Why do people visit the UK? Visits by European residents decreased by 5% (6.8 million visits) and visits from other countries decreased by 5%. As part of the leisure activities research, the fund has produced a series of market and activities summaries. The Isles of Scilly have arguably the UK's best sunsets. Please be patient as we update these pages or contact the VisitBritain research team if you have any questions- VB/[email protected]. Explore UK Tourism Trends & Statistics on Inbound Tourism, Spend, Employment, Popular Tourist Destinations & more! This was particularly high in the South West and Scotland (41%). Although the UK is a small country, it still accounts for 3.8% of global tourism receipts and is the fifth top tourism earner in 2018. Download an excel table showing the 20 most visited towns and cities by visitors from overseas (XLS, 26.5KB) as far back as 1999. Isles of Scilly. We also decided to make this year’s Best in Travel different by recognizing places and people demonstrating a genuine commitment to sustainability, community and diversity. The increase in tourism in 2017 drove sales for luxury British brands, boosting Bond Street into the top three of the world’s most expensive store locations. There was a growth in spending across Wales (2%), North East (5%), Yorkshire (2%) and East Midlands (22%). The British Museum in London was the most visited tourist attraction in the … The World's Most-Visited Tourist Attractions, 2011. The United Kingdom is the world’s 7th most popular tourist destination, therefore it is not surprising that this sector creates a lot of job opportunities. It comes as no surprise that London is the most popular city for international visitors to the UK. 77% of inbound visits were repeat visits. This rises to 33% for those visiting Wales. 118.6 million domestic overnight trips were made in the UK in 2018, down 2% vs. 2017. Thank you. GB Tourism Survey (GBTS) GB Day Visits Survey (GBDVS) England / UK Occupancy Survey; Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions; This means that when we release monthly and annual survey reports, we're required to follow the Code of Practice for Official Statistics (2009), as produced by the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA). The capital attracts 8 times more travelers than the second most visited city in the UK. Italy is next with almost half that number, at 5.11 million visitors. The best museums and galleries in the world are located there, most of which are free. Travel Stats, Top Destinations, Tourism, and More: The World's Top Tourism Destinations (international tourist arrivals) The following table shows the top ten tourism destinations according to the number and percent of tourist arrivals in each country during 2010. But whichever way you cut it, Mallorca consistently tops all … See the chart below to see who’s visiting London (Source: Statista). This is a 19% increase from the previous year. This is almost two-thirds of the population of the UK. Repeat holidaymakers stay longer on their visits than first-time visitors. International Passenger Survey data for towns and cities typically measures staying visits (where visitors stay overnight). 10% of all visits included a visit to the beach. Tourism in the UK contributes immensely to the economy, there was a total expenditure of £22.9 billion in 2018 and had 37.9 million tourists. By 2025 the UK tourism industry will be worth over £257 billion, around 10% of the UK GDP. 3.9% of UK GVA (2017 est) ONS, Tourism Satellite Accounts Forecast Growth 2019 7.8% VisitBritain, 2019 SECTION 1: Volume and Value of the UK Tourism Industry 1: The Value of Tourism The UK Tourism Industry’s International Ranking • The UK is the seventh largest international tourism destination ranked by visitor numbers. Walking is also another extremely popular tourist activity. Please note that any person or vehicle travelling for business or commercial venture, carrying commercial goods/samples will need to book via our freight teams and do not qualify for leisure fares. The statistics on UK residents travelling abroad are an informal indicator of living standards. Travel and tourism overtook financial services (8.9%) and banking (3.4%) as the fastest growing sector in the UK. 53% of the inbound visitor spend is accounted for in London, the rest of England accounts for 35%, Scotland 8% and Wales 2%. London EdinburghManchesterBirminghamGlasgowLiverpool BristolCambridge Oxford Brighton. Tourism contributes £106 billion to the British economy & GDP and supports 2.6 million jobs. Repeat visits are most likely taken by those who have been on holiday here before, as 50% of repeat visits are for holidays. The UK accounted for 3.7% of international tourism receipts in 2017. Out of the top 10 visiting countries whose residents visited the most frequently in 2018, eight of these countries were EU countries (France, Germany, Irish Republic, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Italy and Belgium). In 2018, there were 713 million international arrivals, this has increased from 670 million in 2017. Tourism by World Region A whopping 39.2 million people visited the UK in 2017, this is almost 66% of the UK population. Please select at least one adult to travel. For more information please call the Commercial team on 01481 728620 . Business visits increased to 24% in June 2019 (800,000). The tourism sector is set to grow at an annual rate of 3.8% through to 2025. Sign up to be the first to hear