Tourism (South West)

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourists have visited the South West region in each year since 1997. (86096)

[holding answer 18 July 2006]: The following tables set out the number of visits to the South West region from (i) overseas and (ii) the UK where this included an overnight stay. Information is provided between 2000 and 2005; equivalent data prior to this period are not available.

*Inbound visits to the South West by year*
	Visit (all)
2000	2,042
2001	1,689
2002	1,852
2003	1,885
2004	2,033
2005	¹2,137
¹2005 data are provisional. Source: International Passenger Survey (ONS).

*Domestic overnight trips to the South West by year*
	Visit (all)
2000	24,700
2001	25,200
2002	26,000
2003	22,800
2004	¹20,500
2005	²21,280
¹VisitBritain believes the old UKTS methodology significantly underreported 2004. ² In 2005 an improved methodology was introduced for UKTS so direct comparison with previous years is not appropriate. Source: UK Tourism Survey (National Tourist Boards)

In addition, the South West region receives a substantial number of day visitors; the last Leisure Day Visitors Survey in 2002-03 recorded a total of 48 million day visitors to the region.

Volume 449: debated on Wednesday 19 July 2006