Hotels see Olympic surge a year after London 2012
Hotels in the UK are receiving a surge in international interest a year on from the 2012 Olympics, according to new figures.
Cities that hosted Olympic events have seen a spike in bookings, with guests from Russia, Hungary and New Zealand particularly noticeable, claim Hotels.com.
It has found an 81% increase in searches for London hotels by Hungarian visitors, and a 76% rise in searches from Germany in the first six months of 2013. The Online Travel Agent claims this is down to each countries success at the games, with Hungary ranking ninth in the medal table and Germany sixth.
The Japanese, who were the third highest spenders on hotel rooms last year according to the website's Hotel Price Index, made 53% more searches in the first six months of 2013, compared with 2012.
Russian visitors were particularly interested in Manchester, which hosted a number of football and basketball games. Searches for accommodation in the city are up 218%.
One of the largest spikes was in Cardiff, with searches from Russia and Hungary up 94% and 83% respectively. It is also popular in Ukraine, with searches for hotels in the city growing by 81% this year.
New Zealander's are also attracted to Glasgow, with searches up 82% compared to 2012. Searches from Hungary and Russia are also up 44% and 37% respectively.
Alison Couper at Hotels.com said: "Britain's Olympic legacy stretches far beyond London. Cities across the UK are benefiting from renewed interest from tourists worldwide, as visitors see the UK in a new light.
"This legacy is driving tourists to look beyond the capital. This change could provide a welcome boost to local economies as new jobs are created to meet growing demand from international visitors."