about our latest news, offers and inspiring things to do at one of our lovely destinations. Find out the top towns for inbound visitors to Britain, as well as how many visits were made by overseas residents to the UK's towns. Attracting over 89 million tourists each year, France is the world's most … What are the most popular tourist destinations in the UK? In 2018, £7.3 billion was spent by overseas residents. A record-breaking £24.5 billion was spent by 2 million overseas visitors. Manchester has amazing cuisine; an assortment of museums and incredible nightlife and its number of overseas tourists is rising by 10% a year. This Excel document allows you to see how many visitors from overseas went to different towns and cities in the UK. By 2025 the UK tourism industry will be worth over £257 billion, around 10% of the UK GDP. And we realized that to reimagine travel post-2020, we needed to reinvent ourselves first, so we updated our editorial practices to highlight more local and diverse voices. The World's Top Tourism Destinations by Arrivals, 2013. Spain is the most visited country by residents of the United Kingdom, with around 18.1 million visits made in 2019. This report looks at where inbound visitors to the UK go on day trips, based on an extra question VisitBritain sponsored on the International Passenger Survey in 2016. France - 89 million tourists. It was closely following by Tate Modern with 6.1 million visitors. 9% of the UK’s GDP is generated by tourism. Tourism is an important activity in the EU which has the potential to contribute towards employment and economic growth, as well as to development in rural, peripheral or less-developed areas. London will always be one of the most popular cities in the world because it has something for everyone when they go on holiday, whether it is the vibrant culture, the west end theatre or classic British food. According to Visit Britain, 3.3 million business visits were made to attend small/ medium-sized meetings whist 1.5 million visits were made to attend larger meetings such as conferences, conventions and trade shows. English foreign language students generate £1.2 billion in export earnings each year. What are the most popular tourist attractions in the UK? Two million jobs are created by the UK travel industry. Government updates for businesses affected by COVID-19, Watch Business Recovery webinar recordings, Share your news for autumn / winter 2020 and for 2021, Apply for the We're Good To Go industry standard, Watch our Market Update webinar recordings, Get updates on Travel Trade in key markets in our free webinars, Sign up for our free Business Events webinars, Helping the tourism industry recover from Covid-19, COVID-19 latest Government updates for businesses, We're Good To Go industry standard for tourism businesses, COVID-19 Tourism Industry Emergency Response (TIER), Help your customers to Know Before You Go, Apply for the We're Good to Go industry standard, Get involved in our Escape the Everyday domestic campaign, #OMGB - Great Britain - Home of Amazing Moments campaign, Preparing your business for inbound visitors, Making the most of missions, exhibitions & events, Familiarising the trade with your product, Destination management organisations in England, Developing your Destination Management Plan, Destination Management Organisation Emergency Financial Assistance Fund, COVID-19 Destination Management Resilience Scheme, Business Events Growth Programme Successful Applicants, GB Tourism Survey (domestic overnight tourism): Latest results, Business Confidence and Performance Monitor, Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions: Latest results, Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions: Archive, Attractions: Business Confidence and Performance Monitor, Accommodation: Business Confidence and Performance Monitor, Future Trends: Domestic leisure tourism trends for the next decade, The decision-making process and booking behaviour, The economic downturn and holiday-taking behaviour, Inbound culture, heritage & attractions research, Inbound visitors with a health condition or impairment, 20 most visited towns and cities by visitors from overseas (XLS, 26.5KB), Data is available from 2009-2019 (XLS, 13.6MB), visitors from emerging markets to explore more of Britain (PDF, 2.45MB), the types of area within Britain that potential visitors would like to visit (PDF, 1.51MB), analysis on the regional spread of inbound tourism (PDF, 1.83MB), attracts visitors to go beyond London (PDF, 902KB). With collections of antiquities that are among the world's finest, the British … How many jobs does tourism create in the UK. Students generate £1.2 billion in export earnings for the United Kingdom every year. was spent by overseas travellers in the UK in 2016. This has decreased by 3% from the previous year. There were 15.1 billion holidays to the United Kingdom in 2018 accounting for 40% of the total. £2.9 billion was spent on visits by overseas residents in July 2019. Best Tourist Destinations – Bristol. Travellers from the US contribute most to the travel industry in the United Kingdom. There are 2 reports that relate to destinations within Britain -. Inbound tourism to the UK has been recorded at, overseas residents visited in April 2027. In addition, if the vehicle being taken is designed for the carriage of commercial goods it shall be reserved as freight regardless of its dimensions. The only other non-EU countries in the top ten were Australia and the USA. The British Museum. Today, the city serves as one of the top tourist destinations in the world and is regarded as the cultural and historical center of Turkey. This is followed by 21% who are visiting friends and relatives, 20% business trips, 8% study and 1% other. France is second, with 10.35 million. All rights reserved. £604 is the average spend per visit in 2018. Please wait while we find the best fares for you... Tourism contributes £106 billion to the British economy & GDP and supports 2.6 million jobs. This is followed by the British Museum (5.8 million) and the National Gallery (5.7 million). Official statistics. The USA, France, and Germany were the top markets in terms of the number of visits to the UK, accounting for 29% of visits in 2018. 