Spring Budget Does Not Meet London Business Expectations

London Chamber 03.15.23 The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), in response to the Spring Budget, declared that it fell short of delivering optimum value and support for London businesses. With the cost of living crisis, this year’s Budget was a lost opportunity in providing stronger support on energy bills to London’s small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). To … Read More

BUSINESSLDN COMMENTS ON THE SPRING BUDGET 2023

BusinessLDN 03.14.23 “It is disappointing that the Government has missed an opportunity to launch an independent review of the benefits of VAT-free shopping – a measure that would more than pay for itself by attracting high spending tourists to the UK and support 78,000 jobs across the country.” To read more, please click here

HMT publishes response to AIR’s Oxford Economics Report 

HM Treasury 02.23 In the WPQ, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury James Cartlidge gave response to AIR’s Oxford Economics Report. In his response, James Cartlidge claimed the Treasury do not recognise these figures. The OBR, using a higher than usual price elasticity of demand to account for VAT-free shopping being targeted at luxury goods, put this figure at 20,000-30,000 … Read More

AIR launches data at Parliamentary Event – presentations by Global Blue, Harrods, Value Retail, AIR and Conservative MPs 

AIR 02.23 AIR launches data at Parliamentary Event – presentations by Global Blue, Harrods, Value Retail, AIR and Conservative MPs. The first major set of industry and consumer data shows the real impact of withdrawing tax-free shopping on the behaviour of international visitors, based on actual spending by non-EU international visitors to Europe in 2022, the first full post-pandemic year. … Read More

AIR’s proposals included in DCMS’s report on “Promoting Britain Aboard”

DCMS 24.10.22 Tourism is a cornerstone of the British economy. As one of the most popular destinations in the world, with its heritage, culture and landscape drawing millions of visitors every year, Britain is a global brand. Inbound tourism is the UK’s third largest service export, worth 9% of GDP, and is the industry on which 3.2 million jobs and … Read More

AIR joins new Coalition for International Travel

AIR joined with other businesses to launch a new, economy-wide coalition which believes strongly inthe business case for international travel and its role in a rapid recovery for the UK. The group wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Boris Johnson, informing him of the importance of international travel to the UK economy. The industry supports hundreds of … Read More