Tourism took a buffeting over the summer, with Americans once again shunning British destinations because of the impact of the economic downturn in the US and the lure of alternative destinations.

Overseas visits to the UK fell 3 per cent in the three months to August, compared with the three months to May, resulting in a 2 per cent fall in spending. But the figures for North American visitors were considerably worse, down 15 per cent to 1.3m.