A new campaign to ease UK visa norms for overseas shoppers
by Christine M - June 11, 2010
United Kingdom, 11th June: A new campaign has been launched by the West End retailers asking the UK Prime Minister David Cameron to ease UK visa norms for overseas shoppers.
The campaign especially aims to cash in on the cash-rich Indian shoppers who are being considered as the highest spenders on retail shopping in the UK. West End happens to be a plush shopping district situated in London.
The campaign titled “The Visa-Ability Campaign” aims to target increased number of overseas shoppers hailing from India and China, the two nations that have most favorable exchange rates. The West End retailers want to encourage and invite increased number of overseas shoppers to shop in West End district of London rather than going to other nations for shopping spree.
It is being expected that the spending by overseas shoppers will reach £12 billion in the period of coming two years, especially during the London Olympics scheduled in the year 2012.
Representative of a total of 600 retailers, the NWEC (New West End Company) is looking to organize an urgent meeting with Jeremy Hunt, the new UK Tourism Minister for easing of UK visa norms for international shoppers.
The NWEC said that more than £6 billion will be spent on West End in the year 2010. Both the NWEC and VisitBritain, the agency that initiates international tourism to UK, have jointly urged the UK immigration minister Mr. Damian Green, UK tourism minister Mr. John Penrose and UK’s culture and Olympics secretary, Mr. Jeremy Hunt for easing of UK visa rules for shoppers from nations including Indian and China.
The NWEC wants to have the UK visa rules relaxed for the international shoppers well before the 2012 Olympic Games since during this period, maximum number of international visitors will be coming to the UK. So, the immediate concern is to get the visa rules relaxed for tourists from India, China, UAE, South Africa, Russia and Thailand.
All the above mentioned nations are considered to be key markets which comprise nearly 25 percent of total visitors resulting in a big boost to sales.
There has been a big decline in the number of overseas visitors to the UK following imposition of UK visa restrictions in July 2009.
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