The tables show information about the number of visits abroad by UK residents between 1994 and 1998. The first table presents the purpose of the visits, while the second table shows the destinations by main regions.
Overall, the total number of trips increased every year, with holidays being the most common reason. Western Europe was the main destination throughout the period, while North America and other areas were much less popular.
In terms of purpose, holidays accounted for the largest figures in all years. The number of holiday visits grew from 15.2 million in 1994 to 20.7 million in 1998. Business trips also increased slightly, from just over 3.1 million to about 4 million. Visits to friends and relatives rose more slowly, from 2.7 million to just over 3.1 million. Other reasons stayed under one million and did not change much.
Looking at the regions, Western Europe received the majority of UK visitors. The number went from 19.3 million in 1994 to 24.5 million in 1998. North America was far less visited, but its figures rose from 0.9 million to 1.8 million. Other areas also saw growth, from 1.8 million to 2.5 million. In total, UK residents made 22 million visits abroad in 1994, compared to almost 29 million in 1998.