France vs United Kingdom: Arrivals of tourists from abroad
France
48.40 million arrivals
in 2021
United Kingdom
38.23 million arrivals
in 2024
France rank
5th
United Kingdom rank
7th
Arrivals of tourists from abroad over time
- France
- United Kingdom
How they compare
France currently reports 48.40 million arrivals against 38.23 million arrivals in United Kingdom, a difference of 10.17 million arrivals.
That makes France's figure about 1.3 times United Kingdom's.
Across all 27 years both countries report, France has been ahead every year.
France ranks 5th and United Kingdom ranks 7th of 203 countries.
France has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | France | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 66.46 million arrivals | 22.98 million arrivals | 43.47 million arrivals | France |
| 2000s | 76.86 million arrivals | 26.40 million arrivals | 50.46 million arrivals | France |
| 2010s | 84.06 million arrivals | 34.54 million arrivals | 49.52 million arrivals | France |
| 2020s | 45.04 million arrivals | 8.50 million arrivals | 36.54 million arrivals | France |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher arrivals of tourists from abroad, France or United Kingdom?
- France, at 48.40 million arrivals against 38.23 million arrivals in United Kingdom as of 2021.
- What is the difference in arrivals of tourists from abroad between France and United Kingdom?
- 10.17 million arrivals, with France ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for France and United Kingdom?
- 27 years are reported by both, from 1995 to 2021.
- How do France and United Kingdom rank globally for arrivals of tourists from abroad?
- France ranks 5th and United Kingdom ranks 7th of 203 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Arrivals of tourists from abroad. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Number of trips by visitors who arrive from abroad and stay overnight.