United Kingdomby the numbers
The UK received 40.8M visits in 2025, just above pre-pandemic levels. Every visa-free visitor now needs a £20 ETA, and summer 2027 brings the Tour de France, Wimbledon's 150th anniversary and The Open at St Andrews.
The United Kingdom numbers that matter
Arrivals from our five markets
How many travellers from Canada, the US, the UK, Australia and New Zealand visited United Kingdom in the latest published period, and how fast each market is moving.
Visits to Great Britain by country of residence in 2025 (the UK total of 40.8M includes Northern Ireland; market figures are published for Great Britain only). Because the ONS changed its survey method in July 2024 and does not endorse full-year comparisons, change is shown for July to December only. The US was the largest source market, ahead of France (3.1M) and Germany (2.8M).
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United StatesYour edition 5.49M 0%
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AustraliaYour edition 1.33M +13%
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CanadaYour edition 937K +10%
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New ZealandYour edition 253K -13%
Crowds and climate, month by month
The short answer
July to September is the busiest quarter, with 10.8M visits to Great Britain in 2025, and January to March the quietest, with 7.4M. Summer 2027 is unusually full: Wimbledon (28 June to 11 July), the Tour de France Grand Départ (2 to 4 July), The Open at St Andrews (11 to 18 July) and the Tour de France Femmes (30 July to 1 August), so book rooms in London, Edinburgh and St Andrews early.
Dates that move demand
- Monet: Painting in TimeFebruary to June 2027 · Tate Modern, London
- The Championships, Wimbledon (150th anniversary)2027-06-28 to 2027-07-11 · London
- Tour de France Grand Départ2027-07-02 to 2027-07-04 · Edinburgh, north-west England and Wales (Welshpool to Cardiff on 4 July)
- The 155th Open2027-07-11 to 2027-07-18 · Old Course, St Andrews
- Bayeux TapestryOn display until 2027-07-11 · British Museum, London
- EuroGames2027-07-14 to 2027-07-18 · Cardiff
- Tour de France Femmes Grand Départ2027-07-30 to 2027-08-01 · Leeds to Manchester, Manchester to Sheffield, London team time trial
Passports, rules and the flight over
Entry rules as checked on 24 Oct 2026. Rules change: always confirm with the official source before travel.
Canadians need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit, enforced since 25 February 2026. It costs £20, allows multiple visits of up to six months, and lasts two years or until the passport expires. Most decisions arrive within a day; allow up to three working days.
Official sourceUS citizens must have an ETA before travelling for tourism, family visits, business meetings or study of six months or less. The passport must be valid for the whole stay and have one blank page.
Official sourceAustralians need a £20 ETA for visits of up to six months, valid for two years or until the passport expires. Apply only through gov.uk or the UK ETA app; other sites may charge more.
Official source- Currency
- Pound sterling (GBP)
- Time zone
- UTC+0, UTC+1 in summer (British Summer Time)
- Language
- English; Welsh is also an official language in Wales
- Plugs
- Type G, 230 V
- Driving
- Drive on the left
Nonstop from our markets
| From | To | Airlines | Time / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perth (PER) | London (LHR) | Qantas | Average 7 weekly departures in 2025; most other Australia–UK routes make at least one stop |
Selling United Kingdom: the trade file
- Every client who is not British or Irish now needs an ETA before boarding; the requirement has been enforced since 25 February 2026, and carriers can be penalised for flying passengers without one.
- Clients connecting at Heathrow or Manchester who do not pass UK passport control currently do not need an ETA; anyone going landside does.
- For US escorted tours, allow at least two years for product to appear; FIT cycles run six months to a year, and contracting runs from autumn (around World Travel Market) to June.
- Australians rely heavily on travel agents for long-haul, multi-stop trips and usually book 9 to 12 months ahead.
- Toronto Pearson–Heathrow carries 35% of Canada–UK nonstop seats, and London airports take 89% of all Canada–UK nonstop capacity.
