Visas for Chinese visitors to the UK should be reduced to the same price as a European Schengen visa, the Home Office has been told, ahead of the Prime Minister’s trade visit to China this week.

Several business groups, including the UK China Visa Alliance and the Airport Operators Association (AOA), are calling on the Government to lower the cost of entry to the UK for Chinese tourists, amid continued concerns Britain is losing out to rival economies which are part of Schengen.

Schengen offers entry to 26 countries in Europe, not including Britain, and is more expensive than a UK visa.

The Chancellor recently unveiled several initiatives to ease the application process for Chinese tourists, but businesses say that the Government can go further by reducing the cost of a UK visa. “The fee for a UK visitor visa is not only higher than that for a Schengen visa, but also represents considerably less value for money,” the UK China Visa Alliance, a coalition of retailers and business groups, has told the Home Office in response to a consultation which closes later this week.

Darren Caplan, CEO of the AOA, said: “At the moment the UK is at a distinct disadvantage compared to our nearest international competitors, and this is damaging our standing as a place in which to visit and do business.”

From The UK Telegraph