British tourism marches on (From Campaign Series)

British tourism marches on

10:57am Friday 17th November 2006 in Leisure

From June to August 2006 there were 7.7 million visits to the UK by overseas residents - a decrease of four per cent when compared with the previous three months, but up five per cent on the same period of the previous year.

Spending, compared to the previous three months, decreased by two per cent, but showed an increase of eight per cent with the same period a year earlier, to £3.8 billion.

Visits overseas by UK residents decreased by four per cent (to 16.7 million) when compared with the previous three months, but again showed an increase of two per cent when compared with the same period a year earlier.

Spending decreased by one per cent compared to the previous three months, but showed an increase of six per cent with the same period a year earlier, to £8.3 billion. Visits by overseas residents to the UK rose by six per cent during the 12 months ending August 2006, from 29.5 million to 31.2 million. The number of visits from residents of North America showed an increase of four per cent (to 4.4 million), from residents of Western Europe of five per cent (to 20 million), and from other parts of the world of 10 per cent (to 6.8 million).

In the same 12 month period, visits abroad by UK residents rose by three per cent from 65.8 million to 67.7 million. Although visits to North America decreased by six per cent (to 4.7 million), the number of visits to Western Europe increased by two per cent (to 50.7 million) and to other parts of the world by 13 per cent (to 12.4 million).