uk tourism figures 2022

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• Transport planning

National Travel Survey: 2022

Personal travel in Great Britain during 2022 by residents of England. Including how and why people travel, driving licences and vehicle ownership.

Applies to England

National travel survey 2022: introduction and main findings, national travel survey 2022: mode share, journey lengths and trends in public transport use, national travel survey 2022: household car availability and trends in car trips, national travel survey 2022: active travel, national travel survey 2022: trips by purpose, age and sex, national travel survey 2022: travel to and from school.

National Travel Survey 2022: Factsheet (pdf)

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National Travel Survey 2022: Factsheet (accessible)

National travel survey: 2022 data table index.

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National Travel Survey 2022: Data tables (ODS)

ZIP , 6.04 MB

National Travel Survey 2022: Data tables (Excel)

ZIP , 11.4 MB

Main sample numbers: 1995 to 2022

ODS , 18.9 KB

National Travel Survey 2022: Notes and definitions

National travel survey 2022: quality report.

The National Travel Survey results in 2022 showed:

people in England made 862 trips on average in 2022, about 17 trips per week

this was an increase of 14% on 2021 and a decrease of 10% on 2019

there were increases in trip rates amongst all transport modes in 2022 compared to 2021, apart from cycling and London Underground trips which remained at a similar level

walking trips increased in 2022 to 267 trips per person, this was 7% higher than in 2019

trip rates for buses (in and outside London) saw an increase, but remained below pre-pandemic (2019) levels

the 5,373 miles people travelled on average in 2022 was 24% higher than in 2021, and a decrease of 17% compared to 2019

on average people spent 324 hours travelling in 2022, around 53 minutes a day

on average people spent 24 minutes per cycling trip, 21 minutes per car driver trip and 18 minutes per walking trip, on average in 2022

A technical report detailing the survey methodology and data collection operations is available.

National Travel Survey statistics

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To hear more about DfT statistical publications as they are released, follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) at DfTstats .

Data table NTS0201 updated.

First published.

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Industry report: uk set for tourism boom in 2022.

In Press Releases , WTM London .

Destinations, suppliers and attractions in the UK are set to see a sustained recovery in 2022, thanks to inbound and domestic holidaymakers’ keenness to explore the British Isles, reveals research released today (Monday 1 November) at WTM London.

About one in six Brits (16%) say they plan to book a 2022 staycation – despite widespread demand for foreign holidays as overseas travel is likely to recover in 2022 – while international travel buyers at WTM London are eager to seal deals for UK products.

The findings, from the WTM Industry Report, will be a welcome boost for UK exhibitors at WTM London, who will be keen to capitalise on the popularity of domestic tours and the pent-up demand for overseas visitors to return to Britain.

The figures come from two polls commissioned by WTM London – the first quizzed 1,000 consumers and found that 843 are planning to take a holiday in 2022. About a sixth (17%) of these say they will take a staycation.

The second survey spoke to 676 trade professionals and found that more than half (58%) are interested in contracting UK products at WTM London 2021, if they attend. The breakdown of figures showed that 38% were ‘extremely interested’ and 20% were ‘interested’.

When asked about particular destinations or regions, London was the most popular, but a wide range of others were also mentioned by respondents, including other parts of England (such as Devon, Cornwall, Kent and Manchester) plus Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

A wide range of exhibitors with interests and products in the UK will be at ExCeL – London for the WTM London this week (Monday 1 – Wednesday 3 November), including tourism association European Tour Operators’ Association; coach hire firm Abbey Travel; Dover District Council, which represents White Cliffs Country; London and UK tours specialist Golden Tours; and Merlin Attractions, which has a host of sites in the UK, such as Legoland Windsor, Alton Towers Resort, Warwick Castle, Madame Tussauds and the London Eye.

Merlin Attractions’ own research shows that consumers in the US and UK are ready to return to theme park adventures “in their droves” because of the ‘JOLA’ phenomenon – the Joy of Looking Ahead.

