Latest news
Government in visa U-turn row
By Pete Hayman
Tourism organisations have criticised plans by the government to scrap visa waiver agreements with 11 countries early next year.
UKinbound and the Tourism Alliance have both expressed serious concerns that the decision could threaten trade relations and outbound tourism, as well as badly damaging inbound tourism from some of the world's key emerging markets. It follows a decision announced by the Home Office last week that the countries in question failed to meet "strict criteria to determine the level of risk to the UK" in the first ever global visa review performed by the government and UK Border Agency (UKBA). The 11 countries named by the Home Office are Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Trinidad & Tobago, and Venezuela. Stephen Dowd, the outgoing chief executive of UKinbound, said: "These measures are an ill-conceived overreaction by the UKBA, irrespective of the damage to trading links with these countries of which tourism is just one of many." Three of those countries named by the government - Brazil, Malaysia and South Africa - accounted for over half a million visitors to the UK during 2006, worth over £456m. All three, together with Trinidad & Tobago, also represent an important part of the visiting friends and family market which make up approximately 30 per cent of all inbound flights. There is also concern that there will be reciprocal action taken against UK tourists. According to the Tourism Alliance, any such counter-measures will have a "detrimental impact on UK travel agents and tour operators who are already facing declining bookings." Each of the 11 countries has been given a six month period by the UK government in which to "significantly reduce" the threat they pose to the UK before visa requirements are re-introduced. After that, potential tourists will face an additional £65 charge in order to apply for a biometric visa allowing entry into Britain. "Any decision requiring the citizens of commonwealth countries such as South Africa and Malaysia to have their fingerprints taken so they can visit Britain will be very poorly received in those countries," said Tourism Alliance director, Bob Cotton.Tourism organisations have criticised plans by the government to scrap visa waiver agreements with 11 countries early next year.
HHR,TOU,TVL
160708-tourism-england.jpg
Latest news
01 Jul 2026
Europe’s largest low-cost operator, Basic-Fit, has agreed to acquire 41 Wellyou clubs in Germany for
30 Jun 2026
Longevity is the most important motivator for today’s exercisers and social connection is key, according
30 Jun 2026
Until has opened its fourth club at Canary Wharf, in the iconic YY London building.
29 Jun 2026
Ben Allen has been appointed managing director at Common Bond. Having set the company up
29 Jun 2026
Les Mills, whose name became synonymous with one of the world's leading fitness brands, has
26 Jun 2026
People taking GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound may be
As healthcare continues to shift towards prevention, there’s a growing focus on helping people stay
25 Jun 2026
Low-cost gym operator, PureGym, is trialling recovery zones at two of its UK sites, democratising
25 Jun 2026
In a milestone moment, mental health has become a core part of CIMSPA’s occupational professional
25 Jun 2026
US high-value, low-price chain, Eos Fitness, has announced plans to pilot reformer Pilates in three
24 Jun 2026
Preventive healthcare company Neko Health has added body composition analysis to its full-body health scan
24 Jun 2026
Chequan Lewis is the new CEO of Crunch Fitness, taking over from Jim Rowley, who
23 Jun 2026
Sea Lanes Canary Wharf has officially opened. The 50-metre, six-lane pool, which uses the natural
CoverMe, the global leader in fitness workforce management, today launches CoverMe PT, an on-demand personal
23 Jun 2026
London-based high-performance fitness club, ONE LDN, is raising funds for a multi-site expansion across London,
22 Jun 2026
A new brain clinic has opened in London, which uses non-invasive brain stimulation to treat
22 Jun 2026
Good Boost’s digital exercise programmes are helping adults with MSK at a lower cost than
22 Jun 2026
With Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, announcing his resignation this morning and Andy Burnham as a
22 Jun 2026
Koru Health Club launched recently within Luxembourg’s multi-experience destination, GRID X, which combines culture, retail
19 Jun 2026
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Elevate has had its busiest show to date, with almost 200
Active Blackpool is deploying Cornerstone Connect, a new digital interface allowing disparate information from multiple
19 Jun 2026
A new report from Your Personal Training (YPT) suggests UK gym operators could be missing
19 Jun 2026
