A new report from VisitBritain, the national tourist agency, reveals the impact of inbound tourism on the different regions of Britain.

In 2016 the UK welcomed a record 37.6 million inbound visits, which was 4% more than in 2015. There was also a record £22.5 billion spent in the UK, up 2% on 2015. This latest report provides an insight into how these national results breaks down at the regional level.

According to the study, Scotland saw an increase in both visits and spend in 2016. The USA – Scotland’s largest and most valuable market – had a 31% increase in visits and a 71% rise in spend in the last three years.

Wales posted its fourth consecutive year of visits growth in 2016, up 11% over the previous year. Spending also rose a further 8% in 2016, compared to 2015, and set a new annual record of £444 million.

The North West of England saw visit numbers rise 6% to a record 2.6 million in 2016. The North West’s most valuable market – the USA – reported a huge 37% rise in spend in the last three years and Manchester was the most popular place in the North West between 2014 and 2016, welcoming 3.3 million visits.

2016 was the second consecutive year that the South East of England hosted more than 5 million international visits, and in the South West of England, inbound visitor spending jumped 27%. London welcomed 3% more visits in 2016 than it did in 2015 – a record 19.1 million visits.

“It’s interesting to see the latest figures for the spread of inbound tourism in Britain,” said Janet Redler, Chief Executive of Janet Redler Travel & Tourism. “Whilst almost all regions have shared in the record growth, London is still by far the most popular place for people to visit.

“In 2018, Janet Redler Travel & Tourism looks forward to welcoming more visitors than ever to Britain and to showing them the delights of our beautiful country far beyond the capital city.”

To find out more and to see the full report click here. The analysis comes from the International Passenger Survey (IPS) carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) during 2016.

If you or your group would like to enjoy a tailor-made tour to the UK and Ireland, please do contact our friendly team.