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VisitBritain inbound figures reveal record visitor numbers for 2017


By Samantha Mayling


Record inbound numbers last year reveal strong growth from a wide range of overseas visitor markets including China, Australia, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), India and the US.


Overall, 2017 was a record-


breaker for overseas visits to the UK and for the amount visitors spent across the country. There were 39.2 million


inbound visits to the UK in 2017, up 4%, with visitors spending £24.5 billion, up 9%. VisitBritain figures show


double-digit growth in visits and spend last year from China – the world’s most valuable outbound market. Visits were up 29% on 2016 to a record 337,000, with spending of £694 million, up 35%.


We are


working hard to sustain


this excellent growth


Tourism minister Michael Ellis Visits from the US – the UK’s


most valuable market for tourism spend – grew 13% to 3.9 million in 2017, the highest since 2000. Visitors from the US spent a record £3.6 billion, up 9%. Records were set for visits and spend from the GCC and India.


ExploreGB heads to Harrogate in 2019


VisitBritain’s flagship annual travel trade event ExploreGB will be held in Harrogate’s convention centre next year (May 8-10). It is the tourism agency’s largest


travel trade event with hundreds of international buyers from across the world meeting travel trade suppliers from the UK. Delegates from the UK’s largest


inbound visitor markets including Australia, France, Germany and the US are expected to attend, and from its high-spending markets including China, Brazil, Canada, India and the Gulf Co-operation Council markets. Sally Balcombe, VisitBritain chief executive, said: “From its


There were 562,000 visits


from India, up 35%, with visitors spending a record £454 million. There were a record 812,000 inbound visits from the GCC in 2017, up 5%, with spend up 55% to a record £2.2 billion. There were 1.1 million visits


from Australia in 2017, up 11%, with spending of £1.2 billion, up 13%. Tourism minister Michael Ellis


said: “Britain’s tourism industry is booming. Last year was another record-breaker and we welcomed more people than ever from important markets including China, India and the Gulf states. “We are working hard to


sustain this excellent growth and encourage international visitors to travel around the UK, ensuring that more communities can benefit.” There were a record


25.6 million visits from the European Union in 2017, with visitors spending £10 billion.


8


UKinbound’s Business Barometer results show Brexit uncertainty is dampening confidence in the inbound trade. The survey of members


world-renowned reputation as a spa destination to its location in the heart of north Yorkshire’s breath- taking countryside, Harrogate is a fantastic destination to showcase the quality of our tourism offer, the diversity of experiences across the north, and a great base for our international buyers to begin their post-event tours across Britain.” Sir Gary Verity, Welcome to


Yorkshire chief executive, added: “It is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Harrogate and the whole county to travel buyers


from across the globe.” visitbritain.org


travelgbi.com


is based on feedback about business performance in May and June 2018. Almost three quarters (72%)


said bookings/visitor numbers/ customer orders were the same or higher, year-on-year. For those that were higher,


orders had increased by an average of 27%. Business confidence regarding


the forthcoming 12 months remained low at 47%, slightly up on March/April figures. However, confidence


has steadily declined since


FIND OUT MORE visitbritain.org/2017-snapshot


UKinbound says Brexit denting confidence of its membership


September/October 2017, when it stood at 60%. A UKinbound spokesperson


said: “It’s unfortunate but not surprising that confidence in our industry remains low. The implications of Brexit and resulting uncertainty continues to cause challenges for members. “It is positive, however, to see


that yield, alongside bookings/ visitor numbers/customer orders, is holding and growing, but the industry needs answers from government about the UK’s relationship with the EU post- Brexit in order to safeguard the long-term growth and success of the UK’s inbound tourism industry.”


ukinbound.org September 2018 | TravelGBI 5


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©Shutterstock


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