Emirates airline has recorded a surge in premium bookings by visitors to the UK, which it claimed is “driving forward economic growth” in Britain.
Bookings for first-class seats on flights from China and India during the first half of the year were up 27 per cent and 17 per cent respectively, compared with the same period in 2024, the airline said. For travel from Australia, the increase in business-class bookings was 10 per cent.
Emirates said regional UK airports such as Glasgow and Newcastle are also expected to announce an increasing number of Chinese visitors, with inbound passenger numbers anticipated to rise by 18 per cent and 45 per cent respectively in the second half of 2025 compared with a year earlier.
All Emirates journeys on these routes involve changing planes in Dubai.
The airline recently signed a declaration of intent with VisitBritain to boost inbound tourism.
Emirates UK divisional vice president Jabr Al Azeeby said: “The UK is one of the most important markets in Emirates' global network and the growth in bookings we’ve seen over the past year reflects that.
“We’ve seen a noticeable increase in inbound arrivals from key destinations such as Australia, India and China, driving forward economic growth here in the UK. Our partnership with VisitBritain underscores our commitment to grow tourism for the UK from key strategic markets.”
The British government is aiming to attract 50 million international visitors a year by 2030. An estimated 41.2 million inbound visits were made last year.
VisitBritain chief executive Patricia Yates said: “Expanding airline routes and seat capacity into our regional gateways is crucial to our competitive tourism offer.
“International visitors are forecast to spend more than £34 billion in the UK this year. Making it easier for visitors to explore our nations and regions boosts that spending across more of Britain, supporting jobs, businesses and driving growth for local economies.”
