London Gatwick runway plans would lead to long haul flight boost
London Gatwick says its Northern Runway plans could support more than 28,000 additional jobs across the UK.
It would also help attract more long haul flights.
It would generate a 61% increase in inbound tourism, it believes.
The airport is proposing to bring its existing Northern Runway into regular use alongside its Main Runway.
Plans which would facilitate a significant increase in inbound tourism to London, the South East and the UK as a whole.
A report by Oxford Economics highlights that international visitors arriving via Gatwick are likely to increase from 5.6m in 2019 to 9m in 2038, 1.6m more than without the Northern Runway.
By 2038, this uplift in tourism would also generate £8.74 billion of Gross Value Added (GVA) through increased spending.
This is nearly £2 billion more than without the Northern Runway development.
It forecasts there would be 130,700 jobs by 2038, both directly and indirectly supported by Gatwick-generated tourism.
Under the plans, regular use of the Northern Runway for departures will increase the airport’s capacity to around 75.6m passengers.
Many of these additional slots would support long-haul services from high-spending markets like the US, Middle East and Asia.
Alison Addy, Head of External Engagement and Policy, London Gatwick said: “With inbound visitors to the UK forecast to reach 37.5million this year it’s clear the significant contribution London Gatwick plays in supporting the thriving tourism industry. ”
“Businesses and individuals already benefit from having London Gatwick facilitating visitors from around the world. “
London Gatwick’s planning application has recently been accepted for detailed examination by the Planning Inspectorate.
Members of the public, including local residents and other stakeholders, have until 29 October 2023 to register with the Planning Inspectorate and provide a summary of their views.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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