British tourism heads for record year
Business confidence amongst accommodation providers is at a record high for the summer holidays, according to a new survey.
Tourism body VisitEngland found that more than half the 500 accommodation providers questioned were expecting an increase in visitors following the EU referendum.
English businesses are anticipating a strong summer holiday period, it said, with 65% of accommodation providers feeling ‘very confident’ about the summer holidays and 47% reporting forward bookings as ‘very good’ – both record highs for the survey.
Around 40% of accommodation providers and attractions reported increased visitor numbers in the year to date with a further 30% maintaining performance.
Tourism minister Tracey Crouch said: "The number of people enjoying holidays in England is at a record high. With our world-leading museums and galleries, beautiful countryside and stunning coastline, it should come as no surprise that more people are planning staycations this summer.
"Tourism contributes an estimated £60 billion to our economy every year, so a strong summer season is not only great news for the sector but the whole country."
VisitEngland director Patricia Yates said that, with the weakened pound, a holiday at home gave people the reassurance and certainty of budgeting for a domestic trip.
From January to April, Britons took 11 million holidays, 8% more compared to the same period last year, and spent £2.8 billon, 22% up on last year and taking both measures to record levels for this period.~
These figures come on the back of a strong 2015 with domestic holiday trips and spending both up 7% on the previous year to 43.7 million holiday trips and £10.7 billion respectively.
The number of Brits taking short-breaks in England was up 10% compared to the previous year with people also taking about four million more short-breaks in England than they did 10 years ago.
Also in 2015, domestic seaside holiday trips were up 7%, city holidays up 6% and countryside holidays up 12%.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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