The number of people travelling abroad slumped by 5% in the three months to August, according to new figures.
The number of UK residents taking an overseas holiday over the three months to August was 13.4 million, a fall of 578,000 from the same period in 2010.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures showed that the number of Britons who took a foreign holiday over the 12 month period to August was 36.4 million, a fall of 20% from the 45.5 million that went on a foreign holiday in the 2008 calendar year.
Visits to Europe were down by 3% while those to both North America and to other parts of the world declined 12%.
Outbound holiday visits were down 4% and business and VFR visits were both down 5% in the three months to August compared with a year ago, the ONS said.
UK travellers spent 7% less overseas in the three months to August 2011 than the same period last year.
In the year to August, the UK’s international tourism balance of payments deficit stood at £13.56 billion, down by £1.4 billion from £14.96 billion in the year to August 2010.
Meanwhile, inbound tourism to the UK suffered a 2% decline to 3.1 million visitors in the summer peak month of August over the same month last year.
Arrivals remained well below the record of August 2006 which saw 3.7 million visits.
But figures released by the ONS for August suggest that Britain’s strong inbound trend is set to continue, VisitBritain claimed.
While figures for the month were mixed, numbers were bolstered by growth earlier in the year.
Total visits and spend so far in 2011 remain above 2010 levels at 3% and 4% respectively.
Spend per visit was a record for August at £568, just above last year’s £564.
VisitBritain chief executive Sandie Dawe said: “These August 2011 figures show real signs of stability in what has been a strong 2011 to date. 3.1 million visitors enjoyed Britain this August with 2011 figures 3% higher than during the first eight months of 2010, due to strong results throughout the year.
“Visitor spending was at a record high for August, 3% higher than 2010. Following record levels in June and July, this has resulted in a 4% increase (£0.4 billion) in earnings so far in 2011, a total of £11.65 billion.
“Now as we are right in the mix of rolling out our biggest, most ambitious tourism marketing programme for 10 years, we can see that Britain is recovering its international appeal with double digit holiday growth in the first quarter and promising figures during our peak summer months.
“Coupled with the UK’s recent improvement in overseas sentiment, these August figures provide us with a good platform to invite the world to visit Britain.”