London Sets Record With Over 31.5 Million Visitors in 2015

The Rugby World Cup and blockbuster exhibitions at museums and galleries, helped London set a new tourism record with more than 30 million people visiting the city in 2015.

A record 31.5 million Great Britain residents and international tourists visited the city in 2015 – which is an increase of 20% when compared to five years ago.

Every year since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games there has been an increase in the number of international visitors coming to London.

Figures released on Friday (21 May 2016) by the Office for National Statistics, International Passenger Survey, show there were 18.6 million international visits in 2015, a 7% increase when compared to the 17.4 million visits in 2014, a previous record year.

Separate data from the Great Britain Tourism Survey carried out by UK tourism body VisitEngland reveals that GB residents made 12.9 million visits to London last year, another new record.

International and GB visitors also spent £15 billion on hotels, restaurants, shopping and attractions - an increase of 35% compared to 2010.

“It is fantastic that more people than ever before are opting to visit London, to sample the best of our capital and the best of Britain. London has something for everyone and an appeal that clearly extends across the globe,” said Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. “I’ve pledged to do all I can to support our vital tourism industry so London continues to be a top choice for travellers.”

Exhibitions, theatre and major events including Cosmonauts: The Birth of Space Age, at the Science Museum, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at the V&A, The Elephant Man at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and, of course, the 2015 Rugby World Cup all helped to draw visitors to the city.

This year is set to be another momentous year as the UK celebrates 400 years of Shakespeare's lasting legacy, events to mark H.M. the Queen’s 90th birthday, and Tate Modern opening a major new extension, which is being hailed as the most important new cultural building in the UK since the British Library in 1998.

Bernard Donoghue, Director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, said, “London, the world's favourite city, continues to draw visitors from around the world thanks to our globally-known and loved attractions. Our palaces, cathedrals, museums, galleries, heritage sites, zoos and gardens are some of the principal reasons why record numbers of visitors come to London. From Harry Potter to Beatrix Potter, Shakespeare to shopping, the diversity and excellence of our tourism experiences are world class.”

Separate research by independent forecaster Oxford Economics predicts that London will welcome 35.6million UK and international visits to the city by 2020.

The tourism industry is a major contributor to the London economy. Overall the sector contributes more than £36 billion to the capital every year and supports around 700,000 thousand jobs. 

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