US tourists flocked back to Britain last month for the first time since the terror attacks of 11 September 2001.

North American visits reached 320,000 in October 2002 - well up on the 257,000 figure for October 2001, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

These latest results are very positive and proof that Britain is in a strong position for continued growth Tom Wright, British Tourist Authority

The American recovery helped the total number of overseas visits to the UK to rise from 1.63 million in October 2001 to 2.05 million in October 2002.

It is a welcome sign the UK's tourist industry is in good health, says the British Tourist Authority (BTA).

Tom Wright, BTA chief executive, said: "These latest results are very positive and proof that Britain is in a strong position for continued growth and recovery as we enter 2003."

September 2002 marked the fourth consecutive rise in overseas visitor numbers to Britain this year.

British travel habits

But a full recovery is some way off, according to the BTA.

The figures are still considerably down compared to 2000, which is considered to be the last "normal" year for inbound tourism.

Cumulative overseas visitors for January to October 2002 are down 5% compared to the same period in 2000.

Foreign travellers spent �776m in the UK in October 2001, they spent �935m in October 2002.

The number of UK residents' trips abroad rose from 5.27m in October 2001 to 5.83m in October 2002.

Trips to North America - which fell after 11 September - rose from 467,000 in October 2001 to 550,000 in October 2002.

UK residents spent �2.21m on overseas trips in October 2001, with this figure rising to �2.58m in the same month this year.

In September the number of North American visitors was 340,000 - up from 309,000 in September 2001.