Forget the stiff upper lip: The UK has become more welcoming to overseas visitors
The UK isn't exactly famous for its hospitality (cf. "Fawlty Towers") – but it turns out we're actually a welcoming bunch: new figures from Visit Britain have suggested tourists feel more welcome in the UK than they ever have. It's enough to warm the cockles…
According to the figures, 42 per cent of the 5,000 visitors surveyed as they left felt "extremely welcome", compared with 30 per cent in 2012 and 19 per cent in 2009.
Some 89 per cent in total reported feeling "extremely" or "very" welcome in Britain, while 93 per cent said they'd recommend a visit to the UK to family and friends – which is a good job, because according to Visit Britain, personal recommendations are ranked as most important when it comes to influencing where people go on holiday, above travel brochures, special offers or advertising.
Those who felt the most welcome included Danes and Canadians, although visitors from Sweden, India and the USA all felt at home here. Aaaah.
Figures published in August showed London is the world's most popular tourist destination, with 17 million international visitors flocking to the capital last year. 