92% of business visits were repeat visits in 2015, 85% was to visit family and friends and 63% were holiday visits. The industry supports 3.8 million jobs and has a huge impact on the UK economy. 88% of these students intend to come back to the UK for another holiday. For every £1000 generated by direct tourism, a further £1800 is supported elsewhere in the economy. Welcome to VisitBritain/VisitEngland’s corporate website for UK tourism industry. Source: International Passenger Survey, Office for National Statistics. According to a United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) publication titled ‘International Tourism Highlights’, the EU is a major tourist destination, with four of its Member States among the world’s top 10 destinations. Over half of the visitor spend is spent within London which is not surprising as London is the third most visited city in the world after Bangkok and Paris. London again emerged as Europe’s top city destination, attracting 20.72 million international arrivals in 2018, up from 19.84 million international arrivals in 2017. They also spend more on average per night. Inbound tourism to the UK has been recorded at £50 billion. How does tourism contribute to the UK economy? Sources: ONS, VisitBritain, VisitBritain, Wikipedia, UKinbound. 4 million people visited the UK in July 2019. For lengths over 7m please call 0345 609 1024 to book. 6.9 million European residents visited in 2018, this has decreased by 3% from the previous year. 3.9 million American tourists visited in 2018 and spent a collective £3.4 billion. Edinburgh is the second most visited city, known for its low crime rate and rich heritage it is understandable that Edinburgh is so popular. You can view visit data for towns by journey purpose, and quarter. 47% of people stated that they associate the United Kingdom with Museums, it is also the most popular attraction in London. Please note that figures are based on small sample sizes for all cities with the exception of London and should therefore be treated with caution. The top 50 inbound tourism markets for Britain from 2009-2019 (XLS, 78KB) Visits and spend from 2005-2019 from smaller/emerging markets (XLS, 70KB) View our dedicated sections on UK nations, regions and counties as well as towns for data on specific locations within Britain. 37.9 million people visited from overseas in 2018 and spent £22.9 billion. The World Tourism Organization reports the following destinations as the top ten tourism earners for the year 2018, with the United States by far the top earner. Global tourist arrivals grew 6.8% in 2017, hitting 1.32 billion. Also UK residents travelling abroad, their reasons for travel and the amount of money they spent. Spain was the most popular destination for UK tourists, attracting 22% of all visitors. Situated 40 kilometers off the … 2017 had the highest number of visitors in one year (39.2 million). Catch a show at the Dubai Opera, see downtown from atop the Burj Khalifa and spend an afternoon along Dubai Creek exploring the gold, textile and spice souks. International travellers described a possible trip to the UK as education over anything else. 54% of all inbound visitor spend is accounted for by London. KEY STATISTICS FOR TOURISM IN EUROPE:. 3.3 million people work in tourism-related businesses, 1.5 million are employed as a redirected result of expenditure. Dubai is a destination that mixes modern culture with history, adventure with world-class shopping and entertainment. Inbound tourism statistics show 2017 was a record-breaking year, there was a 9% increase in spend and a 4% increase in visits from the previous year. By 2025, the tourism industry UK is set to be worth over £257 billion. The Tower of London has been the UK's most popular attraction for 2019, according to TripAdvisor.. 15.1 million of those visited for a holiday. Max length of motorhome 7m. This is a, There was a decline of inbound visitors to the UK in 2018 falling. 11.8 million or 31.4% visited the UK to see friends or relatives. Activities specifically focused around ‘city life’ such as dining, socializing and shopping are the most popular things to do for overseas visitors. Data for many towns is based on small sample sizes, so using 3 or 4 year averages is highly recommended. The British Museum is the most visited attraction in the United Kingdom, attracting 6.24 million visitors in 2019. Visits by overseas residents decreased in 2018 in comparison to 2017. 