UK set to host record number of inbound visitors

Travelers to the United Kingdom are expected to reach a record high in 2020, according to the country's national tourism agency, VisitBritain.

Spending by overseas visitors is also predicted to reach a historic peak of $34.9 billion in the coming year, up 6.6 percent from the $32.8 billion projected for 2019, the UK's official tourism agency says.

According to predictions, overseas visits to Britain are expected to rise 2.9 percent in 2020, reaching 39.7 million compared to the 38.5 million visits projected for 2019. The figure is also much higher than the 29.8 million overseas visits recorded in 2010, the agency observes.

"Tourism is one of the UK's most valuable export industries, and these results show our continued ability to attract international visitors in a fiercely competitive global market," VisitBritain director Patricia Yates says.

"We are seeing success in growing tourism from our long-haul, high-spending markets, including the US-our largest and most valuable inbound market-and from markets that are crucial for our future, such as China."

According to the air-travel analysis agency ForwardKeys, forward flight bookings to Britain from December 2019 to May 2020 are up 5 percent compared with the same period last year, with strong forward bookings from China and South Asia, which are up 33 percent and 22 percent, respectively.

Tourism boosts economic growth across Britain. "The industry is also a job creator. For every 22 inbound visits from China, for example, one job is created in Britain's tourism industry," the agency says.

Major events in 2020 include the Year of the Outdoors in Wales, promoting its 1,400-kilometer coastal path and 600 castles, and the opening of the Royal Horticultural Society's new garden-the largest of its kind in Europe-in Salford, Greater Manchester, during summer.

In September, the 400th anniversary of the epic voyage of the Mayflower from Plymouth to Massachusetts carrying the first American Pilgrims will be celebrated at 11 locations in England, involving festivals of light, food and culture.