Dismal weather blamed for slump in tourists visiting Britain

Dismal weather blamed for slump in tourists visiting Britain

Last updated at 12:18pm on 14th September 2007 Comments

Britain's dismal mid-summer weather seems to have hit in-bound tourism, according to official visitor figures out today. The number of visits to the UK made by overseas' residents dipped from 3.53 million in July 2006 to 3.24 million in July 2007, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced.

The amount the foreign tourists spent during their trips to the UK fell from £1.92 billion in July 2006 to £1.79 billion in July 2007.

Despite the July figures, the number of foreign tourist visits to the UK for the first seven months of 2007 has risen one per cent to 18.56 million, with spending up one per cent to £8.76 billion.

While the July 2007 downpours may have deterred some overseas visitors, Britons appeared to have been happy to endure the monsoon-like conditions.

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Bournemouth Pier: The bad weather is being blamed for a drop in foreign tourists to this likes of Brighton (below)

For the ONS figures showed that the number of visits made overseas by UK residents dipped from 6.72 million in July 2006 to 6.56 million in July. Visits abroad for the first seven months of this year are down one per cent to 38.35 million.

However, those escaping the UK deluges spent more in July this year than in the same month last year, with UK visitors forking out £3.49 billion during foreign trips in July 2007 compared with £3.42 billion in July 2006.

Spending by UK residents during foreign trips in the first seven months of this year is four per cent up at £19.56 billion.