Visitors to the UK on Canal Boat Holidays often enjoy the history and culture on offer, a spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has said.

Toby Sargent revealed that people come to the UK expecting castles and cathedrals, but there is so much more that the country has to offer.

For example, its World Heritage Sites give a great indication of the UK's past and are a central part of the offering to tourists, he explained.

Mr Sargent explained that these locations 'speak of our role as the cradle for the industrial revolution and as an island nation that has absorbed cultural influences from all over the world'.

It was revealed earlier this week by the Office for National Statistics that visits abroad by UK residents declined considerably last year.

However, spending by those who visited the UK increased, thus supporting the economy.