The amount spent by overseas visitors to the UK fell by 6.8% during October 2009 to £1.36b, compared with £1.46b during the same month of 2008, according to the Government’s latest Overseas Travel and Tourism figures.
The number of overseas visits to the UK dropped by 7.9% to 2.45 million during this period, compared with 2.66 million in October 2008.
The fall stemmed from an 8.9% decrease in visitors from Europe and a 10% fall in trips from the rest of the world that undercut the 1.4% increase in arrivals from North America.
The Overseas Travel and Tourism figures are published each month and quarter by the government’s National Statistics Office.
They are based on the International Passenger Survey, a random sample of more than 250,000 interviews carried out each year with passengers entering or leaving the UK through the main airports, seaports and the Channel Tunnel. These interviews represent one in every 500 passengers.
The figures below are not seasonally adjusted. Annual performance is presented in the tables at the bottom of the monthly figures.
See also UKinbound's monthly Business Barometer for inbound visitor numbers and forward bookings >>
| OCTOBER | 2009 | 2008 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 2,450,000 | 2,661,000 | -7.9% |
| - Europe | 1,810,000 | 1,986,000 | -8.9% |
| - North America | 290,000 | 286,000 | +1.4% |
| - Other | 350,000 | 389,000 | -10% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 5,070,000 | 5,813,000 | -12.8% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £1.36b | £1.46b | -6.8% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £2.53b | £2.91b | -13% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£1.17b | -£1.45b | - |
| SEPTEMBER | 2009 | 2008 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 2,580,000 | 2,576,000 | +0.2% |
| - Europe | 1,830,000 | 1,852,000 | -1.2% |
| - North America | 320,000 | 300,000 | +6.7% |
| - Other | 430,000 | 423,000 | +1.7% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 6,450,000 | 7,058,000 | -8.6% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £1.59b | £1.49b | +6.7% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £3.33b | £4.03b | -17.4% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£1.74b | -£2.54b | - |
| AUGUST | 2009 | 2008 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 3,160,000 | 3,426,000 | -7.8% |
| - Europe | 2,130,000 | 2,518,000 | -15.4% |
| - North America | 460,000 | 376,000 | +22.3% |
| - Other | 570,000 | 532,000 | +7.1% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 7,610,000 | 8,573,000 | -11.2% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £2.05b | £1.91b | +7.3% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £3.88b | £4.95b | -21.6% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£1.83b | -£3.04b | - |
| JULY | 2009 | 2008 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 3,120,000 | 3,357,000 | -7.1% |
| - Europe | 2,130,000 | 2,309,000 | -7.8% |
| - North America | 440,000 | 479,000 | -8.1% |
| - Other | 540,000 | 569,000 | -5.1% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 5,900,000 | 6,836,000 | -13.7% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £1.65b | £1.79b | -7.8% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £3.09b | £3.78b | -18.3% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£1.44b | -£1.98b | - |
| JUNE | 2009 | 2008 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 2,749,000 | 2,665,000 | +3.2% |
| - Europe | 1,950,000 | 1,759,000 | +10.9% |
| - North America | 364,000 | 474,000 | -23.2% |
| - Other | 435,000 | 432,000 | +0.7% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 5,681,000 | 6,903,000 | -17.7% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £1.54b | £1.45b | +6.2% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £2.7b | £3.6b | -25% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£1.16b | -£2.17b | - |
| MAY | 2009 | 2008 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 2,610,000 | 3,042,000 | -14.2% |
| - Europe | 1,960,000 | 2,295,000 | -14.6% |
| - North America | 320,000 | 399,000 | -19.8% |
| - Other | 330,000 | 348,000 | -5.2% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 5,140,000 | 5,874,000 | -12.5% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £1.29b | £1.45b | -11% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £2.42b | £2.94b | -17.7% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£1.13b | --£1.49b | - |
| APRIL | 2009 | 2008 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 2,630,000 | 2,699,000 | -2.6% |
| - Europe | 2,070,000 | 2,066,000 | +0.2% |
| - North America | 300,000 | 327,000 | -8.3% |
