South Bank a key destination for overseas tourists

Visit London's annual London Overseas Visitor Survey, published this week, shows that 71 per cent of visitors surveyed had either visited or intended to visit the area, a figure which is up on last year. This compares with 65 per cent for Leicester Square, 62 per cent for Covent Garden and 42 per cent for China Town.

The survey also shows that it isn't necessarily the big-name attractions that draw crowds south of the river the area, with 62 per cent visiting the South Bank for a stroll along the river. Walking also proved a key mode of transport for reaching the area, with 40 per cent of visitors, the largest proportion, reaching the South Bank via a walk over one of the bridges.

"London has much to offer outside of traditional central areas and tourists are now venturing further afield in search of a different London experience," commented James Bidwell, Visit London's chief executive. "London's South Bank is an area of incredible history, architecture and regeneration and is a world-class centre for arts and culture so it comes as no surprise that it is proving more popular than ever with overseas visitors."

The London Overseas Visitor Survey was carried out by BDRC Research on behalf of Visit London. A total of 2,229 overseas visitors were interviewed at 36 locations around London between October 2004 and October 2005.