Brexit fallout driving up US travel interest to UK
The falling value of the British pound following the Brexit vote is making the UK an attractive travel destination this summer for US travelers, with one major reservation site reporting a 50 percent spike in searches for hotels in the UK.
While the UK's divorce from the EU is widely seen as a major blow to both Britain and the world's largest trading bloc, it has its advantages for tourists and foreign visitors: With the pound having plummeted to its lowest level in three decades compared to the US dollar, Americans will see their spending power stretch further at hotels, restaurants and British museums.
Online reservation site hotels.com reports that searches for UK destinations have spiked 50 percent year-on-year, making the UK one of the most popular destinations for American travelers this summer.
"For many Americans the UK is a dream destination," said vice-president for North America Josh Belkin.
"It's no secret Americans have a real fondness for British accents, their TV shows, their pubs and the Royal family, so with the strong dollar travelers can act fast to turn that dream into a reality."
While previously, the strength of the British sterling may have made travel to the UK prohibitive for many Americans, this summer, Anglophiles are hoping to benefit from the Brexit fallout.
For instance, while US travelers paid an average of $257 a night for a hotel in London last year, the weakened pound and strength of the US greenback means that American tourists can score a five-star room at the Grange Holborn in the West End for $131 a night, or a four-star hotel room at the RE London Shoreditch for as little as $82 a night.
