Will Meghan Markle and Harry's interview hit UK tourism? Experts say chat can lead to even more visitors
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey that saw startling revelations reportedly won't have any impact on British tourism. As per an Insider report, Nikki Emms, operations director at British Tours, said the interview does not have a permanent effect on the tourism of England.
"Americans and other overseas visitors have always been fascinated by the British monarchy," Emms said. "While it is possible the interview will dissuade some people from visiting the UK, the monarchy has survived so many crises from Civil War to the abdication, it seems likely they will bounce back from any negative publicity."
RELATED ARTICLES
Meghan Markle and Harry could become a '$1 billion brand' after Oprah interview, reveal sources
The report said British Tours run 6,000 to 7,000 private tours of England per year and approximately 65% of their clients are American. In 2017, Brand Finance said the visits to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Palace are major contributors — estimated to be around $694 million annually, making it the largest contribution by the royals to the British economy.
"In the past, the major royal interviews were those with Diana and Charles. Everything about Diana led to more intrigue and, if anything, led to more Americans wanting to travel to the UK and see the locations where the lives of the royals played out," Emms added. "With regards to the less senior members of the royal family, I don't think interviews have made that much difference". She added: "Fifty percent of British Tours trips include a visit to royal sites like Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace, and the Tower of London."
According to Euro News, Dr Bob Morris, head of University College London’s Constitution Unit, the controversy could even accelerate visits. "Tourism could boom on the basis that, if people believe the monarchy is in a state of imminent collapse, they might accelerate plans to visit while all the attributes of our monarchy remain in place."
The discussion towards tourism comes in tandem with the couple's financial future. Experts from Forbes reckon that the interview was a boost and that was where Winfrey and Harry's project took the spotlight. "You know Harry and I are working on this mental health series for Apple, so we hear a lot of these stories," she said.
Not to mention that Harry and his brother William, each inherited $16 million from their late mother, Princess Diana. "I've got what my mum left me and, without that, we would not have been able to do this. I think she saw it coming. And I certainly felt her presence throughout the whole process," Harry said, during the interview. Add to this the Netflix and the Spotify deal the couple has signed.