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The Sussexes

The royal wedding: no immediate boost for the economy

Given past experiences, it’s not hard to come to the conclusion that many people love a royal wedding.

And you may expect the number of tourists landing in England to have a huge positive impact on the economy. However, this is not always the case.

Much like Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge’s big day in 2011, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s nuptials on May 19 is not expected to have a huge immediate impact or see many people flocking from far and wide.

Speaking to CNN, Tom Jenkins, CEO of the European Tourism Association, said: “Don’t expect visitors from abroad to come to this wedding; it is a pageant for domestic consumption.”

Industry experts have suggested the wedding may lead to more tourists arriving in the UK in years to come, but it will have little effect during the month of the event.

So, why will people not be rushing to see Prince Harry and his new bride walk hand-in-hand for the first time as husband and wife? Well, according to analysts, they expect that any increase in visits caused by lovers of all things royal will be counteracted by the number of people wanting to stay away from all the fuss.

However, the wedding will most likely be the biggest royal event of the year and is still likely to boost the number of visitors here in the long run.

Deirdre Wells, head of the British travel association, UKinbound, told CNN that any coverage of the wedding is “The best free advertising we can wish for as a country and reminds people that they should come to the UK.”

She continued “Meghan and Harry’s wedding will continue to keep the UK in focus, especially from a US perspective, which is likely to sustain the current (tourism) momentum.”

And it’s not as though those tourists who are big enough royal fans will have a problem finding somewhere to stay if they do fly over for the wedding.

Getting a hotel near the venue in Windsor, which is 25 miles outside of central London, may not be easy but travel agents expect that getting a room anywhere else in London shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

Diane Bean, a travel agent who runs the company, Off On Vacation, told CNN “(Clients have) asked me if I felt they should postpone and reschedule their festivities as it might be ‘too busy’ in London. I empathetically told them no.”

But whether or not the wedding results in a boost for the economy, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be able to show everyone, whether they are watching from London or the other side of the world, just how much they love each other.