The number of foreign tourists visiting London during the peak summer season grew to a new post-pandemic peak last but is still short of the record set in 2019, official figures show today.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said 5.415 million people arrived in the capital from abroad during the July to September quarter.
That figure is up sharply on the 4.87 million in summer 2022 but still well short of the 6.122 million high point 2019 immediately before Covid struck.
However, spending is at a new level with £4.688 billion spent in shops, hotels, restaurants and attractions, compared with £4.483 billion in summer 2019
The ONS figures will please tourism chiefs and raise hopes that a new record could be see this summer as more visitors return from countries such as China.
Joss Croft, CEO of UKinbound said: “Last year was a superb year of growth for the industry and at the moment we can confidently forecast that this trend will continue, which is very welcome news for tourism businesses up and down the country and the skilled people they employ.
“However, we are poised for a year of change with the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System and the European Entry/Exit system, all alongside a likely general election.
“We firmly have in our sight a range of policy changes, that if rolled out could further expediate the UK’s growth, from launching a new tax-free shopping scheme for international visitors to expanding the list of countries (in addition to France) that we allow students under the age of 18 from to use their ID Card, rather than a passport, to visit the UK.”
