Many Britons headed to major airports like Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton this autumn, taking more trips during the season than they did the previous year, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). 

ONS research indicates that UK residents made 5.13 million trips overseas in October 2010, compared with five million a year earlier.

Their holiday spending also increased from just under £2.57 billion in October 2009 to £2.73 billion in October 2010.

The number of Britons visiting America, where the US dollar has weakened against the pound recently, rose from 342,000 in October 2009 to 390,000 in October 2010.

However, UK residents have made 48.73 million trips overseas this year – 6% down on the January-October 2009 figure.

Spending by UK residents on trips abroad for the first 10 months of this year dipped by 2% to £27.67 billion, compared with the same period last year.

While many Britons were taking advantage of competitive overseas travel deals, more overseas tourists travelled to the UK in October than they did during the same month a year earlier.

According to ONS figures, foreign nationals made 2.71 million trips to the UK in October compared with fewer than 2.52 million in the same month last year.

During October 2010, they spent more than £1.60 billion – a significant increase from the October 2009 figure of £1.38 billion.

Spending by foreign residents during UK trips this year has totalled £14.18 billion – approximately the same amount as in the first 10 months of last year, while the number of trips made to the UK by overseas residents for the first 10 months of this year has reached 25.19 million – which is 1% lower than the January-October 2009 total.

Copyright Press Association 2010

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