Destinations offering rural locations or outdoor activities appeal to particular groups of visitors as do those where it is possible to watch football or other live sport. Those visiting Britain on holiday are often particularly likely to include activities such as dining in restaurants, shopping and sightseeing our famous monuments and buildings. Each year, we sponsor specific questions in the International Passenger Survey (IPS) to find out how many visitors from overseas undertook particular activites whilst in Britain.
Visiting famous / iconic tourist attractions
| Activity asked about |
Number of visits that involved activity (000) |
% of all visits |
Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|
| Sightseeing famous monuments/buildings |
11,238 |
35% |
£6,590 |
| Going on a guided tour |
6,072 |
15% |
£5,240 |
| Zoo, aquarium or other wildlife attractions |
1,313 |
4% |
£870 |
| Visiting literary, music, TV, film locations |
2,075 |
5% |
£1,750 |
Exploring history and heritage
| Activity asked about |
Number of visits that involved activity (000) |
% of all visits |
Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|
| Visiting castles or historic houses |
10,410 |
28% |
£8,000 |
| Visiting religious buildings |
7,674 |
20% |
£5,870 |
| Researching ancestry |
483 |
1% |
£360 |
Experiencing city life
| Activity asked about |
Number of visits that involved activity (000) |
% of all visits |
Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|
| Dining in restaurants |
19,399 |
61% |
£11,550 |
| Shopping |
20,985 |
54% |
£15,850 |
| Going to the pub |
16,355 |
42% |
£11,180 |
| Socialising with the locals |
12,368 |
32% |
£9,120 |
| Visiting parks or gardens |
11,873 |
32% |
£8,880 |
| Visiting museums or art galleries |
10,438 |
28% |
£8,130 |
| Going to bars and nightclubs |
4,894 |
12% |
£4,430 |
| Visiting a spa/beauty centre |
913 |
2% |
£1,440 |
Experiencing rural life and scenery
| Activity asked about |
Number of visits that involved activity (000) |
% of all visits |
Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|
| Going to countryside or villages |
4,996 |
13% |
£4,540 |
| Going to the coast or beaches |
3,797 |
10% |
£3,460 |
| Visiting a national park |
2,490 |
7% |
£2,430 |
Outdoor leisure pursuits
| Activity asked about |
Number of visits that involved activity (000) |
% of all visits |
Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|
| Walking in the countryside |
6,459 |
20% |
£3,900 |
| Going for a walk, hike or ramble |
5,935 |
17% |
£4,970 |
| Walking along the coast |
2,445 |
8% |
£1,970 |
| Playing golf |
354 |
1% |
£480 |
| Fishing |
115 |
<1% |
£140 |
Challenge and / or action
| Activity asked about |
Number of visits that involved activity (000) |
% of all visits |
Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|
| Studied English language |
1,080 |
3% |
£1,250 |
| Take part in sports activities |
707 |
2% |
£730 |
| Watersport (eg water-ski, speedboat, sailing) |
217 |
1% |
£170 |
| Played football |
105 |
<1% |
£180 |
| Went cycling/mountain biking |
57 |
<1% |
£60 |
Attending cultural / music / sports events
| Activity asked about |
Number of visits that involved activity (000) |
% of all visits |
Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|
| Theatre / musicals / opera / ballet |
3,316 |
9% |
£3,210 |
| Going to a live music event |
2,637 |
7% |
£2,610 |
| Going to a live sports event |
2,178 |
6% |
£2,030 |
| Attend a festival |
1,119 |
3% |
£1,160 |
| Going to a football match / attending a live football match |
800 |
2% |
£680 |
| Watch live rugby |
92 |
<1% |
£80 |
| Watch live horse racing |
68 |
<1% |
£80 |
| Watch live cricket |
45 |
<1% |
£80 |
| Watch live golf |
18 |
<1% |
£30 |
Available to download: our report on Activities in Britain’s nations and regions (PDF, 6.0MB) covers the profile of international visitors in different areas of Britain and the activities they do there.
Source: International Passenger Survey 2006-2017 *By those whose visit included the activity. Spend is not specifically whilst under-taking activity throughout visit to UK.
