Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics should bring some early festive cheer for the travel industry.
The ONS has reported that from July to the end of September this year, the number of Brits taking business visits abroad has risen by 6% compared to the same period the year before.
The number of business visits to the UK has also increased by 6%.
On the leisure side, the number of holiday visits to the UK has also risen by 6%, but the number of Brits going on holiday abroad has fallen by 3%.
However, the rate of decline is much slower than in the months before.
During the 12 months to October, the number of visits by overseas residents to the UK remained broadly the same when compared with the 12 months to October 2009, although visits abroad by UK residents fell by 8% over the same period.
Comparing the same periods, visits to the UK by residents of Europe remained broadly the same at 22 million while those from North America fell by 5% to 3.3 million.
Visits from other parts of the world increased by 2% to 4.3 million.
Meanwhile, visits by UK residents to Europe fell by 8% to 43 million, while those to North America fell by 9% to 3.4 million. Visits to other parts of the world fell by 2% to 8.9 million.
Roger Smith, head of the International Passenger Survey for the ONS, said: “It does appear that there are signs that the large falls we have seen in the recent past have begun to stabilise and show some signs of recovery.
“Business visits in both directions have picked up recently. October saw a small rise in holiday visits both to and from the UK compared with the same months a year earlier.”
By Bev Fearis
