More people visit UK in first quarter but spending falls - tourism data

LONDON (Reuters) - More overseas visitors travelled to Britain during the first three months of 2019 compared with a year ago but their spending fell, official data showed on Thursday.

There were 8.0 million visits to Britain from overseas in the first quarter, up 1% year-on-year, the Office for National Statistics said.

Their spending totalled 4.3 billion pounds ($5.4 billion), down 5% on a year ago.

British residents made 13.6 million visits abroad in the first quarter, a 2% increase on a year previously. Their spending was unchanged at 8.5 billion pounds.

(Reporting by Andy Bruce, editing by David Milliken)