Inbound tourist numbers to the UK next year are “inevitably uncertain,” according to VisitBritain.
A 3% rise in arrivals is forecast to 31.7 million. This was described as a ”best estimate” and would mean almost one million extra visitors coming to the UK in 2013.
Spending by people from overseas travelling to the UK is expected to grow by 2.5% to reach a record £19 billion.
“The US and Europe remain our biggest source of visitors but face the fiscal cliff and continuing Eurozone uncertainty respectively,” VisitBritain said as it reflected on a successful year with London hosting the Olympic Games.
Launching the national tourism body’s 2012 annual review, chairman Christopher Rodrigues said: “This country’s tourism offer is about much more than growth in visitor numbers.
“Tourism offers not just jobs but careers for life. It employs young people who are now in training to become Ambassadors for Britain, welcoming visitors to their hotels, attractions and shops – taking on the mantle of the ‘Games Makers’.
“Tourism is also a key contributor to a country’s image overseas – it influences not just whether people come for a week’s holiday but also what they think of us as a nation, whether they choose to invest in British business and whether they relocate their families to live here and their companies to operate here. Tourism is soft power in action.”
He added: “2012 has shown just what Britain can offer. It has re-energised our image overseas and triggered the desire to visit our country.
“Our job now is to turn aspiration into action. And the best way to do that is to continue the exceptional levels of collaboration between the industry, the public sector and the government that we saw in 2012.
“We also need to keep the extraordinary spirit of the Games Makers alive in our visitor welcome”.