Hard times are helping Britain's tourism bounce back as 'staycations' become a more and more popular choice for residents of the sceptred isle.
Tight-fisted British tourists are choosing to stay home for their holidays. However there's a steady amount of money pouring in from globe-trotting foreigners, happy to flash their cash on a British stay.
Perhaps confirming a stereotypical view, the January-November 2011 figures were boosted by a 6% rise in visits by North Americans, who are traditionally big spenders
In the first 11 months of 2011, foreign residents spent £16.51 billion during their visits to the UK - a 6% rise on the January-November 2010 figure.
Spending by UK residents on visits abroad totalled £29.37 billion in the first 11 months of last year - a 3% fall on the January-November 2010 total.
The ONS figures also showed that overseas residents made 28.49 million visits to the UK in the first 11 months of 2011 - a 3% rise on the same period in 2010.
The January-November 2011 figures were boosted by a 6% rise in visits by North Americans, who are traditionally big spenders.
Even when the British do venture abroad, they hang on to their dollar, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed.
The number of visits made abroad by UK residents in the first 11 months of last year reached 53.01 million, about the same as in January-November 2010.