Agents are seeing an upswing in inquiries about travel to
the United Kingdom after the country’s vote to leave the European Union and the
subsequent plummeting of the British pound.
Nicola Butler, a U.K. specialist and owner of London-based
NoteWorthy, called the increase in the amount of inquiries she had in the days
following the Brexit vote “unprecedented,” and said that trend will likely
continue in the coming months.
“The drop in the GBP has an upside for U.S. travelers who
will get more bang for their buck when visiting the U.K.,” Butler said.
Debra Burman-Gisby, an independent agent with Frosch in
Deerfield, Ill., said she is also hearing from U.S. clients who want to go to
the U.K. while the exchange rate is so favorable.
“I’m telling people to go now/this year,” she said, citing
the uncertainty the future holds and the possibility of the pound again
increasing in value.
Specifically, Burman-Gisby said, if
the U.K. decides to hold another referendum and is able to reverse the Brexit,
“the pound will recover quickly,” making travel to the U.K. more expensive.
Since the vote to leave the European Union, many have called
for its reversal. The vote itself to leave the U.K. was a non-binding advisory
decision, and ways of keeping the U.K. in the EU have been discussed by those who
favor that course of action.
OTAs, too, are going to get a piece of the pie. Hotels.com
said on Wednesday that Americans’ hotel searches for U.K. destinations are up
50% from a year ago. Josh Belkin, vice president and general manager of
Hotels.com North America, called that a “whopping” increase.
Rob Clabbers, president of Q Cruise + Travel in Chicago, has
also had inquiries, but his were specific to cruising — including whether
European cruises had dropped in price and whether there had been any
last-minute cancellations freeing up cabins because of Brexit, he said. In each
case, the answer was no.
Some agents have not yet had an increase in U.K. travel
inquiries, but are expecting it.
Diana Hechler, president of D. Tours Travel in Larchmont,
N.Y., said “most of my travelers headed to Europe this summer have already made
their plans. I’m finalizing their travel packages even as we speak.
“I would guess I’ll get some heightened interest for the
fall, however,” she added.