VisitBritain has published its inbound tourism forecast for 2025, indicating that international visits overall and visitor spending to the UK are set to grow compared to 2024, with varying rates of growth across major inbound markets.

Forecast Highlights:

• Total spending by international visitors is anticipated to reach £33.7 billion, marking a 7% increase from the previous year.
• A record 43.4 million visits are predicted, a 5% increase from the 41.2 million expected in 2024.

The United States remains the largest and most lucrative visitor market, with estimated spending up by 9% to £6.7 billion this year, accounting for nearly 20% of the UK’s inbound visitor expenditure.

Growth is also noted in European visits, although it varies by country, with China expected to return as the UK’s fifth most valuable visitor market, contributing approximately £1.6 billion to the economy.

Tourism Minister Chris Bryant stated: “The UK is one of the best places to visit in the world. We have an ambition to welcome 50 million international visitors a year by 2030.”

VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates noted that international visitors significantly contribute to the UK economy, and with ongoing strategies, tourism is likely to generate continued growth in future years.