VisitBritain is predicting increased inbound tourism arrivals and visitor spending for 2025, showing that international visits overall and visitor spending to the UK are set to increase on 2024 levels.
It published the inbound tourism forecast for 2025 highlighting varying rates of growth from across its major inbound markets.
VisitBritain’s overall forecast for spending by international visitors in the UK in 2025 is £33.7 billion, up 7% on 2024.
It expects a record 43.4 million visits this year, up 5% on the estimated 41.2 million last year.
The US continues as the UK’s largest and most valuable visitor market.
Spending by Americans is forecast to be up 9% to a record £6.7 billion this year, meaning that almost £1 in every £5 of inbound visitor spending is by US visitors.
Visits and spending from Europe overall are also showing growth on 2024, although it varies.
While recovery from East Asia overall continues to lag, numbers are continuing to improve with China forecast to return as the UK’s fifth most valuable visitor market this year.
The China market is worth an estimated £1.6 billion to the economy.
VisitBritain’s analysis also considers tourism’s overall competitive position globally and the longer-term potential for growth.
If inbound tourism to the UK was to grow at the same pace as forecasts are currently indicating for Western Europe, the industry would be worth an additional £4.4 billion per year by 2030 to the UK economy.
Tourism Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “We have an ambition to welcome 50 million international visitors a year to the UK by 2030, and this positive forecast shows that we are well on our way to achieving this.”
VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates added: “International visitors spend tens of billions of pounds in the UK, so it is encouraging to see the steady increase forecast this year on 2024.”
“We also want more regional destinations across Britain to feel tourism’s economic benefits. Our recently launched global ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign is using the powerful draw of screen tourism to showcase our vibrant cities.”
The campaign rolled out internationally in late January, and is supported by a wider global advertising campaign, using films and TV shows to showcase regional locations.
A recent Showcase Britain event saw 120 top travel buyers take film and TV inspired educational visits across Britain, building product and destination knowledge to broaden travel itineraries to regional gateways.