9% of visits include a trip to the theatre, this rises to 15% in London. As part of the loveEXPLORING 2018 Best of Britain series, our experts have selected the top 50 British tourist attractions. Yes, I would like to receive Condor Ferries newsletters. Tourists over the age of 65 are more likely to do unusual activities such as playing golf or researching ancestry. We use cookies to give you a better experience on our site. London tourism statistics show The Tate Modern is the number one tourist attraction in the city, with 5.9 million visitors in 2018. Please visit the dedicated pages for national, regional and county data or detailed market information. Tourism in London statistics demonstrates the popularity of the capital in comparison to other locations in the UK as the city has 8 times more visitors than the second most visited city. From world-class museums and historical monuments to family-friendly outings and cutting edge art and media installations, these are the best tourist attractions in … The continent contributed €782 billion in 2018 and 14.4 million jobs. Whereas, in the more rural parts of the UK, visiting the countryside, beaches, as well as national parks, are very popular amongst tourists. £22.5 billion was spent by overseas travellers in the UK in 2016. History and heritage also draw in a lot of tourists, alongside ‘Britain only’ activities such as iconic landmarks and famous attractions. USA residents visit the most as 3,877,000 people visited in 2018, closely followed by France. Sources: TheGuardian, UKInbound, VisitBritain, VisitBritain, Finder, ONS, Forbes. The World's Best Yoga Retreats, 2015. Inbound tourism is set to grow from £21 billion in 2013 to £57 billion by 2025. Tourism statistics prove that this industry is one of the UK’s most valuable sectors with 37.9 million people visiting in 2018. It is expected that there will be a 3.5 % rise in international tourists in 2019.. This is just under 10% of UK GDP. There were 37.9 million visits to the UK in 2018. There are many ways to measure the popularity of a holiday destination: internet searches, research polls, bookings data or just counting the number of Union Jack swimming trunks on the beach. The World's Top Tourism Destinations by Spending, 2013. Looking for Commercial Vehicles, Vans & Goods? In 2018, 37.9 million tourists visited the UK, but this reached an all-time high in 2017 with 39.2 million! Please confirm you agree to the use of cookies as set in our Cookie Policy. Read on for more UK tourism statistics & latest industry data. Business visits accounted for 22% of all visits in 2018 and contributed to a spend of around £4.5 billion. 3.8% of global tourism receipts are accounted for by the UK. It also provides many options to see the most beautiful panoramic views such as the London Eye and a variety of rooftop bars. Tourism revenue in the United Kingdom (UK) 2018, by tourist type Tourism direct gross value added (GVA) in the UK 2016-2017, by sector The most important statistics Inbound tourism statistics recorded 37.9 million inbound visits to the UK in 2018,  3% less than 2017 which had 39.2 million. The average spend per visit is £604 with an average length stay of 7 nights. The number of tourists visiting London has increased from 11 million in 2002 to more than 19 million in 2016. The travel website uncovered Britain's top 10 attractions, based on … Leisure and tourism Visits and visitors to the UK, the reasons for visiting and the amount of money they spent here. $31.93 billion was spent by tourists in 2017. These English foreign language students also spend £2399 per visit, this is four times more than the average spend. It is also supporting 3.8 million jobs. Copyright © Condor Ferries ltd 2020. These markets also accounted for 27% of all overseas visitor spend. Tourism contributes £145.9bn (7.2%) of the GDP, England’s tourism sector is vibrant and vital. The top three activities in which international tourists participated in during their visit included dining in restaurants, shopping and going to the pub. In 2019, over 21.7 million visits were made to the city by international tourists. New Orleans: "The lively city known for its street music, festive vibe and a melting pot of French, … These three cities had an average of 1.1 million visitors each. London had almost eight times the number of visitors in 2018 than the next most visited city, Edinburgh. The most popular tourist destination in the UK is unsurprisingly London as it is the capital. This creates 20,000 jobs. The rest of England accounts for 33%, Scotland 10% and Wales 2%. According to the National Office for Statistics tourists spent more than 111 million nights and close to £11.9 billion. The Tate Modern is the most popular attraction in the capital, with 5.9 million visitors in 2018. It is expected to expand by 3.8% a year up until 2025, accounting for 10% of all jobs. Those visiting for holidays reached a new record in June 2019 with 1.6 million inbound holiday visits (up 18%). The World's Top Tourism Destinations by Spending, 2012. Following the Scottish capital, other large cities like Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow were the next most popular destinations to visit. Wildlife attractions had a 4% participation rate, increasing to 6% amongst those visiting the South West, London and Scotland. People love visiting this city because it is full of culture. Domestic tourism in the UK remains the biggest component of tourist spending, with 2008 expenditures totaling £21.9 billion, according to VisitBritain. Visits to the UK for holidays reached a new record in June 2019 with 1.6 million inbound holiday visits (up 18%). It seems to steal a little bit more of our heart with every time … Students also help contribute