Business travel from mainland China to the UK dropped nearly 13 per cent last year, despite efforts by the government to welcome Chinese investment and simplify visas.
The Office for National Statistics said there had been 48,000 business trips to the UK by Chinese in 2014, down from 55,000 the previous year.
“Chinese visitors to the UK are falling. The government’s plans to increase numbers have failed miserably. Far from being a record, these numbers show the UK continues to miss out on the jobs and growth that Chinese visitors could bring to these shores,” said Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group. “While the US has just introduced 10-year visas, the UK is tinkering with changes to a system that is not fit for purpose. What we need is a radical overhaul.”