The United Kingdom sends hundreds of thousands of visitors to Central Florida and its theme parks each year. The UK sent 1.7 million of the 11.2 million overseas visitors to the state of Florida last year, according to state tourism officials. That's second to Brazil among nations outside North America.
However, the British Pound tanked against the US dollar last night as the Brexit vote totals came in, showing a win for the "Leave" side. So in the short term, Brexit will be very bad for the Orlando theme parks. A weak pound makes visiting the United States much more expensive for UK residents, which likely will persuade more of them to stay home or to look for cheaper vacation alternatives. On the flip side, a weaker pound makes Britain a more affordable destination for Americans, who might decide this summer's the time to visit the Harry Potter-themed Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Leavesden rather than the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Orlando.
For now, though, the United Kingdom remains in the EU. The process of extracting the UK from the EU will take at least two years, during which UK citizens may continue to travel and work across the EU without visas and special paperwork. What happens after that, though, is up in the air. The United Kingdom retained its own currency and never adopted the Euro, which should lessen the economic impact and smooth the logistics of an exit. But Britons might decided to spend the next two years cramming as much Continental travel in as they can afford, saving trips to Orlando for some other time. (Update: Rephrased to remove confusion between EU and the Schengen Area.)
After the Brexit is complete, however, it's possible that spending time in America might end up on equal logistical footing with travel to France and Spain for UK residents, if more limitations return for travel to European countries. That could then help Florida, as it would no longer suffer the logistical disadvantages it now has versus vacation destinations in southern Europe. But it's possible that the UK's new leadership (Prime Minister David Cameron just quit) could negotiate easy travel to certain EU countries after the Brexit. And US customs is US customs. Again... at this point, who knows?
Ultimately, the health of UK tourism abroad will depend upon the health of the UK economy at home. The Brexit may result in the loss of work permissions for millions of EU citizens now living in the UK. If they leave the United Kingdom en masse, as Leave supports seems to be hoping, that might open many new jobs for Britons, raising wages and prosperity. However, as the Stay side warned, the loss of all those immigrants also means the loss of their economic demand — all the stuff that they bought and paid for in the UK. The question is if that loss of demand will lead to greater job losses than gains, throwing the UK into recession and depressing citizens' ability to afford travel abroad.
In the years ahead, we'll find out which side was right. Not through logical arguments or lessons applied from elsewhere, but through hard, real-world data in the UK. Until we get those answers, though, the short term answer is that a weaker pound means fewer visitors for Central Florida's theme parks.
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In the long term I think Europe will try to become stronger so no other countries drop off (something you hear now in all other EU countries).
This uncertain times will always stop people generally to go on an expensive holiday.
The whole passport thing is a non issue. Besides that the BS with the visa and waver program is already a huge hurdle to get into the US (even more so then the former Soviet Union!) with their ridiculous terrorist scare but that didn't stop anyone from visiting the US for a vacation, it was just annoying.
As for Orlando, UK and Brazil's political struggles might mean a slight decrease in tourism and profits across the industry. The real question is, can they supplement that with domestic guests?
"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, — go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!"
-Samuel Adams
I think it will be more interesting seeing how this affects Merlin. Will it affect where they focus on expanding the Dungeons, Taussads and Legoland brands? EFTA/EU membership is built on four pilliars - Free movement of Goods, Services, labour and Capital. If barriers start to appear for the latter between EU and UK, it might encourage them to look more outside the EU than they were before.
The EU should wise up, fire Juncker and offer the Brits a better deal to stay.
Global elites have grown fat, corrupt and stupid, just like the French aristocracy before the revolution.
Make up your mind JK.
Anyway.
I'd suggest the single biggest effect of this to international tourism - and whether UK residents choose to visit other continents rather than mainland Europe - could be how we renegotiate our relationship with the single aviation area. In theory, we might be able to seamlessly opt back in. But it's unclear at the moment.
Another longer-term effect is that we may well have just triggered a domino effect across the EU. It has seriously bolstered the case for parties across the continent to call for their own referendums. If we start to see a mass exodus (which will admittedly take significantly longer than our own minimum-two-year withdrawal) then the global effects will be more pronounced.
In the meantime, I'm going to use up the stash of Euros I have leftover from past trips, continue to make the most of the amazingly simple and positive system we've worked so hard to create up til now (man, am I going to miss those brilliant e-passport terminals) and tick off a few more of the continental parks on my list.
We may have a general election called as soon as October. So there's no real way of knowing our direction of travel as a nation from here.
To sum up the general mood when it comes to listening to people who might be able to offer some informed advice, I'll sign off with the quote that's come to define this whole sorry affair, from the man who might well soon be our Chancellor of the Exchequer: "Britain has had enough of experts."
Sounds like American politics.
The urban, younger, and more educated on one side.
The older, rural, and less educated on the other.
I know JK Rowling was very upset with the results.
Remember, during the recent recession the pound fell almost to parity with the Euro (£1 = €1.04 euros at one point, it's currently at €1.23 after the brexit vote) and it has been down to just over US$1.40 (near where it is now) in the 00s, but people still carried on going on European sun holidays and to Florida, in similar numbers
I agree entirely with JK - especially that many europhiles (I was one at the time) spoke of serious consequences when the UK didn't join the Euro currency 16 years ago, yet we seem to have done very well not doing so - people forget things very quickly (or are too young to remember). I think there is a lot of unnecessary doom and scaremongering going on.
I was always a supporter of the EU and the outcome of the referendum is sad but a vote is a vote and no point in us Brits being angry. Sadly, aside from all the lies put around by both sides, the EU is expanding too much, too fast, so a result like the brexit vote was inevitable at some point, and the UK probably wont be the first country unless the EU reforms a lot. The EU has its good points but it is a, largely, unaccountable bureaucratic nightmare sadly.
I will just add to Gabrielle, I can see what you are saying but in this case it is not an entirely accurate comparison 'older, rural and less educated on the other (leave) side' - In The UK this has been a part myth put about by unhappy press/media and unhappy voters. Whilst many 18-25 year olds (around 70%) supported remain in EU, this rapidly starts to change when you get into mid 30s and above, who are certainly not old. Outside london, in England and Wales, regions typically voted 55-60% to leave (with a good number of individual areas at 60-70%) - So the media would be suggesting that a large proportion of the English/Welsh are old and/or uneducated. I am certain this isn't the case. I know plenty of younger/educated people who voted to leave.
I will just add to Ben that the e-passport terminals are nothing to do with the EU directly (they have them in some US airports) and they will continue regardless. The only thing that will/may change eventually is the customs lines will change from having one for EU/UK citizens and one for all other visitors, back to UK and all others. Wind the clock back 20 years and it used to be much faster getting back into the UK than it is now.
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