Spain was the most visited country by residents of the United Kingdom in 2023, with approximately ***** million visits. This figure was marginally lower than in 2019, prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Meanwhile, ************************* followed in the 2023 rankings; of these, only ****** reported a higher number of visits that year compared to pre-pandemic levels. Spain still a favorite among UK holidaymakers Spain has become a firm favorite among holiday travelers from Britain, as it continually lists as the most visited holiday destination abroad. Beach holidays are popular among Brits in search of warmer climates, and the relative ease and cheapness of package holidays to the Mediterranean make it possible. Along with ******************, the UK is one of the key inbound travel markets for Spain. Outbound tourism from the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic As suggested by the figures recorded by the leading outbound travel destinations, the number of visits abroad from the United Kingdom rebounded in 2022 but had not yet caught up with pre-pandemic levels as of 2023, totaling around ** million that year. As the volume of visits bounced back, the outbound tourism expenditure in the UK also experienced a sharp annual increase in 2022 and in fact exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 2023.

In 2023, 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 5.12 million inbound trips from the U.S., surpassing the figures recorded in 2019 and 2022. In total, the number of inbound visits in the UK reach nearly 40 million in 2023.

This table contains 45 series, with data for years 2014 - 2014 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada) Countries visited (15 items: United States; Mexico; United Kingdom; France; ...) Travel characteristics (3 items: Visits; Nights; Spending in country).

In 2023, the number of overseas resident visits to the United Kingdom totaled 38 million, representing a growth of over 20 percent from the previous year. The figure was projected to reach 38.7 million in 2024. 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 2023 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, most overseas visitors spent more in 2023 than in 2019, with visitors from the UK’s leading inbound travel market, the United States, spending around 50 percent more during their travels than in 2019. What are the most visited cities in the UK? Unsurprisingly, London consistently ranked as the most visited town or city in the UK among international tourists in recent years, drawing in 20.27 million visitors in 2023. This was around tenfold the number of the second-most visited city, Edinburgh, which received 2.32 million visitors 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.

This table contains 45 series, with data for years 2014 - 2014 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada) Country of origin (15 items: United States; United Kingdom; France; China; ...) Traveller characteristics (3 items: Trips; Nights; Spending in Canada).

The number of international tourist arrivals in Europe rose significantly in 2023 compared to the previous year across all the most visited destinations in the region. Overall, France was the most visited country by inbound travelers in Europe in 2023. That year, France - which also topped the ranking of the countries with the highest number of international tourist arrivals worldwide - reported *** million international tourist arrivals, the highest figure recorded by the destination to date. Spain, Italy, and Turkey followed on the list in 2023. Europe is the most popular region for inbound tourism Europe is the region with the highest number of inbound tourism arrivals worldwide, with over *** million arrivals in 2023. Comparatively, there were nearly *** million international tourist arrivals in Asia and the Pacific, the second-most visited global region by inbound travelers that year. When breaking down the number of inbound arrivals in Europe by sub-region, Southern and Mediterranean countries reported the highest figures, both before and after the impact of COVID-19. Travel & Tourism Development Index France and Spain, among the most popular travel destinations in Europe in terms of inbound arrivals, were also among the leading countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI). The TTDI index measures factors and policies that support a sustainable and resilient development of travel and tourism worldwide. In 2023, Spain ranked first with a TTDI score of ****, followed by France and Germany.

The United States was the global travel destination with the highest international tourism receipts in 2023. That year, inbound tourism receipts in the U.S. amounted to roughly *** billion U.S. dollars. While this figure denoted a sharp annual increase, it remained below pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, Spain and the United Kingdom followed in the ranking in 2023, with around ** billion and ** billion U.S. dollars, respectively. What are the most visited countries in the world? While France ranked fourth based on international tourism receipts, it topped the list of the countries with the highest number of inbound tourist arrivals worldwide, both before and after the impact of the pandemic. In 2023, France recorded *** million arrivals by international travelers, while Spain and the United States followed in the ranking with over ** million and ** million arrivals, respectively. What is the economic impact of travel and tourism worldwide? As estimated, the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP worldwide amounted to just under ** trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. This figure refers to the direct, indirect, and induced impacts of these industries. That year, the number of travel and tourism jobs worldwide exceeded *** million.

Spain was the most visited European country among outbound travelers from the UK in 2022, with approximately **** million visits. This figure denotes roughly a ** percent drop compared to 2019, prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. France, Italy, and Greece followed in the ranking in 2022.

In 2023, London was the leading European city tourism destination based on the number of bed nights. That year, bed nights in the United Kingdom's capital exceeded ** million, denoting a sharp annual increase but not fully recovering yet from the impact of COVID-19. Meanwhile, Paris and Istanbul followed in the ranking in 2023, with roughly ** million and nearly ** million bed nights. What are the most visited countries in Europe? While the French capital came in second among leading European cities based on bed nights, France topped the ranking of the European countries with the highest number of inbound tourist arrivals in 2023, ahead of Spain, Italy, and Turkey. Meanwhile, when looking at European countries with the highest tourism receipts that year, Spain recorded the highest figure, with over ** billion U.S. dollars, followed by the United Kingdom. How many international tourists visit Europe every year? In 2023, the number of international tourist arrivals in Europe grew significantly over the previous year, totaling over *** million. This figure, however, remained below pre-pandemic levels. Overall, either before and after the impact of COVID-19, Europe was the region with the highest number of international tourist arrivals worldwide.

