UKinbound welcomes Theresa May as new prime minister

UKinbound, the trade association for the UK’s inbound tourism industry, has welcomed the new prime minister, Theresa May, in a letter that included four “key asks”.

The association called on May and her government to develop a strong narrative to promote the UK as a welcoming destination for visitors across the world, alongside continued access to the single market to ensure the free movement of goods, finance, and people around the EU.

It called for continued access to the Open Skies Arrangement – an agreement between the EU and US allowing airlines of either party to fly between any point in the EU and US.

The letter said the arrangement had been a “key driver” of inbound tourism to the UK, expanding transatlantic and intra-EU flights and allowing carriers to offer lower fares and provide more convenient and efficient service to consumers.

Meanwhile it also called on assurance regarding residency for its members’ employees, following its latest Business Barometer survey which revealed that over 30% of its members’ workforce are EU migrants.

Deirdre Wells, the association’s chief executive, said: “Although the negotiating blueprint is far from clear for the pending Brexit, we hope that these four key ‘asks’ to the government will support and ensure the maximum growth for our industry.

“These are issues our members feel are important in maintaining a relationship with the EU. We are a resilient industry and I am confident that our vibrant industry can overcome these challenges we face.”