21 July 2026
UKInbound has appealed to the new Prime Minister calling for a strategic reset in how Government approaches the visitor economy.
At a time when destinations around the world are competing aggressively for visitors, investment and market share, the letter urges Government to ensure policies across Whitehall support a shared ambition for growth rather than inadvertently working against it.
At the heart of the letter was a simple but often overlooked fact: every pound spent in the UK by an international visitor counts as an export.
The inbound visitor economy is the UK’s fifth-largest export industry, yet 18 months after committing to a Visitor Economy Strategy, Government has yet to set out how it intends to maximise the contribution of one of the country’s most valuable export sectors.
The letter calls for a more joined-up approach across Whitehall, recognising that policy decisions taken in isolation can collectively undermine Britain’s appeal as an international destination.
Joss Croft OBE, CEO of UKinbound, said: “We congratulate the Prime Minister on his appointment and look forward to working with the new Government.”
“International tourism is fiercely competitive, with destinations around the world competing for visitors, investment and market share.
Croft continued, “You can’t grow an export industry by making it harder and more expensive for customers to buy your product, so we urge the Government to take a more joined-up approach across Whitehall to ensure policies support, rather than undermine, Britain’s competitiveness.”
