Central London economy battered by lack of tourists, says Khan

Tourism spend declined by £10.9bn in 2020 compared with the previous year as travel restrictions and the closure of arts and hospitality venues discouraged visitors.

Khan commissioned the research to help City Hall understand the impacts of the pandemic on London’s economy.

The study from VisitBritain revealed that spending from international tourists in central London was £7.4bn lower in 2020 year on year and domestic tourism was down £3.5bn.

Central London contributed £38.7bn to the Treasury prior to the pandemic, with a ripple effect across the country as big cities emptied due to home working and few tourists.

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “When London thrives, the whole country thrives, so supporting our city’s businesses to survive the coming months will be absolutely vital.

“With the right support from the government, more businesses will survive and contribute to what this report shows could be a rapid recovery, once tourists and commuters return in numbers.”