In 2024, the number of overseas resident visits to the United Kingdom totaled 39 million, representing a growth of around three percent from the previous year. Has the UK’s tourism industry completely recovered from the coronavirus pandemic? Like in most countries, the travel restrictions put in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus wreaked havoc on the UK’s tourism industry. Overseas visitor numbers dropped to 7.1 million in 2021, representing a drop of over 80 percent from 2019. While the figure reported for 2024 showed a continued recovery in terms of overseas visitors to the UK, it remained below pre-pandemic levels. However, in terms of spending among the UK’s leading inbound travel markets, overseas visitors spent more in 2024 than in 2019, with visitors from the UK’s leading inbound travel market, the United States, spending around 70 percent more during their travels than in 2019. What are the most visited cities in the UK? Unsurprisingly, London has consistently ranked as the most visited town or city in the UK among international tourists in recent years, drawing in over 20 million visitors in 2024. This was around tenfold the number of the second-most visited city, Edinburgh, during the same year. As the UK’s capital city, London’s tourist attractions are as varied as the city itself; however, one particularly strong draw for inbound visitors is Royal Family-related tourism. This is evident with the top two most visited paid tourist attractions in England being based in London and either belonging to the Royal Family or being run by a Royal-affiliated charity. Meanwhile, among UK residents, London ranks as the second most popular destination for a summer staycation, with the South West ranking first.

In 2024, the United States was the leading inbound travel market for the United Kingdom based on the number of visits. That year, the UK reported approximately 5.59 million inbound trips from the U.S., surpassing the figures recorded in the previous five years. In total, the number of inbound visits in the UK reach nearly 40 million in 2024.

United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data was reported at 35,814,000.000 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 34,436,000.000 Person for 2015. United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data is updated yearly, averaging 28,119,000.000 Person from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 35,814,000.000 Person in 2016 and a record low of 20,982,000.000 Person in 2001. United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they have their usual residence, but outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members, is shown instead. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries. The data on inbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

Monthly estimates of overseas residents’ visits and spending and visits and spending abroad by UK or Great Britain residents. Also includes data on purpose of visit, area visited by UK residents and area of residence for overseas residents.

As of January 2025, the United States was the leading inbound travel market for the United Kingdom based on the growth in travel demand on Google in the previous 30 and 90 days. According to the analysis, the Google search volume in the U.S. concerning flights and accommodation in the UK increased by 20 percent over the last month and by around 19.4 percent over the previous 90 days.

In 2024, international tourism expenditure in the United Kingdom rose marginally over 2023, reaching **** billion British pounds. The previous year had marked the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic that inbound tourist spending exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts data was reported at 55.558 USD bn in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 60.807 USD bn for 2015. United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts data is updated yearly, averaging 40.038 USD bn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 62.604 USD bn in 2014 and a record low of 26.137 USD bn in 2001. United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism receipts are expenditures by international inbound visitors, including payments to national carriers for international transport. These receipts include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

The number of British tourists who visited the Netherlands rose significantly in 2023 over the previous year, but did not fully recover from the impact of COVID-19. Overall, the number of British guests at Dutch travel accommodation establishments reached approximately *** million in 2023.

Travelers aged 25 to 34 accounted for the highest number of overseas visits to the United Kingdom in 2024, with roughly **** million visits. This figure remained below the number of inbound visits reported for that age group in 2019, prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This was the case for every age group, expect those aged 55 years and over.

United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts: for Travel Items data was reported at 41.458 USD bn in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 45.595 USD bn for 2015. United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts: for Travel Items data is updated yearly, averaging 32.220 USD bn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 50.068 USD bn in 2014 and a record low of 18.864 USD bn in 2001. United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts: for Travel Items data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism receipts for travel items are expenditures by international inbound visitors in the reporting economy. The goods and services are purchased by, or on behalf of, the traveler or provided, without a quid pro quo, for the traveler to use or give away. These receipts should include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except in cases where these are so important as to justify a separate classification. Excluded is the international carriage of travelers, which is covered in passenger travel items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts: % of Total Exports data was reported at 7.417 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.695 % for 2015. United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts: % of Total Exports data is updated yearly, averaging 6.712 % from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.561 % in 1995 and a record low of 5.894 % in 2011. United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts: % of Total Exports data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism receipts are expenditures by international inbound visitors, including payments to national carriers for international transport. These receipts include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Their share in exports is calculated as a ratio to exports of goods and services, which comprise all transactions between residents of a country and the rest of the world involving a change of ownership from residents to nonresidents of general merchandise, goods sent for processing and repairs, nonmonetary gold, and services.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, and IMF and World Bank exports estimates.; Weighted average;

