by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:30 AM ET, Fri January 27, 2017
On Thursday, VisitBritain announced that a record number of overseas visitors traveled to Britain in the first three-quarters of 2016, and a record-breaking finish to the year is projected for the final quarter.
Thanks in part to a drop in the exchange rate and improved value for money, 2.7 million United States citizens visited Britain between January and September 2016, a three-percent increase over the same period last year.
In total, the American tourists spent £2.5 billion ($3.14 billion) over the first nine months, an increase of nine percent.
"These strong numbers show how much Americans enjoy exploring the culture, heritage, cities and countryside of Britain," VisitBritain interim executive vice president Paul Gauger said in a statement. "And with the current exchange rate, Americans see value for money. It's a great time to visit the UK, and enjoy the benefits of how much further your dollar can take you."
As for the overall inbound visits to the United Kingdom, there was a record-breaking 28.1 million tourists who arrived between January and September 2016, a two percent increase over the previous year. Inbound tourism is now worth more than £26 billion to the UK economy.
While the numbers in 2016 have been great for Britain, the growth is expected to continue in 2017, with an estimated 38.1 million visits. If the current projections are correct, it would be a four-percent increase from the 36.7 million expected total visits in 2016.
When tourists visit the UK, they aren't just going to London, either. Visit Britain announced that 12.2 million visitors went to destinations outside the English capital, a four-percent increase from 2015.
"Inbound tourism is one of our largest export industries and it is very encouraging to see that growth is being spread right across our nations and regions, demonstrating the industry's increasing importance as a driver of economic growth and jobs," VisitBritain chief executive Sally Balcombe said in a statement.
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