Britain’s visitor economy has finally returned to pre-2001 levels, according to figures unveiled today.
Based on available 2005 data, the value of Britain’s visitor economy is now estimated at £85 billion which, accounting for inflation, places it £600 million ahead of its worth in 2000.
The figure was released today to coincide with the launch of the first British Tourism Week, which is designed to highlight the contribution it makes to the economic strength.
VisitBritain chief executive Tom Wright said: “This new figure shows that British tourism is currently in good health and reflects the visitor economy’s recovery from the double whammy of the foot and mouth outbreaks and 9/11 in 2001.
“Subsequent years of slow growth were hit by Sars and the start of the second Gulf War, but a strong bounce back from 2004 was helped by the enlargement of Europe leading to strong growth form Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary and improved access to the UK from countries such as India.”
According to Visitbritain, Britons make over one billion tourism day trips and spend £44.3 billion in their own country. On average each trip lasted five hours.
But there has been a continuing downward drift in spending on overnight domestic trips, with Britons now taking 139 million overnight trips and spending £23 billion.
Today, British Tourism Week Patron, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, hosts a reception for 200 representatives of the tourism industry at the Tower of London.
MPs will be pledging their support at a signing ceremony at the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday and are due to gain a real understanding of tourism experiences and issues by going ‘back to the floor’ in their constituencies on Friday.
By Bev Fearis
