Parliamentarians call for Prime Minister to re-introduce VAT free shopping for international visitors and bring in arrivals duty free

A cross party group of parliamentarians have today written to the Prime Minister urging the Government to re-introduce VAT free shopping for international visitors and to introduce arrivals duty free at airports, international rail, and ferry terminals in Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The letter, which was organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Future of Aviation, highlights that the failure to bring in these measures is holding our economy and boosting inbound tourism to nations such as France and Germany. 

It states that “We know that visitors from key inbound markets such as China and the GCC are price sensitive and figures from this year show that we lag considerably behind our European neighbours in visitor numbers in part due to the lack of tax-free shopping.”

Alongside Henry Smith MP, Chair of the APPG for the Future of Aviation the letter has been signed by over 50 parliamentarians including former Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel MP, the last three Aviation Ministers Robert Courts MP, Kelly Tolhurst MP, Paul Maynard MP, and leading backbenchers including John Redwood MP. 

Commenting, Henry Smith MP, Chair of the APPG for the Future of Aviation said:

“The Government’s refusal to reintroduce VAT free shopping for international visitors and arrivals duty free is not only holding back our economy it is actively boosting the economy of other nations. 

“Our inbound tourism industry is a jewel in the British economy and the removal of VAT free shopping is putting up a barrier to high spending tourists from choosing the UK and boosting those nations that offer tax free shopping. 

“This is not only hitting our aviation, travel, and retail industries, but is damaging manufacturing and businesses throughout the UK and it is high time that the Government accepted that VAT free shopping must be reintroduced without any further delay.

“Alongside this, they must also introduce arrivals duty free and end the bizarre situation that our more generous duty-free allowance introduced after we left the EU is only benefiting other nations’ economies. 

“We urge the Prime Minister to listen to industry and introduce these two simple measures to boost the UK economy and to reinforce the UK is the best place to visit in the world. “