WIREDGOV

Visits to the UK from overseas show a trend of growth over the short-term and longer-term, according to data published yesterday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Estimates derived from the International Passenger Survey conducted by ONS are that the seasonally adjusted number of visits to the UK in the three months to May 2012 grew by 8 per cent compared with the previous three months.

Looking wider, in the first five months of 2012 the number of visits to the UK was 5 per cent higher than in the same period in 2011.  Overseas residents spent a total of £6.2 billion on visits to the UK compared with £5.9 billion in the first five months of 2011.

However, visits abroad by UK residents are down 1 per cent in 2012. Although business visits abroad and those to visit friends or relatives have both shown growth, holiday visits have fallen by 4 per cent, from 12.1 million in the first five months of 2011 to 11.6 million.

For the full Overseas Travel and Tourism report for May 2012, see the ONS website at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/ott/overseas-travel-and-tourism---monthly-release/may-2012/monthly-overseas-travel-and-tourism---may-2012.html

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