Impact of G7 summit on tourism in Cornwall

Holidaymakers in St. Ives, on England's southwestern tip, have been facing disruption as the seaside town gears up to host a gathering of the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations.

"When we started driving around we saw a lot of signs every mile (1.6 kilometers) or so telling us to avoid the area more or less at all costs," said Gary Summers.

"So we were a bit sceptical about whether we should come or not."

But Summers also suggested the warnings may have made the resort a little quieter, noting he had no trouble finding a waterfront table for a drink with friends.

Tourists still thronged St. Ives' narrow lanes, enjoying local delicacies and heading to the beach.

Some sightseeing boat companies reported several cancellations, forcing them to pause operations.

"We had a lot of cancellations where people were travelling down the A30 (motorway) and seeing signs saying 'major disruptions'," explained Andrew Narbett, a tourist boat operator.

The G-7 summit, set to run between 11-13 June, will be one of the stops on U.S. President Joe Biden's first trip abroad.

Britain's prime minister Boris Johnson will use the meeting to urge world leaders to commit to vaccinating the global population against COVID-19 by the end of 2022.

Member nations have also agreed to support a global minimum corporate tax of at least 15% to deter multinational companies from avoiding taxes by stashing profits in low-rate countries.