Official figures show sharp decline in overseas travel

The number of overseas visits by UK residents fell by 12% to 63 million in the 12 months to July, compared to the previous year.

According to figures released today by the Office for National Statistics, visits to Europe decreased by 12% to 49.6 million, while visits to North America fell 19%to 3.9 million.

Visits to other parts of the world dropped 9% to 9.1 million.

Meanwhile, the number of visits to the UK fell 9% in the last 12 months compared with a year earlier.

Visits from residents of Europe dropped 6% to 22.7 million, while visits from North America fell 21% to 3.4 million.

Visits from other parts of the world fell 11% to 4.2 million.

But there are signs of a slight improvement, as during May to July 2009 the seasonally adjusted number of visits by overseas residents to the UK increased 2% to 7.7 million when compared with the previous three months.

Associated spending by overseas residents on visits to the UK fell slightly by 3% to £4.0 billion. Report by Bev Fearis Travel Mole website.

Published: 17.9.2009