World’s Biggest Britophiles Revealed by Skyscanner
Flight site Skyscanner reveals which countries of the world are the biggest fans of Britain.
With British Tourism Week (15th-21st March 2010) helping Britain battle for an even bigger slice of the tourist market, flight site Skyscanner reveals which of our foreign friends have the most love for the UK.
It seems that the Brits’ fondness for flights to Spain is mutual, with the Spanish topping the Britophile charts. The high number of British expats living in Spain may also be a significant factor in the popularity of flights from Spain to the UK.
Poland ranked number two in the listings; the huge number of Poles who have moved to the UK over the last decade has massively strengthened British-Polish relationships and consequently led to a significant rise in Polish visitors taking advantage of cheap flights between the two countries.
The Germans, who are the world’s biggest spenders on international tourism, were the third most likely lovers of the UK, whilst Italy ranked 4th and Ireland 5th.
France, the world’s most popular tourist destination, ranked 6th; Portugal was 7th whilst the USA, Japan and Greece were 8th, 9th and 10th, mainly entering the UK on flights to London.
Barry Smith, Skyscanner Co-founder and Development Director commented:
“Skyscanner’s data shows that the Spanish, Poles, Germans and Italians are the biggest fans of the UK. Britain has a huge amount to offer tourists – our history, architecture, cities, customs and countryside continue to draw visitors from around the world. We need to ensure that the message to come and visit Britain is getting out there, and that we continue to be a world class tourist destination.”
In the global arena the UK currently ranks the 6th most popular destination, receiving some 30 million tourists each year. However, France remains by far the most popular country on the tourist trail, welcoming more than twice as many with around 82 million visitors per annum according to The Economist.
Who loves Britain? The UK’s 10 Biggest Fans
1. Spain
2. Poland
3. Germany
4. Italy
5. Ireland
6. France
7. Portugal
8. USA
9. Japan
10. Greece
Data according to number of flight searches on Skyscanner to UK airports from outside the UK.
