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23 May 2017 08:11
Britons spent more on their overseas trips during March
Britons made a total of 4.6 million trips abroad during March, official data reveals, marking a 5% jump on the same month last year.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the amount they spent on their travels also climbed by 13% in year-on-year terms, reaching a level of £3 billion overall.
The total number of visits made overseas was also higher on a broader quarterly basis. The ONS said the total climbed by 3% over the opening three months of 2017 as a whole, again when compared to the corresponding period of last year. The body stated: "Split by area of visit, the largest increase was visits to 'other EU' countries (countries that joined the EU after January 2004), which rose 10%."
The importance of travel insurance
With more people venturing abroad, holidaymakers mustn't lose sight of the value of trusted travel insurance.
It can cover them should anything go awry during their trips, whether that involves travel disruption, lost luggage or even medical emergencies.
Inbound tourism
On the flip-side, the UK was also a popular hotspot for foreign travellers in March, the ONS data has highlighted.
During the month, overseas residents made a total of 2.9 million visits to the UK. That was up 11% on the March 2016 total. Similarly, the amount spent by foreign tourists in this country climbed by 14% to £1.5 billion.
In the opening quarter of 2017, the number of overseas visitors heading to these shores climbed by 18% for holidays.
Summer season approaches
The figures will provide a boost to travel companies as the busy summer holiday season approaches.
May to September is an important period for airlines, hotels and tourism businesses, and things will get particularly hectic in July once the schools break up for the summer holidays.
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