After a decrease in tourism in 2001, due to September 11th and Foot-and-Mouth disease, overseas visitors to the UK increased by 5 % (August 2002 compared with August 2001). The British Tourist Authority's "Only in Britain. Only in 2002" initiative, which features thousands of special deals and discounts, is delivering results in terms of visitor numbers.
New hotels and restaurants are constantly springing up in London. Frommer's annually-updated guides give the very latest details on the best of the new arrivals. The proliferation of bargain airfares and new low-cost carriers from the U.S. means that there's practically no such thing as an off-season anymore.
For East Coast residents, winter airfare to London is cheaper than to Los Angeles, making a long weekend "across the pond" an increasingly affordable option.
