ONS figures show UK tourism deficit was £13.8 billion in 2012 (cf. £13.7bn in 2011 and £14.9bn in 2010)
The ONS reports that during 2012, UK residents made an estimated 56.6 million visits abroad, unchanged from 2011. Holiday visits fell 2% while those for business rose 2% and to visit friends or relatives rose 3%. Visits to Europe were broadly the same as 2011 but those to longer haul destinations were down (by 5% to North America and 2% to ‘other countries’). UK residents spent £32.6 billion on visits abroad in 2012, an increase of 3% from 2011. By comparison, during 2012, overseas residents made an estimated 31.1 million visits to the UK, which is 1% more than in 2011. Holiday visits by oveseas residents remained broadly the same, whereas visits for business and to visit friends or relatives both rose by 2%. Earnings from visits to the UK in 2012 year to date were £18.7 billion, 4% higher than in 2011. So UK residents spent £32.6 billion abroad, cf. £18.7 billion spent by overseas visitors here – giving a tourism deficit of some £13.8 billion for 2012. The deficit was £13.7 in 2011 and £14.9 in 2010. link (The majority of these visits, but not all, are made by air – so the deficit from air travel was about £11.3 billion in 2012 and £11.2 billion in 2011).
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The ONS figures for 2012 are at Overseas Travel and Tourism, December 2012
The ONS figures for 2011 are at Overseas Travel and Tourism, December 2011
A year earlier, in the ONS Overseas Travel and Tourism figures for all of 2011 ( see ONS report ) they said (Page 5):
During the 12 months ending December 2011, not seasonally adjusted, overseas earnings increased 5% to £17.8 billion, and expenditure by UK residents decreased 2% to £31.1 billion. This resulted in a deficit to the UK of £13.3 billion compared with £14.9 billion during the same period to December 2010. [And now a deficit of £13.9 billion for 2012].
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The total number of visits abroad by UK residents, not seasonally adjusted, increased 1% during the 12 months ending in December 2011 compared with a year earlier (to 56.1 million). And : The total number of visits to the UK by overseas residents, not seasonally adjusted, increased by 3% during the 12 months ending in December 2011 compared with a year earlier (from 29.8 to 30.6 million).
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Full ONS report on Overseas Travel and Tourism Dec 2012 (13 pages)
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Key points from the ONS Overseas Travel and Tourism, December 2012 report
- Overseas residents made 31.1 million visits to the UK in 2012, 1% more than in 2011. They spent £18.7 billion on these visits, an increase of 4%.
- The rise in visits occurred primarily at the start and end of the year, whereas visit numbers during the summer were lower than in 2011.
- UK residents made 56.6 million visits abroad in 2012, unchanged from 2011. They spent £32.6 billion on these visits, an increase of 3%. The deficit to the UK associated with spending on overseas travel and tourism grew from £13.7 billion to £13.8 billion.
- The number of visits to Europe was unchanged in 2012 whereas those to longer haul destinations of North America and ‘other countries’ fell by 5% and 2% respectively.
- Overall, international visits for business and to see friends or relatives rose in 2012. Holiday visits to the UK were unchanged from a year earlier and those abroad fell 2%.
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Trends in visits to the UK by Overseas Residents (Reference tables 1,2,5)
• The number of visits to the UK by overseas residents in December 2012 was 2.4 million, 12% higher than the number in December 2011.
• Earnings from these visits were £1.5 billion, up 15% from December 2011.
• During the period October to December 2012, overseas residents made 5% more visits to the UK than in the corresponding period in 2011 but they spent 1% less on these visits.
• During 2012, overseas residents made an estimated 31.1 million visits to the UK, this is 1% higher than in 2011. Holiday visits remained broadly the same, whereas visits for business and to visit friends or relatives both rose by 2%.
• Visits from residents of North America increased by 2% in 2012. Visits from EU15 countries fell 1% while those from A12 countries rose 10%. (See ‘Reference Tables Definitions’ for geographical area definitions).
• Earnings from visits to the UK in 2012 year to date were £18.7 billion, 4% higher than in 2011.
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Trends in visits abroad by UK Residents (Reference tables 3,4,5)
• The estimated number of visits abroad by UK residents in December 2012 was 3.1 million, 1% lower than in the same month in 2011.
• UK residents spent £1.7 billion on these visits, 4% less than in December 2011.
• During the period October to December, UK residents made 1% fewer visits abroad than in the corresponding period in 2011, and spent 1% less on these visits.
• During 2012 year to date, UK residents made an estimated 56.6 million visits abroad, unchanged from 2011. Holiday visits fell 2% while those for business rose 2% and to visit friends or relatives rose 3%.
• Visits to Europe were broadly the same as 2011 but those to longer haul destinations were down (by 5% to North America and 2% to ‘other countries’).
• UK residents have spent £32.6 billion on visits abroad in 2012, an increase of 3% from 2011.
Full ONS report on Overseas Travel and Tourism Dec 2012 (13 pages)
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More information about the UK’s Tourism deficit in previous years:
Growth in cheap holiday flights takes money out of the UK economy
Below are recent Tourism Deficit figures from the ONS, from their Overseas Travel and Tourism reports.
2004 £17.2 billion
2005 £ 17.9 billion
2007 £19.05 billion
2008 £20.52 billion
2009 £15.10 billion
2010 £14.21 billion link (but ONS says £14.9 billion – link Page 5)