UK tourists spent GBP 5.8 billion (USD 7.51 billion) on visits overseas in September. This was revealed by the latest official statistics from Office for National Statistics. The total was up by 10% on the same month last year as an estimated 7.8 million headed abroad – a rise of 2%.
The peak July to September summer period saw visits abroad edge up by 1% to 24.4 million over the same quarter in 2018. However, spending by UK residents on overseas trips in the period rose by 7% to GBP 17.6 billion (USD 22.78 billion).
There were 2.9 million visits to countries outside North America and Europe over this three-month period, an increase of 3%. But trips to North America fell by 3% to 1.2 million visits while visits to European countries remained similar to the previous year at 20.2 million.
The number of holiday visits increased by 1% to 17.3 million, business trips fell by 9% to 1.4 million, while travel to friends and relatives decreased by 1% to 5.2 million.
