The tables compare the number of trips made abroad by UK residents between 1994 and 1998, classified by purpose of travel and destination.
Overall, the total volume of overseas travel increased over the period despite a slight decline in 1995. Holidays consistently represented the main reason for travelling abroad, while Western Europe remained by far the most popular destination throughout the five years.
In terms of purpose, holiday travel dominated in every year, rising substantially from just over 15,000 trips in 1994 to more than 20,000 in 1998. By contrast, journeys undertaken for business and for visiting friends or relatives were far less common and followed a broadly similar pattern, remaining close to the 3,000 mark before experiencing modest growth towards the end of the period. Travel for other reasons accounted for the smallest proportion and showed only minor fluctuations, peaking slightly in 1997 before falling again in the final year.
A comparable pattern can be seen in the choice of destination. Western Europe overwhelmingly attracted the majority of UK travellers, with the number of visits rising steadily in line with the overall increase in overseas trips. Other regions were considerably less popular, although travel to both other areas and North America grew gradually over time. Notably, the peak in holiday travel in 1998 coincided with the highest level of visits to Western Europe, highlighting a close relationship between the dominant purpose of travel and the preferred destination.