VisitBritain forecasts another record year for inbound tourism
VisitBritain is forecasting 2017 is set to be another record year for inbound tourism to the UK.
Spending by overseas visitors is predicted to reach £24.1 billion in 2017, an 8% increase on spending this year which is expected to top out at £22.3 billion.
The number of overseas visitors to the UK is expected to rise next year to 38.1 million visits, up 4% on 2016 which is likely to see about 36.7 million visits by year end.
VisitBritain Chief Executive Sally Balcombe said: "These figures not only underpin a longer-term pattern of growth for inbound tourism, one of our fastest growing export industries, but also demonstrates its growing importance as a key driver for economic growth and jobs.
"Through our strategic partnerships and global marketing campaigns we are converting aspiration to visit into bookings, ensuring that the economic benefits of tourism are spread across all of Britain’s nations and regions."
VisitBritain’s campaigns have continued to produce results and generated an extra £800 million across the nations and regions of Britain during the last year.
Every £1 the Government invests in VisitBritain for international marketing, has resulted in an overseas visitor spending £23 in Britain.
However, figures from the British Hospitality Association show the number of overseas leisure visitors to Britain, and the amount they spend, has actually been falling post-Brexit.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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