Grande Bretagne : 30.6 million overseas visitors came to the UK in 2011
As Britain turns attention to hosting the largest spectacle on earth this summer, VisitBritain has reported that 30.6 million overseas visitors came to the UK in 2011, a three per cent rise in overseas arrivals from 2010. The year sees a record number of holiday visitors and a record year in visitor spending.
With December's arrival figures up two per cent, 2011 finished on a high and show that it was a year of positive gains for British tourism, with an overall increase of 800,000 visitors across the year.
Visitors spent a record £17.8 billion while here, up five per cent on 2010 and pointing towards an average spend of £580 per visit and an increase of two per cent on the previous record. The increase in spend has been helped along by the pound being more favourable than it has been for many years, with exchange rates giving visitors excellent value for money.
2011 also saw a record number of holiday visits, with just under 12 million overseas residents choosing to come to Britain for a holiday and strengthening gains made in this market over the last few years. Growth in holiday arrivals across the year was particularly strong in the first three quarters of the year from countries that included Australia, USA, Italy, the Netherlands and Brazil.