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Regular travellers left confused in the wake of Brexit

Dubai - Travellers to the UK are in doubt over visa, currency exchange, costs and ease of travelling to the UK

Will holidays to the UK cost more? Will I face visa issues while travelling to the UK now?
Such questions have started haunting international travellers, as UK voted out of the European Union today. People across the globe have been hit by multiple apprehensions about their travel plans.
Since the UK and European countries happen to be one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world, the impact of the Brexit decision will be felt by millions. “I don’t know how much I will have to spend now. Anyway, there are two different visas to travel to the UK and EU (UK and Schengen visa), and the currencies are different too (pound and euro),” said Maria, a Sharjah resident who recently returned from a vacation in London.
“What about currency exchange and fresh immigration queues?,” asked Imran Khalid, a Dubai-based businessman who frequently travels to Europe.
“I don’t think it’s going to affect travel to the UK much. There may be a temporary rise in the cost of travelling and other related aspects, but that will come back to equilibrium once things settle down,” said E.T., a businessman based in Dubai.
Visa and other issues
The general worry is that Brexit is more likely to affect investments from the UAE and Middle East, as investors may find other commercial states in Europe safer than England. “It appears that some major banks from England might move to safer financial centres. This might affect investments from the UAE and Middle East, which would traditionally happen in England. Investment from the UAE will suffer from Brexit in a big way.”
Dr Shamim Qaisar, a clinician and regular traveller, feels Brexit will affect travellers from the UK to the European Union and vice-versa, more than those from other continents. “We may see some changes in things like roaming calling charges, since UK companies have pacts with EU telecom providers. If the pact ceases, there might be an increase in tariffs.”
On visa issues, things are likely to remain the same for non-European visitors. “Travellers from Asia, for instance, always had to get separate visa for travelling to the UK, which will remain unchanged. I think the major impact globally will be the economic fallout,” Dr Qaisar said.
It’s his guess that Brexit might mean fewer European travellers visiting both Britain and the rest of Europe, which could mean lower occupancy in UK hotels, thereby bringing down room rates.
sana@khaleejtimes.com