Foreign invasion: Britain sees upsurge in popularity as overseas tourists scent travel bargains

Add to My Stories Share Britain is enjoying a surge in popularity as a holiday destination as savvy overseas tourists eye up travel bargains in a country that has become decidedly cheaper of late.New research reveals that the UK has become a more desirable option among continental travellers in the past year. In 2010, it ranked as the eighth most popular destination for European holidaymakers.

Coming to town: With a favourable exchange rate, Britain is increasingly of interest to European touristsBut figures for this year place it an improved fifth, behind the traditional heavyweights Spain (first), Germany (second), Italy (third) and France (fourth).The study was carried out by hotel comparison service Trivago (www.trivago.co.uk), which analysed the search requests submitted to its websites by would-be tourists in 24 different countries to produce a wider picture of Europes travel plans for this summer.Deeper assessment of the figures shows that the UK has also grown in attractiveness among holidaymakers from individual nations notably France.

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In 2010, Britain was only the 15th most popular destination among travellers from our Gallic neighbours but this year it has leapt up the table to a more respectable eighth.More subtle rises are also detectable among the Spanish (with whom the UK has climbed from the seventh most popular overseas destination in 2010, to the sixth this year), the Italians (from eighth to fifth), and the Germans (from ninth to seventh).But before we start thinking that Parisians have suddenly fallen for the idea of a damp weekend in Eastbourne or perhaps a beautiful drive through the Lake District, a stroll in Snowdonia, a hiking break in the Scottish Highlands ! or a wee k in Cornwall it is maybe worth bearing in mind that Britain now offers considerable value to overseas guests.The fluctuation in exchange rates over the last half a decade has made the UK previously a pricey destination for tourists from the continent a potential bargain.Exactly six years ago today, when sterling was at its strongest, European holidaymakers could expect to get just 0.66 pounds to the euro. Today that figure stands at 0.89 pounds to the euro an upward sweep in value of over 25 per cent.The flipside, of course, is that Europe is now distinctly more expensive for Britons than it was half a decade ago. Where, on June 28th 2005, a British tourist could expect to swap their pound sterling for exactly 1.5 euros, today that figure has shrunk to a meagre 1.12.