A November record of 3.1 million visits to the UK was reached in 2016, up 17% year on year.
Visitors spent £1.7 billion, up 14% and another record for the month, figures from the Office for National Statistics show. The ONS also revealed that the January to November period saw 34.5 million visits, up 3% on the same period in 2015, with visitors spending £20.4 billion, up 1%.
The statistics confirm strong growth in November from North America, with 300,000 visits, up 28% compared to November 2015, which may confirm that the weaker pound is having an effect. The total brings visits from North America for the January - November period to four million, up 6% on 2015. In the same period, there were 23.3 million visits from the EU, up 4%.
Tourism Minister Tracey Crouch said: "Our tourism industry is booming as Britain cements its reputation as one of the world’s must-visit destinations. I am particularly pleased that there are an increasing number of visits from important markets like the US, with tourism making a significant contribution to our economy. We are committed to helping the sector grow even further, so the benefits are spread far and wide across the country."
VisitBritain chief executive Sally Balcombe said: “These figures demonstrate our tourism industry’s crucial role in showing that our nation is welcoming and open for business, and its increasing importance as a driver of economic growth.”
VisitBritain’s forecast for 2017 predicts that overall inbound tourism growth is set to continue with 38.1 million visits, up 4% on 2016, which is likely to finish with 36.7 million visits.
Spending by overseas visitors is predicted to reach £24.1 billion in 2017, an 8% increase on last year, which is expected to finish at £22.3 billion. Latest flight data shows bookings to the UK are up 10% for the January to March period compared to last year.