After a difficult couple of years, families and groups increasingly want to book ahead in order to look forward to an outing and to spend time together, according to the attractions giant.

VisitBritain has forecast a slow recovery ahead, with a lot of ground to catch up after two years of highly restricted inbound travel.

It estimates that overseas visitor spending in the UK in 2021 was just £5.3 billion, compared to £28.4 billion in 2019.

Inbound trade association UKinbound has lobbied ministers throughout the pandemic to highlight the plight of its members, many of whom saw revenues plunge by 90% or more.

However, the reopening of travel between the UK, Europe and the US will offer hope for inbound tourism’s recovery – especially as 2022 will see a tremendous global opportunity for the UK. It will host and celebrate the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Festival UK 2022 and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Simon Press, WTM London Exhibition Director, said: “The findings suggests there will be brisk trading for the UK exhibitors at WTM this year – they will be keen to take advantage of the renewed interest in domestic breaks among the British market as well as making the most of deals to be struck with international buyers, who are eager to reconnect with suppliers after the hiatus in holidays to the UK.”

World Travel Market  (WTM) Portfolio comprises leading travel events, online portals and virtual platforms across four continents, generating more than $7.5 billion of industry deals. The events are:

WTM London , the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. Around 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating over £3.71 billion in travel industry contracts. In 2020, WTM Virtual facilitated 20,000+ meetings and held 42 live content sessions over the 3-days show.

Next live event: Monday 1 to 3 November 2021 at ExCel London

Next WTM Virtual: Monday 8 to 9 November 2021 – Virtual

http://london.wtm.com/

Travel Forward London   is the leading travel technology event, co-located with WTM London. Travel Forward is renowned for showcasing the next-generation technologies for the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Over 19,000 travel officials and 150+ innovative solution providers attend for 3 days of cutting-edge insights, open debate and unrivalled networking opportunities. The combination of a 2-day conference, interactive exhibition and start-up showcase makes Travel Forward truly unique.

Next live event: Monday 1 November to Wednesday 3 November 2021 at ExCel London

Next Travel Forward Virtual: Monday 8 November to Tuesday 9 November 2021 – Virtual

http://travelforward.wtm.com/

London Travel Week , brought to you by WTM London, is the one-stop-shop for event hosts and visitors to be able to shape the next 12 months of travel together. The festival of events supports the global travel and tourism industry through capturing invaluable news and enhancing industry connections.

Next event: Friday 29 October – Friday 5 November 2021

https://londontravelweek.wtm.com/

WTM Virtual ,  is the WTM Portfolio virtual platform, created to offer global delegates the chance to arrange one-to-one virtual meetings, to do business, attend conference sessions and roundtables, take part in speed networking and more. WTM Virtual embrace the global leading travel shows in one platform.

WTM Latin America takes place annually in São Paulo and attracts around 19,000 tourism professionals during a three-day event. The show offers qualified content, as well as networking and business opportunities. In its ninth edition – the first 100% virtual – WTM Latin America followed its focus on effective business generation and reached the milestone of 4,200 meetings held between buyers, travel agents and exhibitors.

Next event: Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 April 2022 – Expo Center Norte, SP, Brazil

http://latinamerica.wtm.com/

WTM Africa  launched in 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. More than 6,000 travel industry professionals attend Africa’s leading inbound and outbound travel and tourism market. WTM Africa delivers a proven mix of hosted buyers, media, pre-scheduled appointments, on-site networking, evening functions and invited travel trade visitors.

