Will Asian nations’ UK travel warnings over anti-immigrant riots deter tourists?

Violence erupted in northwest England’s Southport after the stabbing deaths of three young girls and injuries to 10 others led to the spread of disinformation that the attacker was an immigrant and falsely identified the suspect as a Muslim.

Far-right supporters and anti-immigration extremists have attacked hotels housing asylum seekers in two cities and have clashed with police, leading to hundreds of arrests.

“The concern for Muslim visitors is that this will stoke broader anti-Islamic sentiment beyond the rioting. This is a tough test for the new government, and Britain’s reputation for racial diversity and tolerance is something it will take strong legal steps to uphold,” said Gary Bowerman, the Kuala Lumpur-based director of tourism analysis firm Check-in Asia and co-host of travel podcast The Southeast Asia Travel Show.

European destinations are seeking to rebuild their Asian visitor markets, with China’s Golden Week in October and the Christmas and New Year holidays, he highlighted.

China’s Golden Week, which begins on October 1 with the country’s National Day, is one of the busiest travel periods globally as millions of Chinese travel domestically and internationally.

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Millions flock to China's main tourist attractions to celebrate National Day

The impact on visitor arrivals will depend on “how effectively the British government can contain the spread of the violence”, Bowerman said.

“So far, the rioting has occurred mostly in places that tourists rarely visit, although there have been flashpoints in cities like London and Bristol,” Bowerman noted.

More riot police are being put on standby and neighbourhood policing patrols stepped up.

Britain’s crime agency and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology are