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Some 3.6 million international tourists visited the UK in May, a 9% increase compared with the same month last year, according to new figures released today.
The International Passenger Survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for May found that visitors spent £1.9bn during these visits, representing an 8% increase on May last year.
In the three months to May 2015, visits to the UK by overseas residents rose by 6% and earnings to the UK have increased 5% compared to the same period earlier, and in the 12 months to May there were 62 million visits to the UK – 5% higher than a year earlier.
Mike Saul, head of hospitality and leisure at Barclays, said: “In a very competitive global travel market, these figures continue to underline the UK’s position as a world-class destination. With over 3.5 million overseas visitors spending £2bn here in May alone, Brand Britain continues to ring at the tills.”
Meanwhile, the estimated number of UK residents to have gone on holiday abroad stands at 6.1 million, spending £3.3bn during these visits.
