene, social distancing and sanitation. The government give various rebates and subsides for
the recovery of this sector also people who engaged in this business try some innovative and
creative changes to promote their business and increase their revenue to bear the extra cost of
sanitation. In the sports and entertainment, most of the events and shooting of programme are
cancelled and postponed which lead huge loss in this field such as decrease in salary of
performer, many teams are in trouble for finance due to loss of ticket money if they allow only
limited people and take proper security and medical protection in the venues then they will have
entertainment and sports again.
Along with this, technology or creativity has also brought another challenges which the
tourism industry have to face during this pandemic. Hospitality or tourism sector have to
introduce some creative and innovative ideas to create jobs and adopt the new changes and
reality. Because with creativity or adaptation of health changes they will make a difference in
current situation of tourism industry foe which they invite more tourist and visitors to staying
longer and spending more. The government of UK decided to help the businesses of tourism
industry so, they recover quickly from the negative impact of COVID-19. They launch many
events and festival programs to invite tourist, bring domestic people together to offers them
various trips. So, they create moment of renewal for the tourism industry as they come out from
the impact of pandemic (Riadil, 2020). When the situation become normal, people want to go on
vacations again, after stuck in their houses for many months. The government try to make sure
that domestic travellers or international tourist choose UK for their vacation or wanting to
explore the culture of UK.
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that, tourism industry is one of the most productive sector in term of
generating employment and GDP in the UK. In recent years, this sector suffered a lot and faced
many challenges such as restrictions on travelling, completely close down for many months and
change in health and hygiene protocols due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, they have to
adopt and introduce new changes and technology in their working protocols for rapid recovery
from the drastic impact of COVID-19. Post COVID, Tourism and hospitality businesses must
follow all rules or protocols of government related to hygiene or social distancing and offered
sanitary services to their customers. Businesses and companies in the tourism industry will
increase their revenue to modified their services by adapting changes or technology. Invite
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tourist through different websites or platforms to give them offers and various creative services.
The arrival of precautions and vaccine brought hope for a return and recovery of this tourism
sector.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Almeida, F. and Silva, O., 2020. The impact of COVID-19 on tourism sustainability: Evidence
from Portugal. Advances in Hospitality and Tourism Research (AHTR), 8(2). pp.440-
446.
Beh, L. S. and Lin, W.L., 2021. Impact of COVID-19 on ASEAN tourism industry. Journal of
Asian Public Policy. pp.1-21.
Gil-Alana, L. A. and Poza, C., 2020. The impact of COVID-19 on the Spanish tourism
sector. Tourism Economics, p.1354816620959914.
Riadil, I. G., 2020. Tourism industry crisis and its impacts: investigating the Indonesian tourism
employees perspectives’ in the pandemic of COVID-19. Jurnal Kepariwisataan:
Destinasi, Hospitalitas Dan Perjalanan. 4(2). pp.98-108.
Romagosa, F., 2020. The COVID-19 crisis: Opportunities for sustainable and proximity
tourism. Tourism Geographies. 22(3). pp.690-694.
Online:
Covid map: Coronavirus cases, deaths, vaccinations by country. 2022. [Online]. Available
through: <https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105>\
Travel and tourism total contribution to GDP in the UK. 2021. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.statista.com/statistics/598093/travel-and-tourism-gdp-total-contribution-
united-kingdom-uk>
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