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UK tourism statistics
37.9 million people came over for a pint and pie 2018
Last updated:
From the rolling countryside to Buckingham Palace, there’s plenty to see and do in the UK, so it’s no surprise that the UK made it into the top 10 for most international tourist arrivals in 2018.
The most popular city to visit in the UK, London, beats every other city, with at least eight times the number of visitors. Within London, the biggest attractions are museums and galleries like the Tate Modern, the British Museum and the National Gallery, so it’s no wonder that international visitors have described the UK as “educational” first and foremost.
If you’re planning on visiting the UK, check out our guides on how best to cover yourself while exploring the country.
Quick facts
- The most international visitors to the UK in one year was 39.2 million in 2017.
- Last year, US visitors were the largest group to visit the UK with 3.9 million visitors.
- International visitors described a potential trip to the UK as educational above anything else.
The number of overseas visitors to the UK
During the 16-year period from 2002 to 2018, the number of people visiting the UK has gradually changed. The highest number of visitors to the UK in one year was 39.2 million in 2017, meaning the number of visitors was almost two-thirds of the whole population of the UK.
| Years | Number of visits |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 24.2 |
| 2003 | 24.7 |
| 2004 | 27.8 |
| 2005 | 30.0 |
| 2006 | 32.7 |
| 2007 | 32.8 |
| 2008 | 31.9 |
| 2009 | 29.9 |
| 2010 | 29.8 |
| 2011 | 30.8 |
| 2012 | 31.1 |
| 2013 | 32.7 |
| 2014 | 34.4 |
| 2015 | 36.1 |
| 2016 | 37.6 |
| 2017 | 39.2 |
| 2018 | 37.9 |
The number of visits increased in 2007 to 32.8 million before decreasing to a low of 29.8 million in 2010. Following this, the number of visits increased every year by an average of 1.3 million visitors until 2017.
The top tourists by numbers and spending
Tourists from the United States have contributed the most to the UK’s travel market, both by number of visitors and amount spent while visiting. In 2018, 3.9 million American tourists visited the UK and spent a collective £3.4 billion.
Top tourists to the UK by number of visitors
| Country | Number of visits |
|---|---|
| United States | 3.9mill |
| France | 3.7mill |
| Germany | 3.3mill |
| Republic of Ireland | 2.8mill |
| Spain | 2.5mill |
| Netherlands | 2mill |
| Poland | 1.8mill |
| Italy | 1.8mill |
| Belgium | 1.1mill |
| Australia | 1mill |
| Romania | 0.99mill |
| Canada | 0.85mill |
| Sweden | 0.83mill |
Top tourists by spending
| Country | Spending |
|---|---|
| United States | £3.4bn |
| Germany | £1.5bn |
| France | £1.4bn |
| Spain | £1.1bn |
| Australia | £1.0bn |
| Republic of Ireland | £0.9bn |
| Italy | £0.78bn |
| Netherlands | £0.72bn |
| Canada | £0.68bn |
| China (excluding Hong Kong) | £0.66bn |
Closely following the United States, France had 3.7 million people visit the UK in 2018. The third-largest number of visitors is 3.3 million from Germany. Despite there being more French tourists than German, German tourists spent £1.5 billion compared to £1.4 billion spent by French tourists. The amount spent by US tourists is the greatest and is almost double (2.3x) the next-largest amount. As they are coming from outside of Europe, it’s likely that US visitors are spending more time and money in the UK.
The most popular cities to visit in the UK
It comes as no surprise that London is the most popular city for international visitors to the UK.
| City | Number of visits |
|---|---|
| London | 19.0 |
| Edinburgh | 2.40 |
| Manchester | 1.40 |
| Birmingham | 1.10 |
| Glasgow | 0.84 |
| Liverpool | 0.80 |
| Bristol | 0.60 |
| Cambridge | 0.55 |
| Oxford | 0.53 |
| Brighton and Hove | 0.46 |
| Bath | 0.35 |
| Leeds | 0.34 |
| Cardiff | 0.34 |
| Inverness | 0.31 |
| York | 0.28 |
London had almost eight times the number of visitors in 2018 than the next most visited city, Edinburgh. Following the Scottish capital, other large cities like Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow were the next most popular destinations to visit. These three cities had an average of 1.1 million visitors each.
The most popular attractions in London
The sizes of the names below represent how many visits each attraction had in 2018, with the Tate Modern being the most popular attraction.
| Attraction | Number of visitors |
|---|---|
| Tate Modern | 5,900,000 |
| British Museum | 5,800,000 |
| The National Gallery | 5,700,000 |
| Natural History Museum | 5,200,000 |
| Southbank Centre | 4,500,000 |
| V&A Museum | 4,000,000 |
| Science Museum | 3,200,000 |
| Somerset House | 3,100,000 |
| Tower of London | 2,900,000 |
| Royal Museums Greenwich | 2,500,000 |
| Kew Gardens | 1,900,000 |
With 5.9 million visitors in 2018, the Tate Modern is the most popular attraction in London. Following closely is the British Museum with 5.8 million visitors and the National Gallery with 5.7 million visitors. With the top seven attractions in London being museums and galleries, it’s clear that visitors are keen to learn while in the UK’s most popular city.
Cultural products associated with the UK
With almost half (47%) of all respondents voting that they associate the UK with museums, and with museums also being the most popular type of attraction in London, it’s likely that international visitors would treat a visit to the UK as an educational trip.
| Cultural products | Share of respondents |
|---|---|
| Museums | 47% |
| Music | 39% |
| Films | 39% |
| Sports | 37% |
| Modern design | 30% |
| Pop videos | 29% |
| Opera | 25% |
| Sculpture | 25% |
| Street carnival | 15% |
| Circus | 13% |
Following museums, an average of 38% of respondents considered music, films and sport to be closely associated with the UK.
Sources
Office for National Statistics
VisitBritain
VisitBritain
Click here for more research. For all media enquiries, please contact:
Matt Mckenna
UK communications manager
T: +44 20 8191 8806
UK communications manager
T: +44 20 8191 8806
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