They also spent around £210m pounds in the city.
Exeter saw its number of visitors rise by almost 10% last year.
That is according to new figures by the South West Research Company, which showed there were more than 2-and-a-half million in 2018.
Made up of both day trips and longer stays, they also spent around £210m pounds in the city.
The figures have been welcomed by the City Council's deputy leader Rachel Sutton, who said Exeter was becoming increasingly popular as a destination.
“Tourism makes a very significant contribution to the economy in Exeter, and I am delighted to see a big increase in the number of people who visited the city last year,” she said.
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