The dark tourism market is expected to be valued at US$ 31.89 billion in 2024. The dark tourism is predicted to rise at a sluggish CAGR of 2.5% from 2024 to 2034. The global market is anticipated to reach US$ 40.82 billion by 2034.

2019 to 2023 Historical Analysis vs. 2024 to 2034 Market Forecast Projections

Country-wise Analysis

Category-wise Insights

Report Scope

The global hot air balloon experience market is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing tourism, a rise in celebratory events like anniversaries and proposals, and a growing desire for unique and memorable experiences. The market, estimated at $2.5 billion in 2025, is projected to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7% between 2025 and 2033. This growth is fueled by several factors. Firstly, the tourism sector's recovery and expansion post-pandemic is a primary driver, with hot air balloon rides becoming increasingly popular attractions in various regions. Secondly, the market's segmentation into different applications (tourism, celebrations, proposals) and group sizes (below and above 10 people) allows for targeted marketing and diverse offerings, catering to a broad customer base. Furthermore, the increasing popularity of adventure tourism and experiential travel contributes significantly to the market's upward trajectory. Technological advancements, such as improved balloon designs and safety features, are also enhancing the appeal and safety of hot air balloon rides. However, several restraints are impacting market growth. These include fluctuating fuel prices, seasonal limitations dependent on weather conditions, and potential safety concerns. Despite these challenges, the market's segmentation and ongoing innovation suggest strong potential for future expansion. Key regional markets include North America (with the United States as a major contributor), Europe (with strong interest from countries like Turkey, France, and the UK), and the Asia-Pacific region (particularly China). Major players in the market, including Cappadocia Voyager Balloons, Royal Balloon, and others, are continuously striving to enhance their services, develop new packages, and improve their operational efficiency to capture a larger market share. The continued growth trajectory is underpinned by the increasing disposable income of consumers globally, along with the growing emphasis on personalized travel experiences.

The United States of America was the largest source of foreign tourists arriving to India in 2022 at over 1,373 thousand visitors. American tourists have been outnumbering the tourists that visit the country from other European and South Asian countries in 2022. In 2022, citizens from Bangladesh, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom had the highest number of tourists visiting India. Sliding foreign revenue   According to the data, most Bangladeshi tourists visited India for leisure travel. Moreover, leisure spending was also the highest contributor to the foreign tourism revenue for India. However, the growth in foreign exchange earnings was the slowest this decade, with just over 4.7 percent in 2018. Borders dictating tourism
Bangladesh and India share the fifth-longest land border in the world. This might also explain the high tourism influx from Bangladesh to India. Although from the point of view of the Indian government, there seems to be a thin line between tourism and illegal immigration. Managing the complex Indo-Bangladeshi border running through five Indian states is a herculean task, which needs constant monitoring. Risks of cross-border infiltration, illegal migration and smuggling remain major national security challenges for India.

There were around *** million visits to London from the United States in 2023, which made it the leading international travel market for the United Kingdom's capital. In second place was France, with approximately *** million visits.

Over *** million visitors to Australia were residents of New Zealand in the year ended June 2024. Visitors from China were the second most prevalent visitor group at just below *******. These numbers represented an increase from the previous year, indicating a recovery from the slump caused by coronavirus pandemic-related travel restrictions worldwide in 2020 and 2021. Why do people visit Australia? From the beautiful beaches on the Gold Coast to the city streets of Sydney, Australia is a popular destination among international and domestic tourists alike. In the 2024 financial year, the majority of visitors to Australia came for a vacation or to see their family or friends living in the country. Around ***** million visited for a holiday, and a little over ******* traveled to the country for business purposes. How much do international visitors spend when in Australia? Total trip expenditure of international visitors contributed about ** billion Australian dollars to the country’s economy in 2024. This marked a rise in spending from the previous year and exceeded pre-pandemic levels, in which international visitor spending came in at around **** billion Australian dollars in 2019. In financial year 2024, those who visited the country for holiday purposes accounted for the highest trip expenditure of international visitor arrivals to Australia by purpose, at approximately **** billion Australian dollars. The second-highest spenders were visitors who went to Australia for education; they spent over **** billion Australian dollars that year.

Both in 2019 and 2023, Spain was the leading travel destination for French tourists based on the share of departures. In 2023, Spain alone accounted for ** percent of all outbound visits from France. That year, Italy and the United Kingdom followed in the ranking, representing ** percent and *** percent of departures, respectively.