Next event: Monday 11 to Wednesday 13 April 2022 – Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town  http://africa.wtm.com/

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) , now on its 29th year, is the leading, international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. ATM 2021 showcased over 1,300 exhibiting companies from 62 countries across nine halls at Dubai World Trade Centre, with visitors from more than 140 countries over the four days. Arabian Travel Market is part of Arabian Travel Week. #IdeasArriveHere

Next in-person event: Sunday 8 to Wednesday 11 May 2022, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai https://www.wtm.com/atm/en-gb.html

Arabian Travel Week is a festival of events taking place within and alongside Arabian Travel Market 2022. Providing a renewed focus for the Middle East’s travel and tourism sector, it includes ATM Virtual, ILTM Arabia, Arival Dubai, Influencers’ events and activations, as well as Travel Forward. It also features the ATM Buyer Forums, ATM Speed Networking Events as well as a series of country summits.

https://www.wtm.com/arabian-travel-week/en-gb.html

WTM Global Hub,   is the new WTM Portfolio online portal created to connect and support travel industry professionals around the world. The resource hub offers the latest guidance and knowledge to help exhibitors, buyers and others in the travel industry face the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic. WTM Portfolio is tapping into its global network of experts to create content for the hub.  https://hub.wtm.com/

About RX (Reed Exhibitions)

RX is in the business of building businesses for individuals, communities and organisations. We elevate the power of face to face events by combining data and digital products to help customers learn about markets, source products and complete transactions at over 400 events in 22 countries across 43 industry sectors. RX is passionate about making a positive impact on society and is fully committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.rxglobal.com

RELX About RELX

RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The Group serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs over 33,000 people, of whom almost half are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX. The market capitalisation is approximately £33bn, €39bn, $47bn.*

*Note: Current market capitalisation can be found at http://www.relx.com/investors

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Tourism data reveals how many overseas visitors came to scotland in 2022, edinburgh was second most-visited uk city in 2022, tourism data shows.

A TOTAL of 3.23 million people visited Scotland from overseas in 2022, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown.

For the UK as a whole, 31.2 million overseas visitors were recorded in 2022, meaning Scotland took around 10.35% of the total.

The figures are massively up on 2021, when the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic meant that just 6.4 million overseas residents visited the UK, with only 480,000 coming to Scotland.

Numbers are slightly down on 2019, however, before the impact of the pandemic. That year, some 3.46 million overseas visitors came to Scotland.

READ MORE:  What is a tourist tax and what will one in Scotland look like?

In 2022, the newest figures also show that Edinburgh is the most popular visitor destination outside London. The UK capital attracted some 16.1 million overnight visitors in 2022.

Edinburgh was a distant second, with 1.8 million overseas visitors that year, followed by Manchester (1.2 million visits) and Birmingham (803,000).

The new data comes from the International Passenger Survey (IPS), which collects information from passengers as they enter or leave the UK by the principal air, sea and tunnel routes.

Trade Minister Richard Lochhead, who also holds responsibility for tourism in the Scottish Government, said the figures were “welcome confirmation that overseas visitors are returning to Scotland in growing numbers following the pandemic”.

He went on: “The last few years have been extremely difficult for the tourism sector, not only dealing with the impacts and challenges of the pandemic but also the effects of Brexit , including staff shortages.

“Although work remains to be done, it is good to see Scotland remains an iconic destination for people around the world with visits getting back towards pre-pandemic levels. Events this year, including the Scottish Government-backed UCI World Cycling Championships and Edinburgh’s Festivals, will be a major draw to further drive an increase in tourists to Scotland.

“The Scottish Government recently launched its New Deal for Scottish Business, to provide an opportunity to discuss how government can better support businesses, including the tourism and hospitality sector, using the limited policy levers available.”

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80+ UK Tourism Statistics [2024 update]

Reviving inbound tourism: the uk's journey to recovery.

