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Visitors to UK hit record high - but more Brits travel abroad | Visitors to UK hit record high - but more Brits travel abroad |
(35 minutes later) | |
The number of trips by foreign visitors to the UK hit a record high of 36m last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). | The number of trips by foreign visitors to the UK hit a record high of 36m last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). |
That was considerably higher than the 31m trips in 2012, the year of the Olympics. | That was considerably higher than the 31m trips in 2012, the year of the Olympics. |
However, foreign enthusiasm for the UK is still far outweighed by the British thirst for travel abroad. | However, foreign enthusiasm for the UK is still far outweighed by the British thirst for travel abroad. |
In 2015, UK residents took just over 31m holidays or business trips out of the country, a 9.4% rise on 2014. | In 2015, UK residents took just over 31m holidays or business trips out of the country, a 9.4% rise on 2014. |
That was despite a number of high profile terrorist attacks, including the deaths of 130 people in Paris in November, and the killing of 38 holiday-makers on a beach in Tunisia in June. | That was despite a number of high profile terrorist attacks, including the deaths of 130 people in Paris in November, and the killing of 38 holiday-makers on a beach in Tunisia in June. |
The travel industry said the figures showed the "resilience" of UK travellers. | |
"The 9.4% growth recorded in overseas holidays during the year is the largest annual rise in nearly twenty years, and spending on holidays exceeded pre-crisis levels for the first time since the recession," said a spokesperson for the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA). | |
And while foreigners spent £22.1bn on visits to the UK, Brits spent £39bn abroad. | And while foreigners spent £22.1bn on visits to the UK, Brits spent £39bn abroad. |
That spending gap of £16.9bn is the highest since 2008, and accounted for a large slice of the UK's overall balance of payments deficit of £96.2bn in 2015. | That spending gap of £16.9bn is the highest since 2008, and accounted for a large slice of the UK's overall balance of payments deficit of £96.2bn in 2015. |
Spain was easily the most popular country for UK residents to visit, with 13m trips there during the year. That accounts for nearly a fifth of all foreign travel by Brits. | Spain was easily the most popular country for UK residents to visit, with 13m trips there during the year. That accounts for nearly a fifth of all foreign travel by Brits. |
The French were the biggest visitors to the UK, with 4m trips. | The French were the biggest visitors to the UK, with 4m trips. |
Behind them were the Germans and the Americans, with 3m visits each. However American visitors spend more, so are more important to the economy. | Behind them were the Germans and the Americans, with 3m visits each. However American visitors spend more, so are more important to the economy. |
Outside London, the cities with the highest number of visitors were Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham, each of which had more than a million foreign visits. | Outside London, the cities with the highest number of visitors were Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham, each of which had more than a million foreign visits. |