Visit London has announced that the number of people visiting London increased by 2 per cent during 2008 compared with the previous year, despite declining numbers of overseas tourists.

New figures published by the capital's tourism agency, which coincided with the launch of the 'Only in London' campaign have revealed that an 11.5 per cent increase in visitors from other parts of the UK have helped to offset a steep fall in tourists from long-haul markets including the US and Japan.

Although the total number of international visitors decreased by 3.6 per cent, Visit London has reported a strong increase in the number of tourists from Italy (33 per cent), as well as France (9 per cent), Germany (8 per cent) and Holland (5 per cent).

London mayor Boris Johnson said: "A 2 per cent increase in our UK and overseas visitors is excellent news. It shows that London is weathering the downturn well and our investment in marketing our great city, at home and abroad, is paying off."

Sally Chatterjee, chief executive of Visit London, added: "London's visitor figures have remained steady despite a dip towards the end of last year; however, it is more important than ever that we continue to promote London to both domestic and international audiences."

The 'Only in London' campaign has been launched in a bid to promote London as a tourist destinations in key overseas markets to help combat the effects of the global recession, while also highlighting the unique experiences on offer in the capital.