LONDON: London Mayor Sadiq Khan launched a campaign on Monday to bring tourists back to the British capital, ahead of a planned easing of government coronavirus restrictions across England.
The £6 million ($8.4 million) campaign by Khan's office with the capital's tourism and transport bodies will look to drive domestic tourism to hospitality, culture, nightlife and retail venues in the city.
The plans are designed to boost the sectors, which have been badly hit by months of closures and lockdown curbs during the pandemic.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected on Monday to confirm the next stage of his government's roadmap out of lockdown from next week, including a return to indoors mixing, and the reopening of cinemas and theatres.
Khan, who on Saturday was re-elected for a second term as mayor, called the initiative "the biggest domestic tourism campaign London has ever seen".
"This is about getting the message out to Londoners and people across the country that our capital stands ready to entertain, inspire and enthral once again," he said.
The "Let's Do London" campaign will look to target day-trippers and overnight visitors to the capital from across the UK, given ongoing restrictions on international travel.
Analysis by Britain's tourism sector has shown consumer spending in central London by overseas tourists was £7.4 billion lower throughout 2020.
Domestic tourists will have spent £3.5 billion less, it added.
"Our new campaign is bringing together many of the capital's leading organisations and venues to offer an unparallelled experience for anyone visiting the capital throughout the year," Khan said at the city's riverside Globe Theatre.
The year of events will begin with the unveiling of public art installations by influential British artist David Hockney and London designer Yinka Ilori.
Road crossings and streets in the West End theatre district -- will also be transformed as part of an initiative involving Royal Academy artists.
London's V&A museum will showcase an exhibition on Lewis Carroll's children's book "Alice in Wonderland" while Shakespeare's Globe will stage a series of "Midnight Matinees".
In June, the British capital plans to see the return of sporting events including the Wimbledon tennis championships. London will also host eight games in the Euro 2020 football tournament, including semi-finals and the final.
Meanwhile, Britain's parliamentary standards watchdog confirmed Monday it is investigating Prime Minister Boris Johnson over how he paid for a luxury Caribbean holiday, the latest of multiple probes into his conduct.
Kathryn Stone, the current Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, is looking into the controversial trip to the privately owned island of Mustique over Christmas 2019 by the UK leader and his fiancee Carrie Symonds.
Johnson, who was buoyed by successful local election results in England last week, has long been dogged by questions about the holiday.
In the register of MPs' interests, he claimed the £15,000 ($21,200) trip was provided by David Ross, a businessman and donor to his ruling Conservative party.
However there was confusion after Ross initially denied handing over any money, and later clarified that it was a "benefit in kind".
Johnson's Downing Street office has previously insisted all relevant "transparency requirements" were correctly followed.
The commissioner -- an independent figure -- investigates allegations that MPs have breached parliamentary code of conduct rules, which include correctly declaring financial interests and gifts.
Stone, who confirmed the Johnson probe is one of nine current investigations into lawmakers for possible breaches, can refer serious offences to parliament's Committee on Standards for sanctioning.
The luxury trip is one of a host of controversies swirling around the British leader that have sparked multiple investigations by watchdogs and scrutiny agencies.
They include a probe by the Electoral Commission, which regulates the accounts of political parties, into who initially footed the bill for a reported £200,000 refurbishment of Johnson's Downing Street flat. - AFP
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