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VisitBritain targets 10m more international tourists a year
TOURISM leaders hope to capitalise on the Olympic buzz to attract 10m more visitors a year to the UK by 2020.
VisitBritain said yesterday it is aiming for 40m inbound tourists annually, which will contribute £8.7bn extra earnings and help create 200,000 new jobs.
The group will consult with businesses and the government to try and boost numbers.
“This summer has shown what the country can do when we are united in a common cause,” said VisitBritain chairman Christopher Rodrigues yesterday.
The UK attracted 30.6m overseas visitors during 2011, according to the Office for National Statistics, up three per cent on the previous year.
VisitBritain said it needs to see three per cent growth every year in order to reach its targets.