A year after Britain hosted some of the largest events in the world, inbound tourism continues to prove it is one of the UK’s key export growth markets, as the latest figures from the International Passenger Survey1 point towards the first half of 2013 seeing record levels in spend and the strongest visitor numbers since 2008.
The positive results confirmed that in the first half of 2013 Britain attracted 15.2 million visitors (+4%). Spend across this period was a record £8.7 billion (+11%).
Over 2.89 million overseas visitors were welcomed in June alone, up 12% compared with last June. Expenditure over the same period saw overseas visitors spend a total of £1.84 billion, an increase of 13% from June 2012. This was also a new high, up 8% on the existing June record set in 2011.
June seems to be the month for breaking records with 1.22 million holiday visits, 17% up on the previous year followed by a new all-time record for the first six months of 2012 (2%).
The first time June has seen over 0.5 million visits from ‘Rest of World’ markets (+18%) points to another new record and means we are now 11% higher in the first half of 2013.
Double digit growth from our high volume and loyal EU15 markets continue with 14% more visits from this part of the world compared to June 2012.
Keith Beecham, Overseas Director at VisitBritain said: “This is the second consecutive month we have seen record visits and spend, while the first six months of the year have also delivered a record. In June the UK welcomed more than a visitor every single second (67 overseas visitors a minute). If this trend continues it would see us welcome one overseas visitor every second of every day of every week of every month of the year. This is great news for the economy and a further sign that tourism is delivering growth across the country.
“Particularly encouraging is that we’ve witnessed a record 18% rise in visits from Rest of World markets, the first time June has ever seen us welcome over half a million visitors from these markets. This growth has been sustained over the first half of the year, up 11% and also a record.
Minister for Tourism, Hugh Robertson said: “These record figures for June show that our tourism strategy is working. We did all we can to showcase the best of Britain to the world in 2012 and it’s paying off. The tourism sector has a big role to play in delivering economic growth and we must keep up this momentum and continue to promote Britain as a great place to visit.”
