International Passenger Survey reveals 37.6 million people visited the UK in 2016.
The annual survey carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) states visitor numbers are up four per cent on 2015 figures, and visitors from the USA dominate UK inbound market spend. Overall visitor spending sat at £22.5 billion – an increase of two per cent – and peaked in July and August 2016.
The International Passenger Survey revealed visitors from Denmark, South Korea and Israel spend a large amount more on live entertainment than the global average, while visitors from China, Hong Kong and Thailand like to buy UK manufactured products in particular.
Meanwhile visitors from the Nordics, USA, Italy and Spain have the highest restaurant spend.
VisitBritain chief executive officer, Sally Balcombe, says: ‘We want Britain to be top of people’s list as a ‘must-go now’ destination. Understanding more about what our visitors want, and getting a read out of where they spend their money will ensure we get the right products to them at the right time.’
UKinbound chief executive officer, Deirdre Wells, says: ‘The findings provide further evidence of the incredible contribution that tourism makes to the UK economy. Further understanding our visitors will allow our members to tailor their itineraries, products and services, ensuring the UK remains a world class tourism destination.’
https://www.visitbritain.org/about-international-passenger-survey
.gif)
