It’s been a classic for generations: walking from London’s Big Ben to Buckingham Palace with school friends, snapping a photo with a red phone box and trying classroom English in real life for the first time. Great Britain was one of the most popular destinations for school trips and language trips abroad by German schools, but also for students – until Brexit.
If you believe the results of a survey by the industry association Tourism Alliance among a good 80 European providers of such trips, 83 percent fewer schoolchildren from Europe traveled to Great Britain by the end of the summer in 2022 than in 2019 – i.e. before Brexit and the pandemic. By August, providers had brought just over 37,000 students to the UK to improve their English, learn about the country and culture, and make friends. This is a massive slump: in 2019 it was around 306,000.
Number of EU first-year students fell again
The British Isles have also long been a popular destination for many students. But after Brexit, students from the EU now have to put in more effort due to new visa regulations. In addition, British universities are now allowed to charge higher tuition fees from EU citizens.
According to figures from the central registry UCAS (Universities
“List of Travelers” principle abolished
In the case of short-term stays such as school trips, the enormous slump has a practical reason above all: supervisors can no longer enter the country with the students as a group by having a list with the data of the fellow travelers. After Brexit, this “List of Travellers” principle was abolished. Instead, all students must now individually present a passport.
“But many school children have no passports at all,” says Richard Toomer, head of the Tourism Alliance, the German Press Agency. In addition, some visas would have to be applied for – for example for students with other nationalities who are not entitled to an EU passport. “The hurdles are becoming insurmountable,” summarizes Toomer. “The impact of Brexit is absolutely dramatic.” Above all, he regrets the loss of contacts that students usually have on trips. “Not only do they keep coming back, but they also bring their experiences in the British regions back home.”
Southern England feels decline in language trips
While for many school classes it was called “London Calling” (English: “London calls”) according to the hit by the British band The Clash, the English south coast is particularly popular for language trips. For cities like Brighton, Hastings or Bournemouth, the journeys are a fundamental economic factor. Not only the language schools themselves, but also accommodation, gastronomy and other areas have benefited from this for decades. “This sector took a big hit,” says Toomer. According to his association, around 17,000 jobs depend on the industry. “It’s a problem that needs to be solved.”
The professional association of German language schools and language travel organizers can confirm the slump. “The industry is pretty shaken,” says managing director Julia Richter of the dpa. There were only very few such trips in 2022. In addition to Brexit, this was also due to the uncertain corona situation last winter and spring, when restrictions still applied and long-term planning was almost impossible.
Like the British providers, however, the German association also sees the greatest hurdle in the tightened entry regulations. The fact that all students need a passport or even a visa makes participation much more difficult for everyone, emphasizes Richter. “Everything has to be done in advance and causes additional costs. That deters many schools or teachers who organize class trips.”
Taking trips to Ireland or Malta instead presents other hurdles. These destinations are less easy to reach by train or bus and are therefore nowhere near as cheap and sustainable as trips to Great Britain – which, according to the association, plays an important role for many. “There is hardly a cheap and sustainable alternative to southern England.”
New entry rules will probably remain
The British government does not appear to be planning any changes – at least as far as entry rules are concerned. “We recognize the importance of exchanges between the UK and other countries,” the Home Office said. “British entry rules are already among the most generous in the world.”
The industry is therefore not expecting a speedy recovery: for 2023, the providers surveyed by the Tourism Alliance still expect 60 percent fewer school groups than before Brexit and the pandemic. For Ireland, on the other hand, almost as many school trips are expected as before.
