It seems hospitality operators could be missing out on potential revenue because tourists are being denied entry into the UK for "ridiculous reasons".
A new report into UKVisas, the government body that controls UK entry visas, by Linda Costelloe Baker, the independent monitor for entry clearance, highlighted some of the reasons cited for refusal.
One refusal notice said that the applicant "did not have a sufficient command of the language for the purposes of tourism" .
Costelloe Baker said if knowledge of the language was a requirement for travel, "that would certainly stop lots of British citizens going on their holidays".
She also said: "In a standard paragraph, entry clearance officers often note 'You plan a holiday for no particular purpose other than sightseeing', but that's what the UK is famous for, sights worth seeing."
Published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the report is based on a detailed review of 1,117 refusals drawn from all entry clearance issuing posts worldwide during the period between 1 January and 30 September 2006.