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives,
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Find out how your gym can tap into the corporate wellness boom
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Greg Bradley looks at the shift towards strength training in gyms and advises on how operators can create the ultimate training environment
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
SnowDome Fitness has added 50 per cent more space with cutting-edge Technogym solutions
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
David Lloyd is stepping up its commitment to women’s health as it continues to explore what fit-for-purpose looks like for the female population
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Third Space partnered with IndigoFitness to deliver a
bespoke training space for its new club at The Whiteley
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
Starpool supports Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs, says Riccardo Turri
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
EGYM has opened a new HQ in Paternoster Square,
London and revealed a range of new launches
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
The industry is embracing consumer-facing tech. Now it’s time to
streamline back-of-house systems with Orbit4, says Daniel Jones
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
New launch, Salus House, elevates boutique wellness with
high service levels and a partnership with Technogym
HCM promotional features
HCM magazine
Raphael Cuomo explores the
powerful link between addiction,
health and behaviour change
HCM magazine
Strength training is evolving,
driven by changing consumer
preferences. Julie Cramer talks
to innovators about how their
products are meeting this demand
HCM magazine
As the entrepreneur who started Wexer, Fresh Fitness, Fitness DK and Repeat, as well as being a former elite athlete, Rasmus Ingerslev’s life looked perfect from the outside, but onthe inside it was a different story. He talks to Kath Hudson about healing old wounds
HCM magazine
HCM People
Jamie Clements
The Breath Coach“I experienced a blissful feeling of joy I hadn’t felt since I was a kid”
HCM magazine
Small improvements to sleep, diet and physical activity have major benefits for the heart, according to new research from the University of Sydney
HCM magazine
If the health service is to
survive, we must recognise
that it is a disease service
– and that wellbeing rests with
us, says the activity advocate
and healthy ageing champion.
He talks to Kate Cracknell
HCM magazine
For every member with a tripod and a big following, there are others irritated at the way equipment is being hogged or wary they’ll be in the background on someone’s Insta feed. Do influencers offer valuable, free marketing or are they just a nuisance? Kath Hudson finds out how operators are responding
HCM magazine
HCM People
Stephen Price
Founder, SP&Co Group“Working in public health over the last few years has lit up parts of my brain again”
HCM magazine
Collaborations with the medical profession and greater aspirations around wellbeing are creating a need for more experts in our sector. It’s time to reboot our thinking around the workforce
HCM magazine
Vicci Wells shares insights from the
recent Class of 2035 report into
physical activity in Generation Alpha
HCM magazine
Current vacancies
Operations Manager - Brentwood School Enterprises Brentwood School Sports Centre
£32,000 - £34,000pa + pension + benefits
Brentwood, Essex, United Kingdom
Read the latest issue
Opinion
promotion
“Strength training has moved from the margins to the mainstream.”
Featured supplier news
As healthcare continues to shift towards prevention, there’s a growing focus on helping
people stay active, independent and feeling good for longer.
Featured supplier news
CoverMe, the global leader in fitness workforce management, today launches CoverMe PT, an
on-demand personal training platform that connects the right personal trainer to the right
client in under 10 seconds.
Company profiles
The UK’s leading Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation for the physical activity sector, Active IQ offers over ...
Company profiles
IndigoFitness creates bespoke training spaces for commercial, education, public-sector, and specialist clients including the MoD ...
Catalogue Gallery
Click on a catalogue to view it online
Directory
Hot tubs
Fitness tracking platform
Spa and beauty equipment
Water experiences and hydrotherapy solutions
Industrial washing machines
Lockers
Property & Tenders
Stratford, East London.
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
Property & Tenders
Diary dates
21-24 Sep 2026
The Langham Huntington Pasadena , Pasadena, United States
Diary dates
Search news, features & products:
Find a supplier:
