Published earlier this year, Walpole’s tourism manifesto, What it’s Worth: Enabling the Return of the £30bn High-End Tourism Sector, identified the UK as having been Europe’s number one high-end tourism destination pre-pandemic. Given that affluent international visitors to the UK spend 14 times that of mass tourists – making a powerful contribution not only to the country’s world-leading hotels, but to the whole high-end ecosystem of culture, entertainment, and retail – and with the knowledge that our high-end tourism offer generated more than 30% more revenue than France, Italy or Spain, and two thirds more than either Germany or Switzerland, we see high-end tourism as a crucial growth driver for this country. In the light of the Chancellor’s recent decision to reverse the decision to reintroduce tax-free shopping, Walpole asked its members to share their thoughts on the value of the high-end visitor, and to let us know what they were doing in their own businesses to drive the appeal for this important customer group.
If your company has been affected by the reversal on the reintroduction of tax-free shopping and you would like to be featured in this series, please email [email protected]
"In June 2018, The Macallan opened its new Distillery and Visitor Experience at its home in Speyside. Designed by renowned architects Rogers, Stirk, Harbour + Partners, it scooped the prestigious RIAS Doolan prize for the best new building in Scotland and welcomed 110,000 visitors in its
first two years.
The pandemic then hit and like all tourism businesses we were required to close. As we looked to re-open, we were forced to think about how best to operate and really reward those guests who made the pilgrimage to the home of The Macallan, despite the ongoing challenge of travel.
We moved away from being a general tourist attraction, making our experiences more immersive into the world of The Macallan and became an exclusive hospitality destination for our highest value consumers.
The Macallan Estate hosted our biggest global launch events, including Tales of The Macallan and most recently Distil Your World, New York. As we interacted with our guests, we quickly realised how connected they were with our key partners in hospitality across the UK. We now work closely with these key partners, both pre and post visit, to further enhance the experience enjoyed by our guests.
The openness for connectivity and collaboration between hospitality businesses in Scotland and the rest of the UK is what will distinguish the UK as a destination worth the extra effort to travel to.”