• The latest inbound tourism forecast for 2023 anticipates 37.5 million visits, an impressive 92% recovery compared to the pre-pandemic level in 2019.
• In 2023, inbound visitors are projected to spend £30.9 billion, surpassing the 2019 level by 109% in nominal terms.
• Travel and tourism’s total contribution to the UK’s GDP in 2017 was 5.3%. By 2028, travel and tourism’s contribution to the UK’s GDP is expected to decrease significantly to only 2%.
• Overseas residents made 31.2 million visits to the UK in 2022.
• By 2024 and 2025, both domestic and international tourism in the UK is projected to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels.
• Ranked the sixth largest in the world, the UK tourism industry generates £155.4 billion in revenue for the UK economy annually.
• In 2022, London remained the most visited city by international visitors with just over 16 million international visits. However, this figure was approximately 26% lower than the pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
• Edinburgh and Manchester welcomed a considerable number of tourists in 2022 — 1.8 million and 1.2 million respectively — making them the second and third most popular destinations.
• In 2022, the United States topped the list as the leading inbound travel market for the UK based on the number of visits, with approximately 4.6 million inbound trips from American travelers.
• Following closely were tourist arrivals from France, the Republic of Ireland, and Germany.
• In 2019, Americans spent a record £4.18bn while visiting the UK.
• In 2022, overseas visitors to the UK enjoyed an average stay of 8.4 nights, compared to just over 7 nights in 2019.
• The National History Museum, Brighton Pier, and the British Museum topped the list of the most popular free attractions in England in 2022.
• The Tower of London, the Royal Botanic Gardens, and the RHS Garden Wisley topped the list of the most popular paid attractions in England in 2022.
• The Windsor Great Park was the most visited tourist attraction throughout the UK in 2022, attracting 5.6 million visitors.

A surge in travel staycations: UK domestic tourism statistics

• Between April and December 2021, Brits enjoyed nearly 45 million overnight stays within the UK.
• In 2021, domestic travelers in the UK spent £98.7 billion on trips around the UK.
• In 2019, British tourists embarked on almost 123 million domestic holidays.
• The number of outbound international travel trips in 2019 amounted to 93 million.
• Brits took an average of 2.3 domestic vacations between September 2021 and August 2022.
• 20% of Brits say that the South West of the UK is their top destination for overnight domestic trips during summer.
• With staycations on the rise, Brits spent an average of almost £770 on UK getaways in 2021.
• Throughout 2022, British residents made 1.1 billion day trips to places within the UK, spending £45 billion on these trips alone.

Adventure tourism statistics: Visitors to the UK have caught the adventure bug

• The UNWTO reports that the UK boasts Europe’s largest adventure tourism market, accounting for 19% of the world's adventure travel tourists.
• By 2024, the adventure tourism industry revenue is projected to reach £3.8 billion.
• From 2011 to 2019, spending on adventure and water sports in the UK increased from £1.5 billion to £1.8 billion.
• The number of people taking part in adventure and water sports activities in the UK has also increased from 57 million in 2011 to 100 million in 2019.
• In 2021, UK spending on camping trips rose to £2.7 billion.
• In 2019, outdoor-related activities in urban settings accounted for over 60% of all nature-based spending.
• 59% of European millennials have had at least one kind of adventure experience.

Healthcare tourism statistics beyond borders: Medical tourism in the UK is on the rise

• The UK medical tourism market is expected to reach a valuation of over £17 billion by 2032.
• The global medical tourism market is projected to be worth $35.9 billion by 2032.
• In 2020, the UK ranked fifth in the global destination environment ranking for medical tourism.
• In 2021, a total of 34,000 inbound visits to the UK were for medical treatment.
• Of the 34,000 medical tourists in 2021, 62% were from countries in the EU-15, and less than 3% were from North America.
• Tourist spending on medical treatment in the UK is between £178 million to £325 million annually.
• Inbound medical travelers and their companions contribute approximately £219 million to the UK economy through additional tourism expenditures every year.
• Dental care, cosmetic surgery, fertility treatments, organ and tissue transplantation, and cancer treatment top the list of popular procedures for medical tourism trips.