United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts: for Passenger Transport Items data was reported at 14.100 USD bn in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 15.212 USD bn for 2015. United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts: for Passenger Transport Items data is updated yearly, averaging 8.409 USD bn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.212 USD bn in 2015 and a record low of 6.200 USD bn in 2009. United Kingdom UK: International Tourism: Receipts: for Passenger Transport Items data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism receipts for passenger transport items are expenditures by international inbound visitors for all services provided in the international transportation by resident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

This statistic presents the number of holiday nights spent by inbound tourists in the United Kingdom (UK) annually from 2009 and 2019. Approximately *** million nights were spent by holiday visitors to the UK in 2019.

This statistic presents the results of a survey on inbound visitors interest in using a rent-a-car service in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2014, by age. It was found that around ** percent of respondents between the age of 30 and 39 years stated that they would be interested in renting a car and driving themselves to places when visiting the UK. There was no noticeable difference in the responses from the different age groups.

In June 2024, there were around *** million overseas arrivals in the United Kingdom. This was the highest figure for a month of June since 2019, when it reached over *** million. Based on figures reaching back to January 2018, the month with the highest number of inbound visits came in August 2019, when it totaled **** million.

London was by far the most visited city by international tourists in the United Kingdom in 2024. That year, inbound visits to the UK's capital totaled just over ** million, staying marginally lower than in 2019, prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Edinburgh and Manchester followed in the ranking, reporting around *** million and *** million visits, respectively. Overall, the number of inbound visits to the UK reached ** million in 2024 but remained below pre-pandemic levels. What is the leading tourist attraction in London? Tourists visit London for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is its attractions. In 2024, the British Museum was London’s most visited tourist attraction, drawing in approximately *** million visitors. The Natural History Museum in South Kensington and the Tate Modern came next in the ranking, with about *** and *** million visitors, respectively. What is the leading region for summer staycations in the UK? A 'staycation' typically refers to a holiday spent in one's home country rather than abroad. It can also refer to a holiday spent at home involving day trips to local attractions. The leading region for summer staycations in the UK, according to a March 2025 survey, was the South West. Meanwhile, ** percent of respondents said that they intended to visit Scotland during their summer holiday while only *** percent stated that they would like to visit Northern Ireland.

European visitors spent the most during their inbound visits to the United Kingdom (UK) in 2019, with those from EU member states spending around 10.6 billion British pounds. Visitors from North America spent around 4.9 billion pounds in the UK that year.

Visit Britain publish data relating to international visitors to the UK. They produce the data in two formats - individual spreadsheets for each region that are updated annually, and a single spreadsheet for all regions, containing less detail but updated quarterly.

Data shows London totals for nights, visits, and spend. Data broken down by age, purpose, duration, mode and country. This data is also available from Visit Britain website, including the latest quarterly data for other regions.

All data taken from the International Passenger Survey (IPS).

Some additional data on domestic tourism can be found on the Visit Britain website, and Visit England both overnight tourism and Day visits pages.

Data on accomodation occupancy levels is also available from Visit England.

An overview of all tourism data for London can be found in this GLAE report 'Tourism in London'

Further information can be found on the London and Partners website.

Comparisons of international tourist arrivals with other world cities are produced by Euromonitor and in Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index of 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

This dataset is included in the Greater London Authority's Night Time Observatory. Click here to find out more.

Seasonally and non-seasonally adjusted estimates of completed international visits. Based on International Passenger Survey data.

Inbound, outbound and domestic tourism expenditure, inbound tourism consumption, production accounts and employment of the tourism industries and domestic supply and internal tourism consumption.