UKinbound CEO Joss Croft has described plans by the Home Office to raise the cost of an ETA from £16 to £20 as ‘staggering’.
From 25 February, all visitors to the UK who qualify for visa-free entry will need to have an ETA, which stands for Electronic Travel Authorisation.
An ETA allows for multiple visits for two years, or until the visitor’s passport expires, whichever is sooner.
The Home Office has confirmed it is planning to raise the fee ‘in the future’, but it has not given a timeframe.
The Government is also planning to increase visa fees for those who don’t qualify for ETAs, from £475 to £506.
“At a time when the Government is rightly focused on growth, increasing visa and ETA costs risks pulling the visitor economy in the wrong direction and stunting that growth,” said Joss.
“It’s staggering that the cost of a two-year visitor visa has increased 40% in four years, and that the ETA has risen by 50% since its roll out in November 2023.
“International visitors have a choice, and the UK already has some of the highest entry costs in the world. Making it even more expensive to visit undermines our competitiveness and puts valuable export income at risk.
“Inbound tourism supports jobs, high streets, pubs and hospitality businesses in communities across the UK. If the Government wants growth to be felt locally, it must rethink these increases and keep the UK open, welcoming and competitive.”
