Switzerland vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: International tourism, number of arrivals

Switzerland
11.82 million
in 2019
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
11.10 million
in 2020
Switzerland rank
21st
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
22nd

International tourism, number of arrivals over time

  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
10.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M199520072020

How they compare

Switzerland currently reports 11.82 million against 11.10 million in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a difference of 717,000.

That makes Switzerland's figure about 1.1 times United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's.

Across all 24 years both countries report, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been ahead every year.

Switzerland ranks 21st and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 22nd of 201 countries.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Switzerland United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
1990s 7.01 million 25.07 million 18.06 million United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2000s 7.68 million 28.37 million 20.69 million United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2010s 9.82 million 36.16 million 26.33 million United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher international tourism, number of arrivals, Switzerland or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Switzerland, at 11.82 million against 11.10 million in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as of 2019.
What is the difference in international tourism, number of arrivals between Switzerland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
717,000, with Switzerland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Switzerland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
24 years are reported by both, from 1995 to 2019.
How do Switzerland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for international tourism, number of arrivals?
Switzerland ranks 21st and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 22nd of 201 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism, published as International tourism, number of arrivals. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Switzerland vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: International tourism, number of arrivals. Statizoid, drawing on Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://private-sector.statizoid.com/compare/international-tourism-number-of-arrivals/switzerland/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
International tourism, number of arrivals
Source
Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
247 places, 5,775 data points, 1995–2020
Last refreshed

International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they have their usual residence, but outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members, is shown instead. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries. The data on inbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival.