London Olympics an 'Economic Failure'

The Games were meant to boost tourism in the United Kingdom and in London in particular with an extra million visitors a day, but many shopkeepers have reported a drop in activity. Warnings of enormous pressure on the city's public transport network and overcrowding in the city's busiest districts prompted many Londoners to book holidays or work from home during the Games, while tourists have shunned the West End which contains many of London's biggest attractions. Research group Experian said the Olympics appear to have adversely affected the number of people visiting shops in West London, with decreases week-on-week and year-on-year of 11.65 percent and 12.40 percent respectively on the first Saturday of the Games. On the first Sunday however, visitors numbers were up marginally. "The Olympics are an economic failure as London is totally empty: hotels, restaurants, streets," Roubini tweeted. "It turns out London is totally empty. A zombie city." He blamed U.K. policymakers for scaring citizens and tourists alike in the run-up to the Games. An article written by David Bauder, AP Television Writer | Associated Press headed "London Olympics provide huge ratings boost to NBC's struggling 'Today' show" seemed to differ. The article explains that NBC has sent its morning show team to London for broadcasts heavy on Olympic content and has reaped the benefits with the Games proving more popular in the United States than most observers expected.