The number of trips Britons have taken abroad increased by 4% over the last 12 months with a 8% increase in the proportion visiting friends and relatives.
Latest data from the Office of National Statistics shows that 32.9 million trips were made in the year to July with spending of £15.58 billion, a drop of 18%.
The number of overseas trips in July fell by 3% 5.82 million, with travel in the May to July quarter the same as the corresponding period in 2013, although spending was down by 23% to £7.74 billion.
“This can possibly be explained by favourable exchange rates, countries they visited and an increase in visits to friends and relatives,” the ONS said.
Visits to North America in the year to July rose by 9%, Europe by 3% and other countries by 5%.
Visits to friends or relatives rose by 8%, holidays by 3% and business travel by 3%.
The number of inbound visitors to the UK in the year to July was up by 7% to 19.4 million but earnings dropped by 2% to £11.27 billion.