Britain visitor numbers fell in July, despite Olympics A similar effect was seen at the previous Olympic Games in Beijing. Hotel rates in the city during the 2008 Olympics were up to 10 times more expensive than normal, a figure that is thought to have contributed to a 30 per cent decline in visitors during 2008 compared with the previous year. The figures will be a blow to the Government, which last month revealed its goal of attracting an extra 4.5 million overseas visitors during the next four years. The ONS also reported that total visits to the UK between January and July rose by one per cent compared with last year, to 17.93 million. British holidaymakers made 5.75 million trips abroad during July, fractionally up on the total of 5.74 million last year, although total spending rose from £3.34 billion to £3.56 billion, it said.