Record February for UK tourism

A NEW February record has been set for the number of international visits to the UK, up eight percent on the same month last year, visitor spending up six percent.

The Office for National Statistics figures show that 2.25 million visits were made in February 2016 with visitors spending £1.08 billion. Strong growth was seen in business visits, 12 percent up on the same month last year, with 750,000 visits.

The figures come on the back of a record-breaking January for in-bound visits.

VisitBritain director Patricia Yates said: ‘These back-to-back record-breaking figures leave no doubt that 2016 is off to a cracking start for in-bound tourism as we continue, through our international marketing campaigns, to promote Britain.’

Last year set a record for in-bound tourism to Britain with 35.8 million visits, four percent up on 2014.

Tourism is Britain’s seventh largest export industry and third largest service sector.

In-bound tourism is worth more than £26 billion to the UK economy.

The industry is also a major job creator; every 22 additional Chinese visitors who come to Britain create one additional job in the sector.

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