UK Tourism Dips: Outbound By 8%; Inbound By 2%

The number of Britons taking overseas holidays in the first seven months of 2010 declined by 8 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Tour operators, Thomas Cook and TUI Travel, had 1.6m fewer people taking holidays abroad this year to July 2010 compared to the same period for 2009. 44,000 fewer people took overseas holidays in June and July compared with the same period in 2009.

Overall, trips to the UK for January-July fell by 2 per cent (6.66m). Passenger arrivals from the US fell sharply, down 10 percent in the second quarter year-on-year. Business trips to the UK rose 3 percent over the same period, but trips to see friends or relatives fell 7 percent.