UK's 'outdated' view of China costs tourism £4 million a day, says London casino boss
The Hippodrome's Simon Thomas adds his voice to those saying Britain losing out to rest of EU with tough visa requirements for visitors
The owner of London's biggest casino raised the stakes in the row over tough British visa rules for high-rolling Chinese tourists yesterday by launching a scathing attack on the government's "outdated" view of China.
Simon Thomas, the chief executive and co-owner of the Hippodrome in the West End, claimed London was missing out on millions of pounds because Chinese visitors to Europe have to fill out a separate visa forms for Britain.
"The current visa system is bureaucratic madness. Chinese tourists can fill out a relatively simple form to get a Schengen visa for 26 European countries, yet have an incredibly complicated process to get a UK visa, so many of them don't bother," he told the South China Morning Post.
Chinese tourists can fill out a relatively simple form to get a Schengen visa for 26 European countries, yet have an incredibly complicated process to get a UK visa, so many of them don't bother
Quoting recent reports, Mr Thomas said the rigid system was costing tourism "four to five million pounds a day" in lost income.
"It's a competitive world and we need to compete. The UK had 180,000 Chinese tourists last year. France had well over a million," he said.
"I believe the British government has an outdated view of Chinese visitors, perhaps rooted in colonial times. They wrongly fear many Chinese will overstay. We have to respect our borders, but such unfounded fears are harming the UK economy."
Mr Thomas is among a growing chorus of dismayed businesses leaders.
Luxury retailers favoured by cash-rich, brand-inspired Chinese tourists have formed the UK China Visa Alliance (UKCVA), a pressure group to lobby the government to allow easier access by overhauling the bureaucratic and expensive visa process.