This statistic presents the number of domestic tourism trips taken to national parks in Great Britain between 2016 and 2019. South Downs National Park The South Downs are a range of chalk hills within the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire to Beachy Head in East Sussex.
Owing to their natural beauty, accessibility, and relative proximity to several populous area of Southern England the South Down National Park was the most popular national park in the Great Britain; receiving 2.31 million visitors in 2019. Lake District National Park The Lake District National Park, colloquially known as The Lakes, is a mountainous region within the county of Cumbria in the North West of England. As the largest national park within England, the Lake District exhibits diverse terrain and cultural heritage and contains a wide variety of flora and fauna. As a result of this depth of cultural and natural resources the Lake District is one of the most popular tourist destinations in England; consistently receiving over two million visitors annually.
As the greatest upland region in England, all of the land within England more than 914 m above sea level lies within the Lake district National Park, including the highest mountain in England; Scafell Pike. In addition to the superlative mountainous characteristics the Lake District contains both the deepest and largest natural bodies of water in England. These natural resources make the Lake District national park extremely popular amongst climbers and mountaineers; ramblers; photographers; and water sports enthusiasts and other outdoor enthusiasts.
Alongside these diverse natural resources there exists a wealth of cultural history including a deep literary history, with its associations with Beatrix Potter, John Ruskin, William Wordsworth and other ‘Lake Poets’. Snowdonia Snowdonia (Eryri) National Park, was established in 1951 as the first national park in Wales is the country’s most popular national park receiving over 1.1 million visitors in 2019.
The region is named, in English, in reference to Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa); the highest peak within the National Park which, at 1,085 meters above sea level, is the highest mountain within Wales, England and Northern Ireland.
As one of few regions of alpine topography in the United Kingdom (UK), Snowdonia is particularly popular amongst climbers and mountaineers. In addition to its mountainous terrain Snowdonia also contains over 200 miles of coastline, much of which exists on the Llyn Peninsular, a region designated as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ by Natural Resources Wales. There is a strong cultural affinity amongst the local population; many of whom are among the nations few remaining first language welsh speakers. Within Snowdonia the Welsh language (Cymraeg) is the day to day language and is spoken and understood by the majority of the population.
With English sovereignty over Wales imposed within Henry VIII’s Act of Union in 1536, the use of the Welsh language was largely banned and laws were passed which removed its official status. Following the act it was not possible for a monoglot Welshman to hold an official office in Wales; a condition that remains to this day.
From the 1847 ‘Treachery of the Blue Books’, a government report that condemned “the evil of the Welsh language” as a “barrier to the moral progress and commercial prosperity of the people”, to the nineteenth century ‘Welsh Not’, which physically punished schoolchildren for speaking their native tongue, the Welsh language has been systematically and consistently oppressed throughout welsh history.
This perceived oppression led to the development of a number of significant public campaigns which successfully prevented the extinction of the Welsh language and today the language plays a major part in national and local government, education, tourism, administration and culture. The main cultural festivals are the National Eisteddfod and the Urdd Youth Eisteddfod which celebrate the wealth of Welsh talent in music, poetry, drama, prose, art and science. Throughout Snowdonia National Park there are many galleries, theatres, museums, concert halls and libraries to host and support the hundreds of Welsh language cultural activities that take place in the region each year

The number of international tourist arrivals in Europe increased significantly in 2024 over the previous year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, inbound arrivals in Europe totaled roughly *** million, making it the region with the highest number of international tourist arrivals worldwide. What are the leading travel markets in Europe? Both before and after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, France topped the ranking of the European countries with the highest number of inbound tourist arrivals, ahead of Spain, Italy, and Turkey. Overall, international tourist arrivals in France reached *** million in 2023. When looking at the European countries with the highest inbound tourism receipts, Spain recorded the highest figure that year, followed by the United Kingdom and France. The economic contribution of travel and tourism in Europe In 2023, the total contribution of travel and tourism to Europe’s gross domestic product amounted to over *** trillion U.S. dollars. This figure includes the direct, indirect, and induced impacts of these industries. Meanwhile, travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Europe reached nearly ** million that year.

In 2024, Germany was the leading inbound travel market in Greece based on the number of arrivals. That year, the number of arrivals by German travelers totaled *** million. The United Kingdom and Italy followed in the ranking in 2024, with around *** million and *** million arrivals, respectively. How many inbound tourists visit Greece? The number of inbound travelers in Greece grew by roughly ** percent in 2024 over the previous year, peaking at over ** million. As the number of international travelers reached the highest figure recorded by the country to date, the value of international travel receipts in Greece followed the same trend, exceeding ** billion euros in 2024. The importance of travel and tourism for the Greek's economy In 2023, travel and tourism represented almost ** percent of Greece's gross domestic product (GDP). That was the third-highest share of travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP among EU countries. When considering the total contribution of travel and tourism to employment in Greece, those markets supported, directly and indirectly, around ******* jobs that year.

Spain was the European country with the highest international tourism receipts in 2023. That year, inbound tourism receipts in Spain amounted to ** billion U.S. dollars, recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom and France followed in the ranking in 2023, with tourism receipts totaling around ** billion and ** billion U.S. dollars, respectively.

****************** was the main country of origin for international tourism in Spain in 2024. In that year, more than ** million ******* travelers headed South for a trip to Spain. Meanwhile, ****** ranked in second place that year, accounting for around ** million foreign visitors to Spanish territory.