Marketing London in a difficult climate

Abstract

In 2001 an unprecedented set of crises hit the tourism industry in the UK: foot-and-mouth disease, the 11th September terrorist attacks in the USA and the beginnings of general economic slowdown, particularly in the USA. Visitors to London dropped 10 per cent from 31.6 million in 2000 to 28.4 million, and spending dropped 11 per cent from £9.9bn in 2000 to £8.8bn. These combined factors cost London £1.1bn; it is expected to take at least two or three years before the industry recovers. This paper looks at how the tourism industry and the government addressed the issues in the short term, and at how they are working together to recover market share in the medium and long term.