Do Royal Wedding Bells Mean More Demand for UK Timeshare?

With opinions being voiced across the United Kingdom and globally, it seems that tourism officials don’t all agree on the impact the newly announced nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton will have on travel.

At first glance, it looks as if the United Kingdom has hit the British trifecta of tourism boosters. With a royal wedding in the plans for 2011 and both the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics following in 2012, the eyes of the world, and possibly a chunk of tourism dollars will focus on the UK.

‘VisitEngland’ chief executive James Berresford says, “I’m absolutely thrilled for William and Kate, and thrilled for tourism as well. … We will have a wonderful opportunity to showcase all that is best about the country — its heritage and its history and what being English is all about.”

In 2009, tourism to the UK fell by two percent for the period of January through September and for 2010 was one percent down year-over-year. But with two years of upcoming events, all of which will play out on the international stage, tourism operators anticipate inbound travel to the United Kingdom will see a substantial gain.

So where’s the potential down side?

Outbound travel.

With so much going on at home, it is likely that many Brits will plan domestic holidays over the next two years, rather than traveling abroad. Mary Rance, chief executive of Ukinbound explains, “All eyes will be on London as the marriage will be broadcast to hundreds of countries worldwide and millions will descend upon the city to be part of the festivities, providing a vital boost to visitor numbers.”

One thing is likely, for UK timeshare owners, the demand for their timeshares will be at its peak. So if you are planning an England timeshare, Ireland timeshare, or Wales timeshare vacation, this will be a great time to be there. And if you are looking to rent or sell your UK timeshare, the market for that may heat up as well.

By the way, while the official wedding date for Prince William and Kate Middleton has yet to be announced (they have simply said spring or summer, at this point) English bookmaker, Paddy Power has chosen August 13 as the likely date with odds at 3 to 1.