The Guardian
Gwyn Topham
07 Jun 2026
UK lagging behind rivals on tourism growth because of travel costs and lack of joined-up planning, says CEO Sean Doyle
The cost of travel to and around the UK is keeping millions of tourists away and slowing economic growth, the boss of British Airways said, as he urged a rethink of aviation taxes.
The airline’s chief executive, Sean Doyle, said the UK had some of the highest aviation taxes in the world and was falling behind countries such as Japan, France and Germany in boosting its inbound tourism.
The UK would not hit ambitious targets for domestic tourism without making travel easier and more affordable, Doyle added.
Air passenger duty across most flights was raised by 15% in April, up to £8 a passenger on domestic flights, £15 for European departures, and up to £253 in premium economy seats on long-haul flights...
