Over the last three years there has been a steep decline in UK tourism, which means a steep decline in the supporting security industry. Particularly the traditional security summer season, where most operational security companies will make the majority of their annual turnover in the space of six months. With some of the larger security companies reporting a 30% reduction in turnover for the second year running.
This article looks at some of the reasons why:
Knife Crime
Why would you want to come to the UK when there is so much media reporting of knife crime. With tourists literally being stabbed to death in Leicester Square, or people visiting high-end restaurants having their watches robbed from them by gangs brandishing machetes.
Phone Snatching
Similar to the threat of knife crime, London and UK cities have masked youths terrorising the streets and pedestrian areas on-ebikes taking phones from unsuspecting people as they go about their day.
Protests and Demonstrations
At their peak, the Palestine protests were an almost weekly occupancy. With crowds of up to 100k+ causing mass traffic congestion and running into eateries like Pret and Macdonalds and harassing customers and families to leave the stores.
Increase in Migrants
With the huge influx of migrants to the UK, this has left iconic UK tourism areas such as Park Lane being littered with tents and those staying in them using local bushes as toilets. In addition, it has also caused a surge in pickpockets who work the traditional tourist areas.
Cost of Living
As the cost of living has increased for UK nationals, this also affects visitors to the UK who are not at a status of wealth where prices no longer matter. So for those that have to save to come on holiday to London, the cost of living has priced some people out of being able to holiday in the UK. The cost of wider travel will also have a similar impact.
Lack of Policing
The lack of police on the streets creates a perception that the streets are no longer safe, and that if you were subjected to some form of crime, that the police wouldn’t necessarily be available to support you like they previously could.
Public Transport
With more and more strikes on the tube and the rail system experiencing ever more delays, it makes coming to London and the UK much more complicated and has a negative impact on UK tourism. Social media also has many examples of people getting harassed on public transport by disrespectful youths.
Terrorism
Formally just Islamic extremism, but also now failed asylum seeker mass violence and stabbings has meant that although the likelihood of being caught up in a terrorist incident is low, there is always potential when you are in crowded spaces such as UK tourism hot spots. So there is more unease for tourists due to this potential threat now forming part of our daily lives.
Increase in Discrimination & Hate Crimes
Fear of being targeted due to race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or identity. With a society that is becoming increasingly divided, hate crime is likely to keep increasing. Which includes towards those visiting the UK.
So What’s Next
Traditionally those visitors who make up UK tourism and become clients of UK operational security companies come from the Middle East to escape their summer heat. Or from other affluent countries using long haul flights to get to the UK and London.
But the current UK situation is clearly making tourists think twice before booking their holiday. Why would you subject your family and children to potential knife crime, phone snatching, terrorism, or hate crime. Only to arrive and have to use a poor standard of public transport, or not be able to fulfil your itinerary due to mass protests and demonstrations on the streets of UK cities.
Compounded by the fact that if you do end up being subjected to crime or caught up in an incident, the police aren’t necessarily coming to help you anymore. Or that the once beautiful landmarks you previously visited now have a tent city eyesore running parallel with them. In addition to having to pay extortionate prices for services that you previously have had at much less cost.
The future doesn’t look great for UK tourism and this will have a negative impact for the UK security industry. Less people coming to the UK, means less security work, and ultimately less security jobs.
We’re here to support you
We appreciate that most people haven’t used security services before, so we’ll support you every step of the way so that we fully understand the risk to you, and then provide you with a bespoke solution.
We are contactable 24/7 if you need us, we’re happy to come out and meet you for an introductory meeting, or if a conference call is easier, we’ll fit in around your schedule.
Get in contact now and we’ll talk you through potential options to improve your safety and security.