Sports tourism statistic scoring big: Football rules UK sports tourism

• In 2022, 76.2 million people attended professional sporting events throughout the UK.
• According to the latest figures, inbound tourism expenditure on sport and recreation reached an impressive £231 million in the UK.
• In 2019, around 1.5 million inbound visitors attended a live football match, accounting for approximately 1 in every 27 visitors.
• Football is the number one sporting attraction for international tourists visiting the UK, with over 800,000 visitors annually attending a football match.
• Cricket is the second biggest sporting draw with 225,000 annual visitors.
• Since 2010, the value of sport to the UK economy has increased by 40%.
• In 2019, inbound football tourists spent an average of £909 per visit, 31% higher than the average visitor spend of £696 by other inbound tourists.
• In 2019, the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester and the Anfield Stadium in Liverpool had the highest attendance at 440,000 tourist visits.
• The amount spent on golfing activities in the UK grew by 40% between 2011 and 2019, from £800 million to £1.1 billion

Business tourism statistics: Meetings, incentive trips, and exhibitions fuel the business tourism boom in the UK

• In 2022, there were 5.1 million visits to the UK for business reasons.
• Business contributed £5.8 billion in spend in 2019, representing an incredible 20% of all inbound spend.
• Business travelers tend to make flying visits to the UK. In 2019, almost two-thirds of all business visits to the UK lasted between 1 and 3 nights.
• Unlike typical tourism flows, business visits to the UK don't show much seasonality, which means there's a steady number of visitors year-round.
• In 2019, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) made up nearly one-third of all UK business trip expenses, with visitors spending a hefty £1.7 billion.
• In 2019, conferences, conventions, and congresses took the lead among the MICE sub-categories, accounting for 742,000 visits and a whopping total spend of £716 million.
• Large meetings consisting of over 21 people in 2019 accounted for approximately 7% of all business visits (646,000 visits in total), and these travelers spent £573 million.
• In 2019, incentive and team-building trips made 67,000 visits and spent £69 million, making them one of the top-spending business groups with an expenditure of £1,039 per visit.
• In 2019, attendees of exhibitions, events, and trade shows spent a total of £319 million during 319,000 visits.
• In 2021, UK residents made an estimated total of 8.3 million business trips.
• Two-thirds of UK businesses plan to boost business travel spend by 50% or more in 2023.
• The Travel and Tourism Development Index ranked the UK as the fifth-best country for non-leisure travel worldwide in 2021, and the first-best country in Europe.
• Business travelers flocked to London in 2019, with a remarkable 3.98 million visits from abroad, solidifying its position as the top business travel destination in the UK.
• The average cost of a business trip to London has risen by 15% since 2022.
• As of 2023, London is the third most expensive business travel location in Europe.
• Ranked as the eighth most expensive city in the world for business travel, a trip to London costs around £497 per day visit.
• The average spend per domestic business trip in 2019 was £280.
• Over half of business trips to the UK turn into bleisure trips.

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Rural tourism statistics: the charm of rural tourism and sustainable travel is on the rise.

• A testament to its beauty, UK nature contributed a remarkable £12 billion to tourism and outdoor leisure in 2019.
• In 2021, the Gross Value Added (GVA) from tourism in Predominantly Rural areas was worth an impressive £11.5 billion.
• During 2019/20, rural areas boasted 66,800 registered tourist-related businesses, making up 11% of the total registered businesses in those regions.
• Tourism-related industries play a more substantial role in rural employment, representing 15% of the total workforce, compared to 11% in urban areas.
• The majority of UK travelers (71%) and US travelers (69%) say that sustainable travel practices are important to them and strive to make more eco-conscious journeys.
• 23% of UK travelers chose to travel to a destination closer to home in order to reduce their carbon footprint .
• In a bid to enhance rural tourism, Scotland allocated £3 million in 2022 to support 10 infrastructure projects, focusing on visitor facilities, access improvements, and promoting eco-friendly transport options.
• An estimated 34% of holidays in Wales involve camping or caravanning, compared to 20% in England and 21% in Scotland.

