Number Of Tourists To UK Falls

New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that despite the Olympics the number of visitors to the UK fell in August, but the amount they spent rose.

Overseas residents made three million visits to the UK in the month, down 5% from August 2011, according to the ONS.

It have been reasoned that this may be due to fears of overcrowding due to the Games and the unseasonally wet weather.

But the amount spent by visitors was up 9% on August 2011, however this includes their spending on Olympic tickets.

The Olympic Games ran from 27 July to 12 August while the Paralympics began on 29 August.

The ONS estimated that 590,000 people in July and August normally resident outside the UK had visited and attended at least one ticketed Olympic or Paralympic event, of whom 420,000 visited primarily for the games.

"Figures from previous Olympics show that it is normal for the host country to experience a dip in international visitors during the Games," said Gillian Edwards, spokesperson for the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta).

"We would expect a tourism boost from the Games to come in the next few years and it will be essential for the UK to continue to market itself at home and overseas to make the most of the opportunities that being a host nation has opened up."

(H)