We Asked People at Heathrow Arrivals What Worried Them Most About Visiting the UK

Tourism is worth £130 billion to the UK economy. But what are people coming here for, exactly? Photo-ops with beefeaters can't be exclusively responsible for that kind of footfall. Cornwall? Is it Cornwall? Have people heard about Rick Stein and his six restaurants in Padstow and bought tickets over from Denmark for the express purpose of eating in them? Is Rick Stein's St Petroc's Bistro our El Bulli?

Frankly, I have no idea. The only way I was going to find out was to head to Arrivals at Heathrow Airport and ask some people why they came here. Also, because there's that thing of people – and by "people", I mean your mum and your incredibly sweaty, nervy friend – always warning you of every potential danger when you book a flight to, say, Naples, or Marrakech, or Toulouse, I always wondered if there's an equivalent in the UK, so I thought I'd ask about that too.

VICE: Hi Jeff. Where are you visiting from?
Jeff: I'm visiting from Oregon in the United States. I'm here for four or five days for my cousin's graduation.

But for a holiday too, right?
Yeah. I'm planning on going to visit some places, like the British Museum, Trafalgar Square and, uh, Ben.

Then get on the graduation sesh.
Haha, yeah.

Are you worried about anything while you're here?
I'm not worried about anything. I heard that most of the crime is in, like, east London.

I see. What's Oregon like?
It's sunny, but it's like a countryside place. There's only just one big city in that state, and mostly just farms and forest. I study ecological engineering.

Cool.
It's mostly about ecology.

Thanks, Jeff!

Hi, are you here on holiday?
Don Prieto: Yep. We got a group.

How many?
Fifteen, I think.

School trip?
No, it's a car club. For hot rods.

Nice.
That's the reason we're together – we all have hot rods.

You're on a road trip?
We meet a couple times a year on various runs around the countryside. Two years ago we went to Italy and Switzerland and Austria for two weeks. This time, we're coming here – we're going to Wales and Scotland.

So you're renting out cars?
No, a bus.

Wait, so you're not all renting hot rods and tearing it up?
No, no, we're just here as tourists together.

Okay. What are you guys doing here in the UK
We're seeing Westminster Abbey and the cathedral and Big Ben and all of that stuff, and then we go from here to Bath. It's part of the tour. We have a guide that takes us, and it ends up at the Scotch museum in Edinburgh and, uh, I want to ask the owner a lot of questions about Scotch.

Are you a Scotch connoisseur?
Well, the guys gather on Saturday night in LA for a thing we call "The Scotch Off", where we blind test two Scotches and see which one gets the highest vote. We have a list of 16 and we go down to two finalists.

Nice. Are you worried about anything in the UK?
Well, I don't want to gather into a place where there's lots and lots of people. That's a target area, you know.

Hot rod fans – notorious targets.
Yeah, the guys on this trip are not what you would call proper citizens. We're all kind half-outlaws, you know?

Hi, are you on holiday?
Stefan: Yes, just for a short visit, for the Harry Potter tour. You came just for that?
Yes, because it will be fun. Big fan then, I'm guessing?
Well, at least I read the book before the films arrived – before anybody thought it was cool. Before the Potter gold rush.
My daughter prefers Pirates of the Caribbean. Cool. Have you been here before? Are you worried about anything in the UK?
I think I would if I was a car driver, but since I don't have a license I'm not worried about the lane switch. What about rude Londoners?
More rude than the people of Berlin, or more cool and frosty than the people of Hamburg? No, I don't believe it. You must be worried about the food?
Well, we have been in Majorca and we were in a hotel which served British breakfast, and the only thing I didn't like were the sausages. Just not my taste. Is there anything you want to make sure you see here?
In principal, yes, but we're so short on time we might not be able to visit Sherlock Holmes – you know, Baker Street.

Hi is this your first time to the UK?
Lara: For me, yes.
Linda: Not for me.

What you guys up to here?
Just sightseeing and trying to have a good time. Take pictures of sights and great food. Just like, maybe some street food or something.

Okay. Are you worried about anything during your visit?
We're worried that we have not enough money. Also, maybe British lads

I can understand that one
Yeah, but we have to just deal with it.

See you later!

Hey Louis! What are you doing in the UK?
Louis: My cousin here, he invited me. Okay, and you're staying in London?
Yes, for four days. Sweet – what are your plans?
Hanging out, maybe not to party. I mean, I've been here before, but like 11 years ago. What's the one thing you're looking forward to the most?
We want to like visit Windsor castle, and the London Eye too. Are you worried about anything here – the food, maybe?
We like to know other countries and try new things, like the food. Sausage, eggs, fish and chips. Cool. Enjoy!

Hi are you guys here on Holiday?
Aziz: Yeah, we're coming from Saudi Arabia – here for about ten days.

Sweet. What are you here for?
Running away from the heat. It's 50 degrees there right now. Celsius.

That's crazy. What are you most looking forward to while here?
Fahad: Nature.

Nature?
Azis: He loves the rain. But London is a city that everyone can have fun in. I'd like to go to Hyde Park.
Fahad: I want to see the Lake District.

Oh, I think that's a little further north.
Oh yeah.

Is there anything that worries you about the UK – the food, maybe?
Fahad: I eat everything.
Azis: I like the fish and chips.

Cool. Have a good trip, guys!

@PatrickBenjam