Music tourism is hitting high notes in the UK

• In 2022, the global music tourism market value was valued at $5.5 billion and is on track to rock 'n' roll all the way up to an incredible $11.3 billion by 2032.
• The thriving music tourism sector sustained a total of 56,000 jobs across the UK in 2022, massively contributing to overall tourism employment statistics in the country.
• In 2022, the UK’s music scene drew in an impressive 1.1 million foreign music tourists and 13.3 million domestic music tourists.
• 2022 marked a crescendo in music tourism spending in the UK, peaking at an impressive £6.6 billion — surpassing the pre-pandemic total in 2019 of £4.7 billion.
• Attracting a staggering 4.9 million music tourists, London is a major magnet for music lovers.
• Thanks to the draw of legendary groups The Beatles, The Stone Roses, and Oasis, the North West region is close behind with 1.9 million music tourists.
• 10% of British people would travel eight hours by plane to see their favorite artists.
• 63% of Brits have been on trips that combined travel with a gig or festival.
• New York and Barcelona are the top dream travel destinations for British music lovers.

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UK Tourism Statistics 2023

• Post author By Giacomo Piva
• Post date June 9, 2023

We’ve put together some of the latest UK tourism statistics using recent data and reports including market size, the number of tourists visiting the UK, and the most popular tourist attractions to visit.

Key Statistics

Uk tourism market size, how many tourists visit the uk each year, overseas visitors spending in the uk, number of nights spent in the uk, most-visited towns and cities in the uk, most-visited uk tourist attractions, outbound tourism from the uk, uk domestic tourism statistics, where do british people stay on holiday, london tourism statistics.

• 31.2 million people visited the UK from overseas in 2022, a 388.7% increase from 2021 as a result of travel restrictions being lifted after COVID-19.
• The UK’s travel and tourism industry is worth an estimated £31.38 billion ($39.14 billion USD) and is expected to reach £33.41 billion ($41.67 billion USD) by 2027 .
• Overseas visitors spent £26.5 billion in the UK in 2022, climbing back up to pre-pandemic levels after dropping significantly in 2020 and 2021.
• London is the most-visited city in the UK with 16.1 million overseas visitors in 2022 , followed by Edinburgh with 1.8 million visitors .
• The most-visited attraction in the UK is the Crown Estate at Windsor Great Park with 5.6 million visitors in 2022.
• Visitors from China spend the most on average in the UK with £8,779 per visit , which is approximately 10 times the average amount spent by all visitors from around the world.
• Visitors to the UK from Poland spend the least on average at £321 per visit .
• Spain is the most-visited country by UK residents, with 15.6 million visits of at least one night, followed by France with 7.4 million visits .
• 46% of British travellers say their budget is £200 or less for a trip in the UK, with 76% saying they will prioritise value for money when booking a holiday.

Revenue in the UK’s travel and tourism industry is estimated at £31.38 billion in 2023 and is predicted to reach £33.41 billion by 2027 with a CAGR of 1.58% between 2023 and 2027. [ 1 ]

How many people work in tourism in the UK?

The latest figures show that 3.3 million people work in the tourism industry in the UK, and this is expected to grow to 3.8 million by 2025. [ 2 ]

In 2022, 31.2 million people visited the UK from overseas, a 388.7% increase from 2021 but visitor numbers had not yet fully recovered to 2019 levels.

The number of overseas visitors to the UK remained fairly consistent in the years prior to 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic led to travel restrictions. There were 40.8 million international visitors in 2019, and this dropped by 279.2% to 11.1 million in 2020.

Sources [ 3 ] [ 4 ]

Visitor spending in the UK also remained consistent in the years between 2017 and 2019, with overseas visitors spending £28.4 billion in the UK in 2019. This figure dropped to £6.2 billion in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and dropped further to £5.6 billion in 2021.

The latest figures show visitor spending has roughly returned to pre-pandemic levels, with overseas visitors spending £26.5 billion in 2022.

Sources [ 4 ][ 5 ]

Average spend per visit by country

The average amount someone spends on a trip to the UK varies depending on which country the visitor travels from. The average amount spent on a trip to the UK across visitors from all countries is £875. Visitors from China spent the most on average with £8,779 per visit (roughly 10 times the amount spent on average by all visitors). This was followed by visitors from the Middle East (not including UAE) with an average of £3,754 per visit.

