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UK August visitor numbers continue summer trend
August visitor numbers to the UK were up on last year, continuing the trend from June and July.
The International Passenger Survey for August reported overseas visitors up five percent from the same month last year, to 2.73 million. Despite the increasing numbers, spending decreased by two percent, year-on-year, to £1.36 billion.
The British Tourist Authority reported that visitor numbers in August were buoyed particularly by traffic from Western Europe, up 11 percent from last year, and to a lesser extent by visitors from North America, also up, by eight percent.
A BTA statement attributed poor visitor spending in August to economic uncertainty over drops in the stock market and speculation over military action in Iraq, which it said was affecting the long-term recovery of longhaul markets in particular.
Figures released by BITOA for August report visitor numbers were still down from last year, but the discrepancy lies in the fact that the Passenger Survey includes visits from students and business travellers as well as leisure tourists.
BTA will announce its strategic plan for 2003 later this month, with details on initiatives for encouraging visitors to the UK.
Read our previous stories:
27-Sept-2002 August UK visitor numbers nearly at 2001 levels
24-Sep-02 Interview: BITOA chief executive Richard Tobias
10-Sep-02 Holidaymakers not afraid to fly
12-Aug-02 Visitor numbers show steady improvement, but still down on last year
28-June-02 UK visitor numbers slip back
27-May-02 BITOA figures show visitors trickling back
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