Visitor numbers travelling to the UK have increased in the first few months of 2012.
The latest figures from the International Passenger Survey (IPS) have shown a healthy increase of 10 percent in the inbound visitor figure for April this year, compared to the same month in 2011, and a similar 10 percent increase in the amount spent by visitors to the UK during their trips.
In April the UK welcomed 2.9 million visitors, who spent £1.4 billion. Holiday visits increased by 5 percent, with 1.2 million April arrivals contributing to a total of 3.3 million holiday visits for the first four months of this year.
Patricia Yates, director of strategy and communications at VisitBritain, commented on the April IPS figures, saying, ‘The first few months of the year are traditionally a quiet period for visits to the UK, so to see a record month like this with an increase of 10 percent in both visits and spend is encouraging. Our £25 million GREAT image campaign has been running in key inbound markets around the world since February. That aims to entice a greater number of people to choose Britain for their next holiday and with the London 2012 Games on our horizons, we hope that these positive April figures are an early indication that our message is getting through. The only place to be in 2012 is here in the UK and the warmest of welcomes awaits international visitors coming here to join in all the wonderful celebrations that are taking place right across the country.’
