Overseas Travel And Tourism: October 2018 Provisional Results

23rd February 2019

Report from the Office For National Statistics.

Main points

There were 3.3 million visits to the UK by overseas residents in October 2018 (4% more than in October 2017).

Overseas residents spent £2.0 billion on visits to the UK in October 2018 (3% more than in October 2017).

UK residents made 6.5 million visits overseas in October 2018, the same as in October 2017.

UK residents spent £4.2 billion on visits overseas in October 2018 (11% more than in October 2017.

What are the main trends in visits and spending?

UK residents consistently make more visits abroad than foreign residents make to the UK. The total amount spent by UK residents during visits abroad is also higher than the total spent by foreign residents visiting the UK. The numbers of visits and the amounts spent vary through the year, with more in the summer. This is the case both for UK residents and overseas residents. However, UK residents show a much sharper peak both in visits and spend during the month of August which is traditionally the only complete month of the UK school summer holidays.

Overseas residents made an estimated 3.3 million visits to the UK in October 2018, which was 4% more than in October 2017. Overseas residents spent £2.0 billion on visits to the UK in October 2018, an increase of 3% compared with October 2017.

During the period August to October 2018 there were 10.2 million visits to the UK, which was similar to the corresponding period a year earlier. Spending in the UK by overseas residents decreased 9% on the previous year to £6.7 billion. Different trends were observed for different areas of the world: there was an increase of 16% in visits from North American residents to 1.4 million, while visits from European residents decreased 2% to 7 million and visits from residents of "other countries" (countries outside Europe and North America) decreased 6% to 1.8 million. Considering the reasons for visiting the UK, holiday visits increased by 3% to 4.3 million for this period, business visits increased 4% to 2.1 million and visits to friend and relatives decreased 6% to 3.1 million.

Trends in overseas visits by UK residents

There were an estimated 6.5 million visits overseas by UK residents in October 2018, which was the same number as in October 2017. UK residents spent £4.2 billion on visits overseas in October 2018, which was 11% more than in October 2017.

During the period August to October 2018 there were 23.5 million visits abroad by UK residents, which was the same as the corresponding period a year earlier. UK residents spent £15.8 billion on these visits, 4% more than in the same period of 2017. Split by area of visit, there were 1.5 million visits to North America, an increase of 6%, and 3.0 million visits to "other countries" (countries outside North America and Europe) an increase of 8%. There were 19 million visits to European countries, a decrease of 2% of the same period a year earlier. Considering the reasons for visits, holiday visits increased by 1% (to 16.4 million) from the same period the previous year and business visits increased by 10% (to 1.7 million). Conversely, visits to friends and relatives decreased by 5% (to 5.0 million).

Read the full report for many more tables and graphs and links to more data at - https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/bulletins/overseastravelandtourism/october2018provisionalresults