How Many People Visit the UK Per Year? [With the Latest Prediction]
The UK was the 7th most visited country in the world as of 2022, according to Statista. The country’s tourism sector is still recovering from the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic but is expected to bounce completely back in the coming years.
This article focuses on the number of people visiting the UK annually and a few predictions on developing the country’s tourism sector. Read on to find out.
Key Statistics
- The UK experienced a drastic decline in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, with numbers plunging in 2020 and 2021. However, arrivals significantly recovered in 2022, reaching 31.2 million visitors.
- Domestic holiday trips were below pre-pandemic levels 2022, but overnight trips to visit family and friends surpassed pre-pandemic numbers.
- The United States leads in terms of the number of visitors to the UK, with a slight increase from 2019 to 2022.
- The average length of stay for visitors to the UK rose to 14.6 nights in 2021 due to lockdown easing but returned to an average of 8.4 nights in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
- VisitBritain forecasts a positive trajectory, expecting inbound tourism to reach 39.5 million visits in 2024, close to 97% of 2019.
The Number of People Visiting the UK Every Year
The UK had a record high of 41 million visitors in 2017, followed by nearly consistent numbers until 2019. Like any country, the UK’s tourism sector was also gravely affected by the global pandemic as the number of arrivals deeply plummeted in 2020 and 2021.
The table below shows the number of visitors in the UK from 2015 to 2022 and the percentage changes for each following year.
| Year | Number of Visitors (millions) | Percentage difference from the previous year |
| 2023 | *37.50 | 16.8% |
| 2022 | 31.20 | 388.7% |
| 2021 | 6.29 | -43.3% |
| 2020 | 11.10 | -72.8% |
| 2019 | 40.86 | 1.4% |
| 2018 | 40.28 | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 41.08 | 4.8% |
| 2016 | 39.13 | 6% |
| 2015 | 36.79 | - |
The number of visitors in the UK significantly recovered by the end of 2022 due to the easing of lockdown restrictions, reaching 31.2 million from 6.59 million in 2021. Also, visitors to the UK are forecast to reach 37.5 million in 2023*, which is 92% of the pre-pandemic numbers (2019).
Domestic holiday trips in the UK show slightly the same picture, reaching 43 million in 2022. This is below the 2018 and 2019 numbers, around 60 million. However, domestic overnight trips to visit family and friends surpassed the pre-pandemic numbers, with 44.7 million in 2022.
The following sections discuss the nationalities who visit the UK the most, the average time visitors stay, and the most visited sites in the country.
Top Countries/Nationalities Visiting the UK
The United States is the UK’s leading market in terms of visitors, reaching 4.6 million in 2022, followed by France and the Republic of Ireland
| Country | Number of Visitors (in thousands) | Visa Agreement | |
| 2019 | 2022 | ||
| United States | 4,499 | 4,587 | No visa |
| France | 3,561 | 2,830 | No visa |
| Republic of Ireland | 2,851 | 2,509 | No visa |
| Germany | 3,233 | 2,233 | No visa |
| Spain | 2,319 | 2,012 | No visa |
| Netherlands | 1,987 | 1,632 | No visa |
| Poland | 1,651 | 1,345 | No visa |
| Italy | 2,197 | 1,313 | No visa |
| Canada | 874 | 897 | No visa |
| Switzerland | 926 | 862 | No visa |
| Australia | 1.06 | 723 | No visa |
| Belgium | 1135 | 679 | No visa |
| Romania | 902 | 634 | No visa |
| Sweden | 789 | 630 | No visa |
| Denmark | 691 | 566 | No visa |
Out of the top 15 countries most visited in the UK, only the United States and Canada have surpassed their pre-pandemic numbers – the US with 4.6 million in 2022 from 4.5 million in 2019 and Canada with 897,000 in 2022 from 874,000 in 2019.
It must also be noted that all leading UK markets for inbound tourism have a visa-free agreement with the country, contributing to their bigger turnouts compared to other nationalities.