Visitors who spent the least on average when visiting the UK were from Poland (£321) and Hungary (£364).

Data from 2020 was not available due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Source [ 6 ]

The number of nights spent in the UK by overseas visitors decreased slightly from 312.6 million in 2017 to 298.6 million in 2019, a 7.3% decrease in this period.

Unsurprisingly, like the number of visitors and the average spend, the number of nights spent in the UK by international visitors was also affected by COVID-19. Figures for 2021 show that overseas visitors spent 93.5 million nights in the UK, a 70% decrease compared to 2019.

Sources [ 3 ]  

London is consistently the most-visited city in the UK, with 16.1 million overnight visitors from overseas in 2022. The second most visited city is Edinburgh with 1.8 million visitors, then Manchester with 1.2 million, followed by Birmingham with 803,000.

Source [ 4 ]

You’ll find a number of popular tourist attractions across the UK, from museums and art galleries to parks and beaches; let’s take a look at the most-visited attractions in the UK.

The most popular attraction in the UK in 2022 was the Crown Estate at Windsor Great Park which attracted 5.6 million visitors. Coming second on the list was the National History Museum with 4.6 million visitors, followed by the British Museum with 4 million visitors.

Source [ 7 ]

Outbound tourism statistics from the ONS show that UK residents mostly visit countries in Europe, with 51.9 million visits to European countries in 2022. This means that visits to Europe make up 79.5% of outbound travel by people living in the UK. [ 8 ]

Most-visited countries by UK residents

The most popular country for UK residents to visit in 2022 was Spain, with 15.6 million visits of at least one night. This was followed by France with 7.4 million visits, and Italy with 3.9 million visits.

Holidaying in the UK has become a popular pastime for British people, with staycations offering a number of benefits compared to travelling abroad. Let’s take a look at some of the latest domestic tourism statistics for the UK.

• In 2021, there were 118.9 million overnight trips taken in Great Britain by British residents. Of these trips, England was the most popular destination with an 84% share of the trips (100 million trips). Scotland was the second most popular destination with an 11% share of the trips (13 million trips). Wales was the third most popular destination with a 5% share of the trips (6 million trips).

• The average length of stay for a domestic overnight trip in Great Britain was 3.5 nights.
• The total expenditure on domestic tourism in Great Britain in 2021 was £27.2 billion.
• Of this expenditure, £22.2 billion was spent in England, £2.8 billion was spent in Scotland, and £2.2 billion was spent in Wales.

Sources [ 9 ] [ 10 ]

Why do people choose a staycation in the UK?

• The desire for budget-friendly holidays is on the rise, with 46% of people saying their budget for a staycation is £200 per person or less, and 75% say they will prioritise value for money when looking to book a holiday.
• Holidaymakers want to explore the outdoors – 44% of people said they would like to see more national parks in the UK on their next holiday.
• People want to take a trip with their pets, with 40% of UK travellers saying they will look for pet-friendly accommodation for a UK staycation.
• Scotland is becoming a popular destination for British travellers with 40% of respondents saying Scotland is top of their list for a UK holiday. [ 11 ]

We looked at the types of accommodation British people choose to stay in when they go on holiday, either abroad or in the UK.

The most popular accommodation was a hotel, with 62% of people saying they had stayed at a hotel while on holiday in the past three years. This was followed by staying with family or friends (26%), and staying at a bed and breakfast (23%). 

Source [ 12 ]

According to the Greater London Authority, there were 11.2 million international visits to London in 2022. This is an increase of 260% from 2021 when there were 3.5 million international visits to London. The increase in tourism is due to a number of factors, including the easing of travel restrictions after COVID-19, the strong pound, and London continuing to be a popular destination for tourists. [ 13 ]

Total visits to London

In 2021, there were 7.8 million visits to London from national and international tourists, with a total spend of £7.56 million. This was a 64% decrease in spending compared to the pre-pandemic figure of £2.1 billion in 2019.

