International tourism, receipts for travel items in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: International tourism, receipts for travel items was 19.10 billion current US$ in 2020. ▲ Rising
International tourism, receipts for travel items in United Kingdom, 1995–2020
Source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2020, international tourism, receipts for travel items in United Kingdom stood at 19.10 billion current US$. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is down 63.6% on the previous year and down 45.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, international tourism, receipts for travel items in United Kingdom peaked at 52.66 billion current US$ in 2014 and was at its lowest, 19.10 billion current US$, in 2020.
United Kingdom ranks 6th of 191 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
International tourism, receipts for travel items in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 20.49 billion current US$ | — |
| 1996 | 21.39 billion current US$ | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 22.59 billion current US$ | +5.6% |
| 1998 | 23.69 billion current US$ | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 23.02 billion current US$ | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 22.51 billion current US$ | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 20.90 billion current US$ | -7.1% |
| 2002 | 22.65 billion current US$ | +8.4% |
| 2003 | 24.96 billion current US$ | +10.2% |
| 2004 | 30.76 billion current US$ | +23.2% |
| 2005 | 32.78 billion current US$ | +6.6% |
| 2006 | 38.35 billion current US$ | +17.0% |
| 2007 | 43.05 billion current US$ | +12.2% |
| 2008 | 39.33 billion current US$ | -8.6% |
| 2009 | 33.48 billion current US$ | -14.9% |
| 2010 | 35.17 billion current US$ | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 39.07 billion current US$ | +11.1% |
| 2012 | 41.19 billion current US$ | +5.4% |
| 2013 | 46.58 billion current US$ | +13.1% |
| 2014 | 52.66 billion current US$ | +13.0% |
| 2015 | 51.95 billion current US$ | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 48.76 billion current US$ | -6.1% |
| 2017 | 48.19 billion current US$ | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 49.94 billion current US$ | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 52.53 billion current US$ | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 19.10 billion current US$ | -63.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.23 billion current US$ | 20.49 billion current US$ | 23.69 billion current US$ | 5 |
| 2000s | 30.88 billion current US$ | 20.90 billion current US$ | 43.05 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.60 billion current US$ | 35.17 billion current US$ | 52.66 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.10 billion current US$ | 19.10 billion current US$ | 19.10 billion current US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More private sector data for United Kingdom
- Merchandise trade 37.6% (2025)
- Food imports 9.8% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 56.7% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 948.64 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 6.7% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 59.3% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 555.83 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 7,999 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1389 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 6.02 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is international tourism, receipts for travel items in United Kingdom?
- International tourism, receipts for travel items in United Kingdom was 19.10 billion current US$ in 2020, according to Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism.
- What is the highest international tourism, receipts for travel items recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 52.66 billion current US$ in 2014.
- What is the lowest international tourism, receipts for travel items recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.10 billion current US$ in 2020.
- How does United Kingdom rank for international tourism, receipts for travel items?
- United Kingdom ranks 6th out of 191 countries with data for 2020.
- Is international tourism, receipts for travel items rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism, published as part of International tourism, receipts for travel items (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
International tourism receipts for travel items are expenditures by international inbound visitors in the reporting economy. The goods and services are purchased by, or on behalf of, the traveler or provided, without a quid pro quo, for the traveler to use or give away. These receipts should include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except in cases where these are so important as to justify a separate classification. Excluded is the international carriage of travelers, which is covered in passenger travel items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.