Usual Time Spent Touring Around the UK
The number of days visitors stay in the UK soared to 14.6 nights in 2021 – probably due to the easing of lockdown restrictions. It went back down to normal duration in 2022, which was an average of 8.4 nights. The 2022 record exceeded the pre-pandemic levels, with an average of 7.1 nights in 2019.
On the other hand, the length of overnight stays for domestic travellers in the UK also showed a slight decrease in 2022 compared to the previous year. Resident tourists spent an average of 3.77 nights in 2022, while data from April to December 2021 showed an average of 3.86 nights.
The next section covers the most popular places for visitors in the UK – from the most visited towns to the top attractions.
Popular Tourist Spots in the UK
London remains the undisputed favourite of overseas visitors. In 2022, London recorded 16.1 million overnight visits, more than the sum of the top 10 most visited towns/cities in the UK. However, this number is still far less than the 2019 visitors in the city, which was 21.7 million.
| City | Number of Visitors (in thousands) |
| London | 16,100 |
| Edinburgh | 1,796 |
| Manchester | 1,230 |
| Birmingham | 803 |
| Liverpool | 680 |
| Glasgow | 618 |
| Bristol | 455 |
| Cambridge | 440 |
| Oxford | 425 |
| Brighton/Hove | 339 |
As of 2022, the most popular attraction in the UK is Windsor Great Park, followed by the Natural History Museum and the British Museum. Due to their accessibility, free attractions dominated the most popular sites in the UK, as shown in the table below.
| Attraction | Number of Visitors by Year (in thousands) | Free or Paid | |||
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||
| Windsor Great Park | N/A | 5,870 | 5,400 | 5,637 | Free |
| Natural History Museum | 5,424 | 1,297 | 1,571 | 4,655 | Free |
| British Museum | 6,240 | 1,275 | 1,327 | 4,097 | Free |
| Tate Modern | 6,098 | 1,432 | 1,156 | 3,883 | Free |
| Southbank Centre | 4,360 | 680 | 787 | 2,947 | Free |
| The National Gallery | 6,011 | 1,197 | 709 | 2,727 | Free |
| Victoria and Albert Museum | 3,992 | 872 | 858 | 2,370 | Free |
| Somerset House | 2,842 | 724 | 985 | 2,347 | Free |
| Science Museum | 3,302 | 862 | 956 | 2,335 | Free |
| Tower of London | 2,984 | 448 | 526 | 2,020 | Paid |
| National Museum of Scotland | 2,210 | 444 | 661 | 1,974 | Free |
| Royal Botanic Gardens | 2,317 | 1,223 | 1,963 | 1,964 | Paid |
| Royal Museums (Greenwich) | 2,906 | 111 | 686 | 1,629 | Free |
Visitors to the most popular sites in the UK have also not reached the pre-pandemic levels. The sum of the number of visitors for the top 14 attractions (excluding the Windsor Great Park) in 2022 covers only around 67% of the 2019 numbers.
Conclusion
Overall, the UK’s tourism sector has not completely recovered since the global, but the present numbers show optimistic predictions. VisitBritain forecasts that inbound tourism in the UK will reach 39.5 million visits in 2024, 97% of the 2019 level. No doubt, the UK has never lost its appeal.
FAQs on UK’s Tourism Statistics
Which country visits the UK the most?
US citizens visit the UK the most, recording 4.5 million American tourists in 2022.
Why is the UK famous for tourism?
The UK has a lot of historic buildings and landmarks that attract tourists from around the world. The country is also famous for its large museums with the most precious artifacts in their collections.
What is the rank of the UK in tourism?
The UK was ranked 7th in the world based on the number of international tourist arrivals in 2022, which was 31.2 million.
Sources:
- International tourist arrivals by country 2022 | Statista
- Travel trends - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)
- Domestic overnight trips in Great Britain 2022 | Statista
- OS visits to the UK: Thousands - SA - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)
- Inbound visits to the UK 2023 | Statista
- Top inbound travel markets in the UK by visits 2022 | Statista
- England UK Tourism Industry Stats & Data | VisitBritain.org
- Most visited attractions in the UK 2022 | Statista
- https://www.visitbritain.org/2024-inbound-tourism-forecast