Royal fans have poured into the heart of London to experience the flag-lined roads, pomp-filled processions and, above all, the chance to bid adieu to Queen Elizabeth II.
They are packing hotels, restaurants and shops.
At a time when the British economy is facing a cost-of-living crisis and predictions of a looming recession, businesses in central London are getting a boost from visitors from as far away as the US and India.
"This is the history, you know, this happens once in a lifetime," said Kanakkantt Benedict, who was visiting from India with his wife. We became involved in it.
The funeral for Britain's longest-reigning monarch highlighted the royal family's power as a global attraction, from an elaborate military procession for her crown-topped coffin drawing live viewers around the world.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects to the queen over the next four days, pushing up demand for hotel rooms in central London.
As world leaders prepare to attend the queen's funeral, they need places to stay. Police officers from other countries come to help with security.
According to Hotelplanner.com, the level ofOccupancy could reach an all-time high.
"That's not surprising when you consider that the eyes of the world really are on the capital and the media, as well as members of the public, just like myself, who just want to be part of such a historic occasion," said Thomas Emanuel, senior director of hotel analytic firm
The duty manager at the hotel said that all of the rooms were booked.
Badar said that rooms are full in all the hotels in this area.
The cafe next to the line for people to see the queen's coffin has been very busy. He opened two hours earlier than usual.
When the Queen Mum died, we were busy. Istanik said that it was not as busy as it is.
There was a food stall on the route that was selling lentil burgers. Rich said it was a long line. It had a positive effect on the business.
The U.K. is an attractive place to visit due to the increased demand for international travel since the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The hotel room in the Covent Garden neighborhood where Chad and his friends were staying was 400 pounds a night.
The trip to London was not the usual one. You get a sense of how important it is to the people here when you see all the people queueing up. Josh Walsman said that costs were offset by the currency's decline.
"We've found everything to be a pretty surprising value," Walsman, a 51-year-old musician, said as they walked by the memorial to the queen.
Walsman said they went to a soccer match, had tickets for a play, and had a dinner reservation at a restaurant.
He said that most of their money has been spent at pubs. Each time a bill comes, it's like I thought it was about 30% more.
The pound dropped to a 37 year low against the dollar on Friday after U.K. retail sales volumes fell more than expected.
The British economy is reeling from rising energy prices spurred by Russia's war in Ukraine, causing the worst cost-of- living crisis in a generation. Prices are still high despite the government's promise to cap energy bills. The Group of Seven economies have an inflation rate of 9.9%.
Money being spent by visitors offered a glimpse of hope.
The mayor of London said that the sector had had an awful three years because of the Pandemic.
Budget hotel operator Travelodge said it ordered extra breakfast supplies for its London hotels because it expects a lot of mourners to start their day with a full English breakfast. The pubs in central London will remain open during the funeral.
The boost to the U.K.'s economy from the royal mourning period would be limited, according to some analysts. It would be offset by businesses closing for the funeral on Monday, which is a public holiday.
Tim Hentschel, co- founder and CEO of Hotelplanner.com, said that renewed interest in the royal family could give a boost to the travel and tourism industry.
The bank holiday will cut down on productivity. Over the next few months, the U.K. will gain from all the tourism that is going to flock here over the next few days.
Journalists from London contributed.
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