The number of Britons travelling abroad during the peak summer months dropped by three per cent to 14.6 million this year, new statistics show.
The associated spending was down by four per cent to £7.5 billion in the June to August period, according to figures released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The non-seasonally adjusted figures for the 12 months to August 2009 show that visits were down by 13% from 70.8 to 61.4 million when compared with a year earlier.
Trips to Europe were down by 13% from 56 million to 48.6 million and those to North America decreased by 22% from 4.8 million to 3.7 million.
Visits to other parts of the world dropped by 10% from 10.1 million to 9.0 million.
However, visits to the UK by overseas travellers rose by three per cent to 7.7 million during June to August against the previous three months although they were 10% lower for the 12 months to August from 33.2 million to 29.9 million – a drop of 3.3 million compared with a year earlier.
Associated spending by overseas residents on visits to the UK increased by one per cent in the three months to £4.1 billion.
Visits from residents of Europe decreased by nine per cent from 24.4 million to 22.2 million. Visits from North America decreased by 18 per cent from 4.2 million to 3.4 million, and those from other parts of the world were down by nine per cent from 4.6 million to 4.2 million.
by Phil Davies
