WH Smith profit grounded as flight cancellations take hold April 23, 2026 WH Smith shares tumbled after the retailer adopted a more “cautious outlook” as the Iran war sparks a slowdown in international tourism. The retailer’s share price fell by more than 15 per cent on Thursday’s open, to 532p, leaving the stock down more than 16 per cent in the year so far. The stationer suffered [...]
The Debate: Should UK museums charge international tourists? April 22, 2026 A review has suggested charging international tourists to save Britain's struggling museums. We hear the case for and against.
Hermès and Gucci shares tank in ‘dismal’ week for luxury brands April 16, 2026 Investors have fled from leading luxury stocks like Hermès and Gucci this week after they revealed tumbling sales as a result of the Iran war. The market was quick to respond to the poor results from several top fashion houses, as doubts swirl around the Middle East’s role as a key market for luxury brands. [...]
Rocco Forte: Middle East tourism ‘could increase’ after ceasefire March 24, 2026 Tourism volumes to the Middle East could increase after a ceasefire in the region if the US and Israel topple the Iranian regime, Sir Rocco Forte has said as he doubled down on investment plans in the region despite an exodus of visitors. The billionaire hotel magnate, whose eponymous Rocco Forte Hotels is part-owned by [...]
Holidaymakers face billion-pound tax on ‘great British holiday’ March 23, 2026 The “great British holiday” is under threat from a proposed tax which would hit visitors with £1.6bn in new charges and threaten 33,000 jobs, hospitality bosses have warned. The country’s holiday economy could be “decimated” by a levy on tourist accommodation which would turn away domestic and international holidaymakers, according to new modelling. Industry body [...]
Ramsdens shares rocket as pawnbroker cashes in on gold boom March 18, 2026 Shares in pawnbroker Ramsdens rocketed as it looked poised to take advantage of gold prices, inflated by the Iran war, by taking as much as £28m this year. The firm’s share price soared by more than ten per cent on Wednesday, to 404p, leaving it up more than four per cent in the year so [...]
Nine in ten hospitality job switchers quit the sector March 13, 2026 Nine in ten workers in hospitality and tourism quit the sector altogether when they switch jobs, as the hiring “churn” drives costs and dampens the industry’s productivity. As many as 87 per cent of hospitality and tourism workers who quit jobs end up leaving the industry for good, while the exit rate stands at 82 [...]
Sir Devonshire Square: A new hotel embodying the City’s spirit December 18, 2025 Sir Devonshire Square: A new hotel embodying the City’s spirit Devonshire Square sits at the meeting point of Shoreditch’s creative energy and the City’s commercial core. Just two minutes from Liverpool Street station, Britain’s busiest by footfall, it offers a unique blend of history and modern vibrancy. Its restaurants and bars, including Cinnamon Kitchen, KöD [...]
Budget: ‘Tax on holidays’ slammed by Butlin’s boss November 26, 2025 The chief executive of Butlin’s has slammed Rachel Reeves for introducing a ‘tax on holidays’ in her Budget today. Jon Hendry Pickup has argued that “hospitality businesses like Butlin’s remain caught in the crossfire of the Chancellor’s tax and spend ideology”. The chief executive was reacting to the ‘tourism tax’ which has been welcomed by [...]
New Bond Street crowned most expensive retail destination in the world November 20, 2025 London’s New Bond Street has been crowned the world’s most expensive retail destination for the first time as investor confidence returns to high-end retail. Rents on New Bond Street have risen 22 per cent in the past year, helping it to leapfrog over Milan’s Via Montenapoleone and New York’s iconic Upper Fifth Avenue. Duncan Gillard, head of central London Retail at Cushman & Wakefield, [...]