Category Archives: Travel

Are tourists still travelling to London?

Throughout the world, tourism is one of the many sectors that has been hit hard by the pandemic. Every nation will have been severely affected by the travel restrictions that have had to be imposed. London is no different: with internationally-renowned attractions such as Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral and Big Ben, it’s one of the most popular cities in the world for people to come and spend their tourist dollar (or pound), and key to the success of the UK economy. But just how badly has it been hit by Covid, and are there signs of recovery?

Before the pandemic

In 2019 – the year before the pandemic hit Britain – a staggering 21 million people visited the UK’s capital. There were 1,800 businesses involved with the tourism sector (covering everything from arts and entertainment to accommodation, food outlets and retail), and these employed almost 20,000 people.

To say the nation’s tourism was thriving pre-pandemic is an understatement. Visits nationwide exceeded 40 million that year, up by nearly a third compared to 10 years previously, and by almost 70 percent compared to 2002.

During 2020

As expected, there was a huge drop in visitor numbers in 2020, as the pandemic took hold of the nation early in the year and refused to let go. According to Visit Britain (whose figures are based on estimates because they were unable to conduct passenger surveys during lockdown), overseas visitor numbers to the UK dropped by almost 75 percent that year to just 11.1 million. As you’d presume, most of these visits were in the first three months of the year before lockdowns and travel restrictions were put in place. The total spend was down by just over three quarters on the previous year, with an estimated loss of £24 billion. Domestic tourism was also down 63 percent with spending down £57.6 billion.

How things are looking this year

According to Visit Britain’s forecast for 2021, the number of overseas visitors is set to rise slightly to 11.3 million – still considerably lower than numbers prior to the pandemic. Spending isn’t expected to rise, but although figures will pale in comparison to 2019, we should start to see more people arriving towards the end of the year if restrictions continue to ease worldwide.

When it comes to domestic tourism, things are more positive, as numbers are up more than 50 percent compared to 2020, with spending up 59 percent on day trips and 38 percent on overnighters.

If you’re considering travelling to the likes of London, now might be a good time to do so before the world opens up once more. To get the best deals possible, remember to look up trains to London and book in advance.

As you’d expect, the pandemic has had a terrible impact on visitor numbers to London and the UK as a whole. So now might be the best time to explore our own backyard before the rest of the world returns to see our most popular attractions.

RiutBag introduces its anti-theft Crush foldable backpack and Sling cross-body bag

UK based RiutBag, innovators in sleek and secure backpacks, is pleased to announce the availability of its Crush foldable backpack and Sling cross body bag. RiutBag, pronounced ‘riot’ stands for Revolution in User Thinking and brings an entirely new concept to the wearable technology and travel industries. These lightweight, foldable and incredibly secure bags are available from the Riut website for £39.99 and £29.99 respectively with free UK shipping.

With flexible work and UK travel planned to open up in the coming months, some people might be nervous and unsure about venturing into the public arena. Personal-theft was reportedly 52% lower during July 2020 lockdown. Going on a train or tube again may be more intimidating, especially when carrying valuables, as the threat from pickpockets and gangs of thieves looking to take advantage once again becomes a reality.

 

RiutBags, invented by UK designer Sarah Giblin, first hit the headlines in 2015 for their simple and effective theft-proof “backwards” design with the zips cleverly hidden on the back panel so no one else can access the contents.

 

Even A-list magician and professional pickpocket entertainer, Matt Windsor has endorsed the bags stating, “Given there are no zips available to me, I wouldn’t even look at it as an option to pickpocket. By having a RiutBag, you make it clear to a pickpocket that you’re aware of what they do professionally and they just think, “I’ll pick someone else. I think they’re very difficult to steal from, if not impossible.”

The two latest bags in the RiutBag collection are:

The RiutBag Crush:

The RiutBag Crush offers the ultimate in security and protection from theft as all the zips are positioned against the back so cannot be opened easily and unobtrusively by pickpockets.  This lightweight daypack weighs less than 300 grams and has 14 litres of space, so plenty of room for a day’s worth of belongings in a very light backpack. When it’s not in use, it folds down into a small pocket, weighing just 240 grams, which can be kept inside a main backpack, a car or put away neatly at home for when it’s next needed. Whether on a walk through a city, at a festival, in a crowd or market, enjoy moving with no extra weight and with total peace of mind with the secure RiutBag Crush.

The RiutBag Crush has three pockets, the top pocket, D-pocket and main compartment. The top pocket is about the size of a fist and is perfect for quickly accessing small valuables.  When using the Crush as a backpack, the D-pocket is a great spot for a phone, wallet or passport as it can be accessed securely whilst on the back. It is made from a double layer of high-quality flame-resistant ripstop nylon, the same material used in hot air balloons, and has world-class YKK zips offering the ultimate durability and strength. It is showerproof but for extra protection, in bad weather the RiutBag Cover, which can be purchased separately, makes it 100% waterproof and reflective so perfect for long cycle rides or walks and on a motorbike or moped. On the outside, it is smart, understated and minimalistic black, whilst the inside lining is brightly coloured so items can be found easily.  No animal products are used in the manufacture of any of the RiutBags so could appeal to vegans too.

RiutBag Sling:

The RiutBag Sling is a light, flexible and secure cross-body bag enabling easy reach of the most important small items on the go, so no more searching for keys, payment cards, phones or passports ever again. Unlike other sling bags, the zip faces the body so cannot be opened without a wearer’s knowledge thus offering travellers, commuters and walkers in crowded areas the ultimate in peace of mind and the reassurance that contents are safe and yet easily accessed.

It is a sleek plain black and ultra minimalistic bag with a slimline design that stretches if a larger item is carried offering a total capacity of no more than 2 litres and designed to hold up to 1.5kg. Larger and heavier items should always be carried in a backpack that evenly distributes weight over both shoulders, protecting a user’s back in the long term. It also has a useful detachable key hook inside for easy access to household or car keys.

The RiutBag Sling is worn across the body with the zip flat against the torso, hidden from sight, offering total control on when it is opened. To access it, slide it up to the chest and unzip and can be worn on its own or under the straps of a backpack. On the go, it can be moved to the side or even to a back; whatever is most comfortable. It has an adjustable, high-shine strap with a long, lightweight stretchy pocket.

The RiutBag Crush is available for £39.99 from the Riut website here

The RiutBag Sling is available for £29.99 from the Riut website here

Both items include free UK shipping