| - Other | 260,000 | 306,000 | -15% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 5,210,000 | 5,771,000 | -9.7% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £1.295b | £1.33b | -2.6% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £2.39b | £2.76b | -13.4% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£1.095b | -£1.43b | - |
| MARCH | 2009 | 2008 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 2,340,000 | 2,596,000 | -9.8% |
| - Europe | 1,870,000 | 2,019,000 | -7.4% |
| - North America | 240,000 | 318,000 | -24.5% |
| - Other | 230,000 | 259,000 | -11.2% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 4,050,000 | 5,056,000 | -19.9% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £1.18b | £1.08b | +9.26% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £2.32b | £2.68b | -13.4% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£1.14b | -£1.59b | - |
| FEBRUARY | 2009 | 2008 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 1,800,000 | 2,249,000 | -19.9% |
| - Europe | 1,460,000 | 1,752,000 | -16.7% |
| - North America | 160,000 | 209,000 | -23.4% |
| - Other | 180,000 | 289,000 | -31.5% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 3,560,000 | 4,530,000 | -21.4% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £830m | £995m | -16.6% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £2.18b | £2.41b | -9.5% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£1.35b | -£1.42b | - |
| JANUARY | 2009 | 2008 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 2,140,000 | 2,348,000 | -8.9% |
| - Europe | 1,550,000 | 1,713,000 | -9.5% |
| - North America | 230,000 | 265,000 | -13.2% |
| - Other | 350,000 | 370,000 | -5.4% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 4,020,000 | 4,697,000 | -14.4% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £1.13b | £1.05b | +7.6% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £2.27b | £2.67b | -14.9% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£1.14b | -£1.62b | - |
| DECEMBER | 2008 | 2007 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 2,110,000 | 2,551,000 | -17.3% |
| - Europe | 1,670,000 | 1,954,000 | -14.5% |
| - North America | 180,000 | 268,000 | -32.8% |
| - Other | 260,000 | 329,000 | -20.9% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 3,740,000 | 4,158,000 | -10.1% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £1.155b | £1.453b | -20.5% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £1.94b | £1.99b | -2.5% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£785m | -£546m | - |
| NOVEMBER | 2008 | 2007 | % change |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 2,200,000 | 2,598,000 | -15.3% |
| - Europe | 1,750,000 | 2,044,000 | -14.4% |
| - North America | 200,000 | 284,000 | -29.6% |
| - Other | 250,000 | 270,000 | -7.4% |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 4,190,000 | 4,234,000 | -10.4% |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £1.195b | £1.076b | +11.1% |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £2.14b | £2.04b | +4.9% |
Tourism trade
balance | -£945m | -£966m | - |
ANNUAL TOURISM AND TRAVEL FIGURES
| YEAR | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 22,835,000 | 24,180,000 | 24,715,000 |
| - Europe | 14,115,000 | 15,439,000 | 17,207,000 |
| - North America | 4,228,000 | 4,272,000 | 3,997,000 |
| - Other | 4,469,000 | 4,493,000 | 3.511,000 |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 58,281,000 | 59,377,000 | 61,424,000 |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £11.3b | £11.74b | £11.86b |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £25.3b | £26.96b | £28.55b |
Tourism trade
balance | -£14.03b | -£15.23b | -£16.69b |
| YEAR | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 27,755,000 | 29,970,000 | 32,713,000 |
| - Europe | 19,424,000 | 21,565,000 | 23,377,000 |
| - North America | 4,356,000 | 4,234,000 | 4,764,000 |
| - Other | 3,975,000 | 4,171,000 | 4,572,000 |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 64,194,000 | 66,441,000 | 69,536,000 |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £13.05b | £14.25b | £16b |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £30.29b | £32.15b | £34.41b |
Tourism trade
balance | -£17.24b | -£17.91b | -£18.41b |
| YEAR | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
Total overseas
visits to the UK | 32,7778,000 | 32,010,000 | |
| - Europe | 23,887,000 | 23,700,000 | |
| - North America | 4,403,000 | 3,840,000 | |
| - Other | 4,488,000 | 4,470,000 | |
UK tourists' trips
abroad | 69,450,000 | 68,820,000 | |
Overseas earnings
in the UK | £15.9 | £16.4b | |
UK residents'
spend overseas | £35b | £36.6b | |
Tourism trade
balance | -£19.1b | -£20.18b | |