- Globe Travel Awards14 Jan 2027
- Phocuswright Europe24–26 May 2027
- Aspire Leaders of LuxuryTypically June
- Kiwi Link UK & EuropeOctober 2027
Opening in United Kingdom
More figures we've reported
Glasgow visitor levy on every night of a stay
From 25 January 2027, on the room element net of VAT, with no cap on nights. Edinburgh charges its 5% on the first five nights only.
Hours London is ahead of New York and Toronto, 25 Oct to 1 Nov
The UK falls back on 25 October and North America on 1 November, so for one week the transatlantic gap shrinks from five hours to four.
Wales visitor levy, standard rate per person per night
Applies to most accommodation; 75p for hostels and campsites. Cardiff applies it to stays from 1 April 2027, the earliest date allowed in Wales.
Area of Walthamstow Wetlands
Working reservoirs managed with the London Wildlife Trust; free, open 09:30 to 16:00 from October to March.
Rooms and suites at The WestDill Mayfair, due Q4 2026
In a Grade II-listed former bank on Piccadilly, opposite The Ritz: Minor Hotels' Colbert Collection debut in the UK.
Outbound travel's value to the UK economy, per year
Gross value added, supporting 865,000 jobs. Up 9.6% since 2019.
What changes next
The ETA became a universal requirement for visa-free visitors on 25 February 2026, and the fee rose from £16 to £20 on 8 April 2026.
UK Parliament written statement; VisitBritainVisitBritain forecasts 44.2M visits and £33.9B in spending for 2026, with growth from Europe (+4% visits) offsetting a 3% fall from long-haul markets.
VisitBritainVisits to Great Britain fell 2.7% in October to December 2025 after a 5.5% rise in July to September; 2025 data are still 'official statistics in development'.
ONSLong-haul demand split in late 2025: visits from Canada rose 10% and from Australia 13% in July to December, the US was flat, and New Zealand fell 13%.
ONS IPS via VisitBritainBritain hosts both Tour de France starts in 2027: the men's Grand Départ from Edinburgh on 2 July and the women's race from Leeds on 30 July.
VisitBritain
Latest on United Kingdom
Quick answers on United Kingdom
Do Canadians need an ETA to visit the UK?
Yes. Canadians need an electronic travel authorisation, enforced since 25 February 2026. It costs £20, covers visits of up to six months and lasts two years or until the passport expires (gov.uk).
How much does a UK ETA cost?
£20 per person, applied for on gov.uk or the UK ETA app. The fee rose from £16 on 8 April 2026. Refunds are not given once you apply.
Do I need an ETA to change planes in London?
Only if you go through UK passport control. Passengers connecting airside at Heathrow or Manchester currently do not need one (Home Office).
How many tourists visit the UK?
Overseas residents made 40.8 million visits to the UK in 2025 and spent £29.8 billion, according to the ONS. The US was the largest market, with 5.5 million visits to Great Britain.
Is the UK safe to visit?
The US State Department rates the UK Level 2, 'Exercise increased caution' (issued 8 May 2025), and New Zealand's SafeTravel advises increased caution (updated 12 December 2025).
When is the busiest time to visit the UK?
July to September, with 10.8 million visits to Great Britain in 2025. January to March is the quietest quarter, with 7.4 million.
Every figure on this page comes from the organisation that publishes it, linked where it appears and listed here. We checked them on 24 October 2026 and update the file when new figures come out. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.
- ONS, Travel trends 2025; change vs 2019 and 2024 from VisitBritain
- ONS IPS; VisitBritain
- VisitBritain, 2026 inbound tourism forecast
- ONS International Passenger Survey, via VisitBritain 2025 inbound update
- VisitBritain, US market profile
- VisitBritain, Canada market profile
- UK Parliament written statement; VisitBritain
- VisitBritain
- gov.uk
- travel.state.gov
- homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk
- www.visitbritain.org