ONS reports drop in visits and spending abroad
The number of Brits heading abroad dropped in October, and they spent less too.
According to the latest ONS figures, visits abroad by UK residents totalled 6.3 million in the month, a 2% decrease compared with October 2016.
At the same time spending overseas by UK residents fell by 9% year-on-year to £3.8 billion.
During the period August to October 2017, there were 1% fewer visits abroad by UK residents compared with the corresponding period a year earlier, and they spent 2% less on these visits.
There was a 14% drop in visits to countries outside Europe and North America, a 1% rise in visits to European countries, and a 3% rise in visits to North America.
When looking at reasons for visiting, business visits dropped by 14%, holiday visits remained almost unchanged, and visits to friends and relatives fell by 1%.
Meanwhile, the ONS showed overseas residents made 3.2 million incoming visits to the UK, a 6% fall compared to October 2016.
But spending on these visits rose by 2% to £1.9 billion.
In August to October 2017, there were 10.1 million visits to the UK, 1% less than the same period a year earlier. Holiday visits rose by 2% to 4.1 million for this period, while business visits fell by 13% to 2 million.
For the period August to October 2017, spend in the UK by overseas residents increased 6% on the previous year to £7.2 billion.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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