Looking for an out-of-the-way holiday destination this summer – some undiscovered place that’s off the tourist trail? Try London.
You might think the British capital would be jammed to the rafters with visitors flying in for the 2012 Olympics, which has attracted 100,000 spectators from other countries.
But in an economic phenomenon that repeats itself every four years, the Olympics have driven away most of the 300,000 tourists who’d usually be in London over the summer – a loss that far outweighs any tourism benefits from the Games.
The results are dramatic. This week you could roll a bowling ball through Covent Garden without striking anyone. In Leicester Square, you can actually see the ground. Soho’s bars have plenty of patio seats available. In any normal early August, these places would all be shoulder to shoulder.
The hotel industry is suffering from the lowest booking levels in years. A survey by the reviewing site TripAdvisor found that 58 per cent of Britain’s hoteliers felt that the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee have been “non-events” that have had a “negative impact” on business.
Read more: London’s tourism sector not getting gold
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