THE number of international tourists visiting Yorkshire has increased - despite an overall drop in number of people from other countries choosing to spend their holidays in the UK.

Figures from a Visit Britain survey show the region has welcomed a record high number of international visitors in 2018, outperforming any other area in England.

A council report says: “Detailed figures for York are not yet available, but are expected to show a similar trend, with a growing number of international visitors who are spending more money in the city. The vast majority of visitors to York come from elsewhere in the UK.”

Research shows that the number of people visiting Yorkshire has increased by eight per cent since last year, with 647,000 international tourists coming to the region between January and June.

The amount of money spent in Yorkshire also went up by one per cent during the first half of the year.

And it is the only region to see a boost to both visitor numbers and the amount of money spent.

Recent figures from Visit York show 6.9 million people visit the city each year, spending a total of £564 million. During the past five years, the total number of visitors has gone up by nearly 500,000 and the amount spent in the local economy increased by more than £100 million.

The council report says the city’s tourism strategy is set to be reviewed by the new head of Visit York, with a target for the sector to bring £1 billion into York’s economy.