large amounts to the economy, 500,000 students visit to learn English each year. Overseas visitors to the UK reached 7 million in 2018, a 4.4% increase from 2017. By 2025, the tourism industry in the United Kingdom is set to be worth over £257 billion. Tourism is the fastest growing industry in Britain. International tourism receipts grew to US$1,451 billion in 2018, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 4.4% from 2017. The most popular tourist activity and attraction is sightseeing. Since 2010, tourism has been the fastest-growing sector for UK employment. Spending also fell by 7% to £22.9 billion. Walking in the countryside was the most popular outdoor leisure pursuit. If you are travelling on business or in a commercial vehicle please click here for Condor Ferries Freight. The South West literary offer was the second highest after London, with 6% including a literary/music/TV or film location visit during their stay. London is the most visited city in the UK. Istanbul, the historical Constantinople, is Turkey’s capital and most populous city. Since 2010, tourism has been the fastest-growing sector for UK employment, accounting for 11.9% of all jobs and it is thought that by 2025, the industry is set to be worth over £257 billion. In July 2019 alone, £2.9 billion was spent here by overseas residents, demonstrating how substantial tourism is to the economy. It also shows a breakdown of visits to each town by major overseas markets. The USA is the most visited country outside of Europe and the fourth most visited overall, with 4.8 million Brits travelling there. However, holidays are still the most common reason why people visit the UK. Find out the top towns for inbound visitors to Britain, as well as how many visits were made by overseas residents to the UK's towns. The city’s strategic location as a transcontinental Eurasian city has attracted a large number of empires and conquerors to this city in the past. The World's Top Tourism Destinations by Arrivals, 2014. These UK tourism employment statistics demonstrate the importance of tourism for employment. Between April and June 2019 there was an 18% (1.6 million visits) increase from the previous year in visits from North American residents. 7 million overseas residents visited in April 2027. The USA is the top visiting country followed by France, Germany, the Irish Republic and Spain. Sightseeing is the most common activity, with 16% of those only in the UK for a day doing some form of sightseeing. The United Kingdom ranked fifth place in the UNWTO international tourism earnings league in 2017. How many tourists visit the UK each year? During April-June 2019, 4.3 million visited for a holiday. Your return date must be after your departure date. Maximum of 9 passengers allowed on the outward. This is significantly faster than the overall economy. The EU is a major tourist destination, with four Member States among the world’s top ten destinations for holidaymakers, according to UNWTO data. This list has remained almost the same over recent years. Data is available from 2009-2019 (XLS, 13.6MB). 2019 is set for a return to growth, with spending up 7% to £24.5 billion and inbound visits up 3% to 9 million. There are 241,000 businesses in the UK travel industry. From 22 May we will be working to update all of the data and documents on this page following the Office of National Statistics (ONS) revision of the International Passenger Survey (IPS) data for 2009-2018 and the released detailed 2019 data. 83 million tourists visit France every year and it is the leading tourist destination in the world.. How much does tourism contribute to the UK GDP? In England, Manchester is the second top city after London. 2.6 million trips were for other reasons. In 2018 tourists visited the UK for the following reasons: 37.9 million tourists visited the UK in 2018. Mallorca. The number of outbound visitors from the UK totaled 72.8 million in 2018, a fall of 1% in 2017. The findings show that last year, 138.8 million visits were made to the top 249 ALVA sites in the UK. That's 84 million more travelers than the previous year, the highest increase since the 2009 global economic crisis hit. Holidays is the number one reason as to why tourists visit the UK, 63% of visits to the UK are for a holiday away. London attracts around 30 million visitors from around the world every year. There was a decline of inbound visitors to the UK in 2018 falling 3% to 9 million. The United Kingdom ranked seventh in the UNWTO international arrivals league and accounted for 2.8% of global arrivals in 2017. Read about the top destinations for day trips and characteristics of day trippers. These summaries provide information about demographic profiles, attitude towards taking a holiday to England, market consideration for each activity and other market profiling insights. Certain markets are more likely to make repeat visits to the UK: 92% of holiday visits from the Irish Republic, 92% from Norway, 83% from Iceland and 80% from Belgium were repeat visits in 2015. Spain tops the list, with 18.13 million visitors from the UK in 2019. £67.8bn. 2.1 million for business and 2.8 million came to visit family and friends. Inbound visitors will continue to be the fastest-growing tourism sector with spend by international travellers forecast to grow by over 6% a year in comparison with domestic spending at just over 3%. Even if tourists are only visiting for one day, 16% of people manage to do some form of sightseeing.