We’ll look at how British tourism has been impacted by this major event and where the majority of fans have travelled from.
The Cricket World Cup 2019 has been running for just over a month now and is due to finish on the 14th of July. Hosted in both England and Wales this year, the competition has brought a high level of tourism into the UK.
Here, we’ll look at how British tourism has been impacted by this major event and where the majority of fans have travelled from.
Tourism has brought huge benefits to UK economy
As the cricket world cup has been hosted in both England and Wales, it has had a major impact on the UK economy. The Hampshire County Cricket Club has hosted five matches in the tournament, bringing a total of £18.3 million to Southampton alone. This revenue includes spending on food and drink, ticket sales, and spending within the hospitality and retail industry.
Birmingham was also predicted to generate a staggering £32.1 million from the tournament. The West Midlands has managed to develop a reputation for being one of the best UK regions for major sporting events. As well as the Cricket World Cup, the region is also hosting other major sporting events such as women’s football, athletics, tennis, the Rugby League World Cup and the Commonwealth Games 2022.
Where have fans travelled from?
The majority of fans have travelled from India and Pakistan to watch the cricket in the UK. This is unsurprising given that cricket is the number one sport in India. The India versus Pakistan game saw a staggering 750,000 applications for the 26,000-seat stadium.
Indians tourists to the UK have been gradually rising in numbers in recent years. In 2018, it was revealed that 477,000 Indians travelled to the UK, largely between the months of April and July.
In May, the British High Commission reported there was an average of 3,500 visa applications from Indians each day purely for the Cricket World Cup. VFS Global, the UK visa application company, saw a total of more than 200,000 visa applications between the months of January and April.
How it has helped the sport
The Cricket World Cup hasn’t just helped to boost the UK’s economy. It has also helped to increase interest in the sport. Companies such as Talent Cricket have seen an increase in purchases of cricket equipment. These major sporting events do a lot towards encouraging youngsters to get into sport and follow their passions.
Overall, the Cricket World Cup has had a significant impact on UK tourism. It has generated a lot of revenue into the economy, as well as encouraged global investment. There has also been increased interest in the sport. It’s clear that these major sporting events deliver a lot of benefits into the economy, including putting the UK on the map as a leader for hosting world class events.
