Thanks to Brexit, London is U.S. travelers’ top international destination
London’s calling.
The city has become the top international destination among U.S. travelers this year, and Londoners have Brexit to thank for that.
That is the finding of a survey of more than 1,000 travel agents, managers and agency owners conducted by Travel Leaders Group, a Minnesota-based travel agency.
London rose to become the most popular international destination this year, up from the third-most popular international destination last year, behind the Caribbean and Mexico. The rise to the top position followed Britain’s vote in June to leave the European Union.
The vote pushed the value of the British pound down relative to the U.S. dollar, making it much cheaper to travel to the home of Big Ben and the Tower Bridge.
“This is further proof that travelers are willing to adjust and seize upon a prime opportunity when there’s increased value in a particular destination,†said Ninan Chacko, chief executive at Travel Leaders Group.
How much cheaper is it to visit London since the Brexit vote?
A study of hotel prices by the travel site Trivago found that the average nightly hotel rate in London in mid August was about $221, down 15% from the same time last year.
The Trivago analysis found that hotel prices in most other British cities also dropped in the last few months.
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