The number of foreign tourists visiting the UK has fallen by 13% in the first quarter of 2009, compared to the same period last year.

Between January and March 2008, 7.19 million foreign residents visited Britain, with just 6.28 million making the journey this year.

The biggest decline was in tourism from North America and Eastern Europe, with 10% fewer visits recorded from residents of the European Union.

Despite the decline and the fact that sterling has lost around a fifth of its value against other major currencies, spending for the same period by foreign visitors was £3.13 billion this year, almost exactly the same as last year.