Quarterly inbound tourism visits UK 2021

The number of inbound visits to the United Kingdom declined sharply in 2020 and 2021 over the previous years due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In the fourth quarter of 2021, visits by international tourists in the UK totaled 3.6 million, rising substantially over the previous quarter but remaining way below pre-pandemic levels. Overall, data for 2021 mainly refer to air passengers since it was not possible to conduct passenger surveys at the Eurotunnel and UK ports. Figures from the port of Dover were included only from the third quarter of the year.

Number of inbound visits to the United Kingdom (UK) from 1st quarter 2015 to 4th quarter 2021 (in millions)

Characteristic	Number of visits in millions
Q4 2021**	3.6
Q3 2021**	2
Q2 2021**	0.35
Q1 2021**	0.25
Q4 2020*	1.39
Q3 2020*	2.32
Q2 2020*	0.4
Q1 2020	6.99
Q4 2019	10.3
Q3 2019	11.86
Q2 2019	10.36
Q1 2019	8.33
Q4 2018	9.68
Q3 2018	11.54
Q2 2018	10.52
Q1 2018	8.55
Q4 2017	9.32
Q3 2017	11.9
Q2 2017	11.01
Q1 2017	8.85
Q4 2016	9.9
Q3 2016	10.89
Q2 2016	10.14
Q1 2016	8.2
Q4 2015	8.75
Q3 2015	10.51
Q2 2015	9.99
Q1 2015	7.54

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Release date

June 2022

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Region

United Kingdom

Survey time period

Q1 2015 to Q4 2021

Supplementary notes

*The source specifies that the International Passenger Survey (IPS) was suspended on March 16, 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Thus, 2020 figures are based on administrative sources and modeling, except for Q1 2020 data that is based on the IPS. Please find here additional information related to the methodology.

**The source adds the following: "During the first half of 2021 (January to June 2021), the IPS survey was operational at UK airports only. In ordinary times surveying would also be conducted at UK tunnel terminals (Eurostar and Eurotunnel) as well as some UK sea ports (e.g. Dover), but this was not possible during this period". Dover traffic was only included from the third quarter of the year.

Figures have been rounded.

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