UK incoming visitor numbers at record levels
The number of visits by overseas residents to the UK reached record levels in 2016.
Figures from the ONS, released this week, show there were 37.6 million visits by overseas residents to the UK in 2016, 4% more than in 2015.
This was the sixth consecutive rise and the highest figure ever recorded.
The most frequent reason for visiting the UK was for holidays, accounting for 37% of the total visits.
The number of holiday visits in 2016 was very similar to the previous year.
The average length of visits to the UK has also stayed fairly consistent.
Meanwhile, there was a slight rise in the amount spent by overseas residents – £22.5 billion – an increase of 2% compared with 2015.
The average amount spent on visits to the UK in 2016 was £596, slightly less than the £608 spent per visit in 2015.
The highest spenders per day were residents of North America (£109), followed by residents of ‘Other Countries’ (£90) and Europe (£70).
The ONS figures also showed a record number of Brits going overseas. See story here.
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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