UK Sees Strong Growth in US Visitors

WHY IT RATES: More U.S. travelers are heading to the United Kingdom and they are increasing spending as well. —Janeen Christoff, TravelPulse Senior Writer

New figures released by VisitBritain show strong growth in visitor arrivals from the United States (U.S.) to the United Kingdom (U.K.) during the first six months of 2019.

There were 2 million visits from the U.S. to the U.K. between January and June this year, up 11 percent on the same period in 2018. U.S. travelers spent a record £1.8 billion during this period across the U.K., up 13 percent.

VisitBritain executive vice president–the Americas, Gavin Landry, said: “As Britain’s most valuable inbound market for spend and arrivals, we are thrilled to see the continued growth in numbers from the U.S. in the first half of this year. We are building on this growth, highlighting the iconic and unexpected experiences that can be found in Britain’s cities, countryside and coastal villages.

“The fall and winter are ideal times to visit Britain with a warm holiday spirit and visitors able to experience the charm of the festive season and beyond. Britain’s shops, accommodation and visitor attractions are also continuing to offer good value for U.S. visitors and we are promoting a message of value across our activity in the US to drive bookings. Also, with more direct airline routes and more daily flights from the US on offer, it really is a great time to book a trip right now.”

VisitBritain continues to drive awareness through its global campaign ‘I Travel For…’ aligning the passions that motivate people to travel with experiences that can only be had in Britain. The campaign looks to highlight unexpected experiences and less-explored destinations in Britain, together with its renowned landmarks and attractions to entice international visitors to book a trip right now.

British film releases in the US in 2019, including the recent “Downton Abbey” film, have continued to keep Britain top of mind for US travelers. In November, “Last Christmas” will arrive in cinemas providing a ‘love letter to London’ during the holidays and in spring 2020 the latest James Bond film “No Time To Die” is set for release.

The latest data from ForwardKeys shows that forward flight bookings from the US to the U.K. from October 2019 to March 2020 are tracking up 5 percent compared to the same period last year. Since May this year U.S. citizens can use ePassport gates, giving easier and faster entry into the U.K., boosting the country’s competitive tourism offer and its message of welcome.

In 2018 there were 3.9 million visits from the US to the UK. Visitors from the US spent £3.4 billion across the U.K. last year.

Tourism is worth £127 billion annually to the UK economy, creating jobs and boosting economic growth across the nations and regions.

SOURCE: VisitBritain press release.