London can expect a massive influx of British-based visitors for the 2012 Olympic Games, according to a new survey.
The survey, which was carried out by hotel comparison site, Trivigo, suggests that 73 percent more British travellers than usual will be visiting London during the period July 29 to August 12. That is 17.5 percent of all UK travellers at that time.
Additional data compiled by the company also concludes that visitors for the Olympics chose to book early in order to guarantee the accommodation that they required, rather than wait in the hope of getting a cheaper last-minute deal, which has become a popular strategy when making more general travel arrangements. A large proportion of Olympics visitors booked their accommodation between March and April.
A Trivigo spokesperson was reported in the Daily Mail as saying, ‘Although we can only speculate as to what is pulling so many visitors to London, the sheer excitement surrounding the event is enough to have an impact on visitor numbers. Aside from the abundance of smaller events set to take place in London during this time, the Olympics alone are a monumental historical event with an unparalleled atmosphere and sense of national pride – which assumingly many UK citizens want to be part of.’
Conversely, reports suggest that non-Olympic tourists from overseas are avoiding London during the games due to a perception that food and accommodation prices in the capital will be excessive.
According to estimates by Trivigo, during the games the average price of a London hotel will be £281, and 36 percent of rooms are still available to book.
