The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games improved how the UK is viewed by other countries, a survey for the British Council has found.
About two-thirds of 9,000 adults polled in 11 countries said Britain had done a good job of running the Games – of which British Airways was a Tier One sponsor – and 44 per cent said it had a greater world influence as a result.
The key findings were:
64 per cent agreed the UK did a good job of organising the Olympics, while 6 per cent disagreed
Some 35 per cent agreed the Olympics had made the UK a more attractive place to study or do business, while 18 per cent disagreed
36 per cent agreed they would be more likely to visit Britain as a result of the Games, while 18 per cent disagreed
46 per cent said the Games had made them think more positively about the UK’s sense of humour – 5 per cent more negatively
John Worne, director of strategy at the Council – which aims to build relationships for the UK around the world – said the results were testament to what “Team GB” could do when it “pulls together”.
“Without a huge global event like the Olympics next year, we need to keep on finding smart new ways to share our soft power assets: English, our education system, our vibrant arts scene and our entrepreneurial spirit,” he said.
Suren Thiru, UK economics director at the British Chambers of Commerce, said the challenge facing the UK was to develop a “long term economic legacy” post-2012.
“One of the lessons from the Games was that perception is important,” she said. “We need to build a positive perception of the UK, and more must be done by the government to promote trade and investment.”
It has predicted that the UK will attract about one million extra overseas visitors in 2013, an increase of 3 per cent, who will contribute around £19 billion to the British economy.