The combined number of tourist visits to London, including trips by overseas and domestic visitors, nearly halved in 2021 compared to 2019 due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The sharp drop in total visits was mainly driven by the significant decrease in inbound arrivals, totaling roughly 2.7 million in 2021. On the other hand, as the travel restrictions enforced during the health crisis disrupted international tourism more than domestic travel, overnight trips to London by British residents bounced back in 2021. That year, domestic trips accounted for around 84 percent of tourist visits to the UK's capital.
Number of tourist visits to London, United Kingdom (UK) in 2019 and 2021, by type of tourist
¹ Domestic tourist visits for 2021 only refer to the period from April to December. Due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020 data is missing.
Figures have been calculated by Statista based on data on the overnight inbound visits published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and domestic overnight trips by residents of Great Britain published by VisitBritain.
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Statista. (October 27, 2022). Number of tourist visits to London, United Kingdom (UK) in 2019 and 2021, by type of tourist [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 07, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/487558/visit-sources-london-united-kingdom/
Statista. "Number of tourist visits to London, United Kingdom (UK) in 2019 and 2021, by type of tourist." Chart. October 27, 2022. Statista. Accessed October 07, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/487558/visit-sources-london-united-kingdom/
Statista. (2022). Number of tourist visits to London, United Kingdom (UK) in 2019 and 2021, by type of tourist. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 07, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/487558/visit-sources-london-united-kingdom/
Statista. "Number of Tourist Visits to London, United Kingdom (Uk) in 2019 and 2021, by Type of Tourist." Statista, Statista Inc., 27 Oct 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/487558/visit-sources-london-united-kingdom/
Statista, Number of tourist visits to London, United Kingdom (UK) in 2019 and 2021, by type of tourist Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/487558/visit-sources-london-united-kingdom/ (last visited October 07, 2024)
Number of tourist visits to London, United Kingdom (UK) in 2019 and 2021, by type of tourist [Graph], Statista, October 27, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/487558/visit-sources-london-united-kingdom/