Overall, 2017 was a record-breaker for overseas visits to the UK and for the amount visitors spent across the country. There were a total of 39.2 million inbound visits to the UK in 2017, up 4%, with visitors spending £24.5 billion, up 9%. 

Visitors from India travelling to the UK in record numbers

Latest official figures from VisitBritain, the UK’s national tourism agency, show that 2017 was a record-breaking year for tourism from India to the UK.

There were a record 562,000 visits from India to the UK in 2017, up 35% on the previous year, with Indian travellers spending a record £454 million in the UK last year an increase of 5% on 2016.

Tricia Warwick has also been announced as the permanent Director, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa for VisitBritain, based in the Dubai regional office.

Tricia will focus on growing the value and volume of inbound tourism from this region by developing and amplifying the trade and public diplomacy partnerships and by driving inspiration and conversion to explore Britain through the “I Travel For…” consumer marketing campaign.

VisitBritain APMEA Director Tricia Warwick said:

“India is a very important market for VisitBritain and it is fantastic that more people than ever are travelling and enjoying experiences that you can only have in Britain, from the exciting and contemporary culture to innovations in food and drink, from exploring the stunning countryside to the vibrancy of its cool cities.

“Britain is offering great value for visitors from India and we are working hard with partners including tour operators and airlines to make it easier to book and explore more of the country, inspiring more visitors to travel right now.”

VisitBritain is working with partners in India to amplify its marketing reach and convert the aspiration to visit the UK into bookings. Apart from showcasing how accessible regional England is for visitors, focus in the coming months is to highlight regional destinations as part of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019 taking place in England and Wales.

VisitBritain is also inspiring visitors from India to put the UK at the top of the list as their must-visit destination through its ‘Find Your GREAT Britain, I Travel For…’ digital campaign launched earlier this year.

The campaign uses short films and story-telling to shine the spotlight on unexpected experiences and less-explored destinations in Britain, alongside its globally renowned and iconic landmarks and attractions. The content aligns the passions that motivate visitors from India to travel with experiences they can only have in Britain, inspiring them to ‘Find Your Great Britain’ and book a trip right now

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Enhanced Acoustic Environments Can Lead to Productive, Safer, and More Pleasant Atmospheres in Offices, Healthcare and Education Sectors, and Public Space

Dubai, UAE

The Middle East’s strong tourism growth is driving demand for world-class interiors where large numbers of people live, work, play, and worship, according to a new whitepaper.

International tourism arrivals to the Middle East are set to nearly double from 61 million in 2010 to 149 million in 2030, according to a recent report from the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Global emerging economy destinations, including the Middle East, are growing at 4.4 percent per year, or double the rate of advanced economy destinations.

“Tourism growth and major events in the Middle East, such as World Expo 2020 in Dubai — set to attract 25 million tourists–are driving demand for world-class acoustics in interior locations, including boardrooms, hotels, restaurants, and sporting facilities,” said Santhosh Vallil, Sales Manager, Hunter Douglas Middle East.

Hunter Douglas is the Dutch manufacturing firm that commissioned the whitepaper “The Ceiling as an Acoustic Instrument for Cultivating Healthy and Productive Interior Climates.”

“With environmental factors like light, colour and temperature, sound influencing people’s performance and wellbeing, the importance of good acoustics cannot be underestimated,” added Vallil. “Contractors of all sizes must take into account acoustic solutions at an early stage of building development, with ceilings an ideal solution in realising optimal acoustics.”

Including acoustic design in the earliest stage of building design results inacoustic design being less than 0.5 percent of total building costs, according to the whitepaper. As a result, the gains of this investment will easily outweigh the cost in terms of more productive employees.

Acoustic Innovation Across Business, Healthcare, and Education Sectors

The whitepaper focuses on four areas that can potentially see the largest benefit from acoustic innovation: office space, healthcare, education, and public spaces.

With strong economic growth in the region, multinational corporations and homegrown entrepreneurs are expanding, driving demand for effective office space. Office noise results in decreased productivity, concentration problems, stress, and increased absenteeism. Using an acoustic ceiling with high absorption class prevents noise from being transported across larger distances.

The healthcare sector has been becoming vitally important across the region, thanks to increasing population and medical tourism. Sound-absorbing ceilings provide patients with the quiet and rest they need, and can potentially reduce rehospitalisation.

In education, acoustic experts have found that students exposed to poor acoustics miss much of what their teachers are saying, leading to concentration problems and fatigue. Ceilings that reduce reverberation enable students to concentrate better, and boost learning results, while teachers do not need to strain their voices.

Enhanced acoustic environments in public spacescan lead to more one-on-one conversations in the hospitality sector from hotels to restaurants; provide safer athletic atmosphere in sports facilities; and create more pleasant atmospheres in malls, public buildings, and places of worship.

Download the whitepaper here: http://assets2.hunterdouglascontract.com/documents/ceiling/Brochures/Middle%20East/Brochure-Whitepaper-Akoestiek-en-AE.pdf

About Hunter Douglas

Hunter Douglas is global market leader of window coverings, and an important player for innovative, aesthetic, high-quality architectural sun control, ceiling and façade systems.

For almost 50 years, Hunter Douglas products have contributed to the sustainable thermal, acoustic and visual appeal of buildings across a wide range of branches and sectors, from trade to industry and from the catering business to government. These products consistently meet the needs of architects, designers and contractors, thanks to Hunter Douglas’ intensive collaboration with these parties. Minimising environmental impact and waste flows is a vital part of the development, production, distribution, servicing and reuse of each product.

The main office of the Hunter Douglas Group is in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Local units on every continent include over 60 factories, 100 assembly plants and marketing offices in over 100 countries. Over 16,500 staff members around the world invest their talents and skills in Hunter Douglas. For more information, please visit www.hunterdouglas.co.uk

The post Middle East Tourism Growth Drives Demand for World-Class Interiors appeared first on Core Sector Communique.