Inbound visits and spend: quarterly, UK
At a glance
- ONS released provisional IPS estimates for first half 2025 on 29 October 2025, badged as 'official statistics in development'.
- VisitBritain has not integrated 2025 IPS data into its standard reporting owing to material discrepancies with other data sources.
- Inbound tourism volume and value appear markedly lower in 2025 IPS data versus 2024, conflicting with alternative data sources.
- VisitBritain recommends users explore its Visa card spending dashboard for 2025 inbound spending trends pending methodological clarification.
What the report covers
VisitBritain's quarterly report tracks inbound visits, spend and nights using the International Passenger Survey (IPS), a continuous survey by the UK's Office for National Statistics covering all major air, sea and tunnel ports. The report released 29 October 2025 presents provisional first-half 2025 data but VisitBritain has withheld formal integration and analysis owing to methodological changes introduced by ONS in July 2024 that have created discrepancies with other tourism data sources.
Key findings
The ONS released provisional IPS estimates for the first half of 2025 on 29 October 2025, badged as 'official statistics in development' following methodological changes introduced in July 2024. VisitBritain decided not to upload or analyse this data in its usual manner, citing material discrepancies between the new IPS figures and alternative data sources regarding inbound tourism volume and value.
When viewed alongside pre-July 2024 IPS data, the 2025 estimates show inbound tourism volume and value markedly lower than the same periods in 2024. However, VisitBritain's other data sources suggest inbound tourism volume and value in the first half of 2025 were at similar levels or slightly up compared with the first half of 2024, indicating a significant gap between the new IPS methodology and alternative indicators.
The ONS itself does not endorse comparisons between 2025 provisional data and prior years. VisitBritain acknowledged that discrepancies do not necessarily mean the new data is incorrect, but noted that the gaps appear wider in 2025 than when second-half 2024 IPS data was released with caveats and modelling adjustments.
VisitBritain recommends users access its Visa card spending dashboard for 2025 inbound spending insights, noting that this dataset covers only a subset of the market and differs from overall inbound tourism but aligns more closely with other data sources on year-on-year growth trends. Users wishing to access raw IPS data can obtain it directly from the ONS website.
Key numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| IPS data release date | 29 October 2025 |
| IPS methodological change date | July 2024 |
| Inbound tourism volume and value in 2025 vs 2024 | markedly lower in IPS data; similar or slightly up in alternative sources |
Figures as published in the source; forecasts and survey results are labelled as such in the note.
Why it matters
DMOs & destinations
Destination planning relies on official inbound visitor statistics. The temporary suspension of IPS data integration creates measurement uncertainty for regional and national tourism targets. DMOs should monitor VisitBritain's Visa card dashboard and await reconciliation of methodological changes before finalising 2025 forecasts or strategic decisions dependent on inbound visitor projections.
Hotels & hospitality
Hotels use inbound tourism metrics to forecast occupancy and revenue. The discrepancy between IPS and alternative data sources creates ambiguity about actual inbound demand levels for 2025. Operators should cross-reference multiple data sources, including Visa spending data, to understand genuine inbound trends and adjust inventory, pricing and staffing decisions accordingly.
Travel tech & distribution
Distribution platforms and travel tech companies rely on official inbound statistics to forecast market size and growth. The temporary unavailability of integrated IPS data and methodological uncertainty may complicate booking trend analysis and demand forecasting. Firms should monitor ONS developments and VisitBritain's alternative data releases to inform platform algorithms and market projections.
Methodology and limits
The report summarises data from the International Passenger Survey (IPS), a continuous survey conducted by the UK's Office for National Statistics covering all major air, sea and tunnel ports. IPS provides detailed information on visit volumes, spend and nights. Methodological changes introduced in July 2024 have resulted in material discrepancies between 2025 provisional IPS estimates and alternative data sources; VisitBritain has not formally integrated the 2025 data pending clarification. This brief is based on the publicly available summary and does not include detailed quarterly tables or regional breakdowns, which VisitBritain has withheld pending methodological stabilisation.
Official source
The report is © VisitBritain. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel — it quotes only figures published in the source and never reproduces the document.
Related reports
VisitBritain's Kuwait market snapshot presents inbound tourism data for 2024–2025. The UK received 160,000 visits from Kuwait in 2024, generating £446.9 million in visitor expenditure at an average of £2,801 per visit.
VisitBritain's France market research profiles 3.6 million visits to the UK in 2024, generating record £2.0 billion expenditure. Holiday visits (44%) and VFR travel (34%) dominate; business travel reached record £367 million.
VisitBritain's market research profiles Canadian inbound tourism to the UK using 2024 data and 2025 capacity metrics. The UK received 944,000 visits from Canada in 2024, generating £890.9 million in expenditure (average £943 per visit).
VisitBritain's Brazil market report profiles inbound tourism flows based on 2024–2025 data from official passenger surveys and perception indices. The UK welcomed 310,000 Brazilian visitors in 2024, who spent £309.0 million (average £996 per visit).