Travellers from long-haul markets such as the USA, Canada, China and Sinapore are increasigly looking to the UK as a possible holiday destination, according to a survey by TripAdvisor.
Internet search traffic for the UK has continued to grow on the site, year-on-year:
USA is the fastest growing market - with searches up 23%
Canada was next - with searches up 21%
UK was next, as the staycation continued - with searches up 20%
Searches from Singapore rose 19%
Searches from China rose 19%
Looking at sheer numbers rather than the rise in growth, UK residents made up the majority of searches for UK destinations on TripAdvisor, with the USA second and Germany third.
Royal baby news and the success of TV shows like Downton Abbey are driving increased interest in the UK from American would-be tourists, according to holiday website TripAdvisor.
The Royal baby has reignited international interest in the British monarch, according to TripAdvisor. Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
The USA topped the list of fastest-growing markets, with a 23% year-on-year growth in internet searches for the UK, the company said.
As parts of North Wales enter a fifth day of snow, tourism businesses are bracing themselves for a poor start to the season. The industry is worth £4.2bn per year to the Welsh economy.
The cold snap looks set to continue into the weekend, which is normally seen as the start of the tourism season.
In Tenby, tourists are wrapping up against the unseasonably cold weather:
Young people travelling out to resorts will be handed leaflets which include the story of 18-year-old Jake Evans from Liverpool. He narrowly survived a fall from a seventh floor balcony last year. Speaking to ITV1's Daybreak he said:
I was on a balcony with a couple of friends and I did the balcony step down and I asked a guy off the balcony below to throw me a lighter. I was quite drunk, I tried to grab the lighter and I went over head-first. I woke up on a sun lounger, which actually saved my life.
Mr Evans suffered a fractured skull, split both his eyelids open, had a cut to his face and smashed his teeth through his lip, as well as snapping his wrist and fingers, suffering leg damage and seriously injuring his back.
A campaign has been launched to help put a halt to balcony accidents after the deaths of three Brits so far in 2012. Daybreak's Michelle Morrison reports.
There have been 13 incidents of young people falling from balconies so far this year, it has been revealed.
In this video, released the Foreign Office, Jake tells the story of how he survived a balcony fall in Magaluf.
The video accompanies a short radio feature which will go out today across radio stations in the UK and on buses which transfer holiday-makers to resorts.
We've already seen some tragic cases this summer which have had devastating consequences for the individuals and families concerned.
This year there's been a particular spike early on in the holiday season with figures already matching last years.
Some people have fallen whilst climbing to a friends apartment, others have simply lost their footing after a few too many drinks and a few have deliberately jumped off aiming for the pool below.
It should go without saying these practices are extremely dangerous and can cost them their life or leave them permanently disabled.