Most popular visitor attractions in London

The two most-visited attractions in London also fall in the top three most visited tourist sites in the UK, the Natural History Museum and the British Museum. Third on the list is the Tate Modern Gallery with 3.8 million visitors, and next is the Southbank Centre which received 2.9 million visitors in 2022.

More London tourism facts

• One in seven jobs in London is related to the travel and tourism industry, and this sector makes up 12% of London’s GDP.
• Visiting London is the third biggest reason people say they come to the UK, and the city accounted for 53% of international visits to the UK in 2019.
• 15% of people who visit London from overseas come as part of a longer trip, including other areas in the UK. [ 15 ]

[1] https://www.statista.com/outlook/mmo/travel-tourism/united-kingdom  

[2] https://www.visitbritain.org/sites/default/files/vb-corporate/Documents-Library/documents/foresight_165_regional_activities.pdf  

[3] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/timeseries/gmat/ott  

[4] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/articles/traveltrends/2022

[5] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/datasets/overseasresidentsvisitstotheuk  

[6] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/articles/traveltrends/2021  

[7]  https://www.alva.org.uk/details.cfm?p=423

[8] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/datasets/ukresidentsvisitsabroad  

[9] https://www.visitbritain.org/gb-domestic-overnight-tourism-latest-results

[10] https://www.gov.wales/domestic-gb-tourism-statistics-overnight-trips-2021-html

[11] https://www.traveldailymedia.com/top-five-reasons-for-expected-staycation-boom-in-2023/  

[12] https://yougov.co.uk/topics/travel/trackers/what-type-of-accommodation-do-brits-stay-in-when-on-holiday  

[13] https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/questions-mayor/find-an-answer/tourism-london-6  

[14] https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/tourism-trends-and-strategies/tourism-statistics

[15] https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/tourism-may-not-recover-until-middle-of-decade    

By Giacomo Piva

Giacomo Piva, CMO and Co-founder at Radical Storage Giacomo Piva has worked in the travel industry since 2008 across multiple niches including tourist transportation, luxury travel, and ecotourism. He now focuses on growing the global luggage network, Radical Storage , which is currently available in over 500 cities, in the likes of London, Paris, New York, and Rio de Janeiro. Giacomo has a bachelor's degree in Communication Science and an in-depth experience across travel marketing, especially in improving a brand’s digital presence within the industry.

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Domestic overnight visitor travel party types Sydney, Australia 2022

The most common travel party type among domestic overnight visitors to Sydney, Australia in the year ended December 2022 was solo travelers, accounting for 40 percent of travel parties. Adult couples were the next most prevalent travel party type to Sydney that year. 

Distribution of travel party types among domestic overnight visitors to Sydney, Australia in 2022

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Statistics on " Domestic tourism in Australia "

• Domestic visitor contribution to direct tourism GDP Australia FY 2014-2023
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• Domestic overnight visitor expenditure Tasmania, Australia 2014-2023
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Other statistics that may interest you Domestic tourism in Australia

• Basic Statistic Domestic visitor contribution to direct tourism GDP Australia FY 2014-2023
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• Premium Statistic Number of domestic overnight visitors Australia 2023, by state visited
• Premium Statistic Number of domestic overnight visitors Australia 2023, by purpose of visit
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• Premium Statistic Number of domestic overnight visitors NSW Australia 2022, by region visited
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• Premium Statistic Number of domestic overnight visitors Queensland Australia 2023, by region visited
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Domestic tourism in Western Australia

• Premium Statistic Number of domestic overnight visitors Western Australia 2023, by region visited
• Premium Statistic Domestic overnight visitor expenditure Western Australia 2023, by region visited
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• Premium Statistic Number of domestic visitors Perth, Australia 2018-2023, by type of trip

Domestic tourism in South Australia

• Premium Statistic Number of domestic overnight visitors South Australia 2023, by region visited
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• Premium Statistic Number of domestic overnight visitors Tasmania Australia 2023, by region visited
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