Destination UK on the up
Destination UK is on the up with 63% of international tourists more interested in UK holidays compared to last year.
Almost a third (30%) of Brits plan to holiday more in the UK this year, according to research by Barclays.
The weaker pound, advertising campaigns and ‘The Crown Effect’ of TV shows featuring the UK are driving foreign visits.
It means British hotels and the leisure industry are set for a record year with a substantial increase in both home and international visitors planning holidays in the UK.
The Barclays Corporate Banking report, Destination UK: driving growth in the UK hospitality and leisure sector, assessed the holiday and leisure preferences of almost 10,000 guests from the UK, continental Europe, the US, Middle East, Asia and Australia.
Among the 63% of international holidaymakers who said they are more interested in holidaying in the UK than this time last year 31% cited the weaker pound.
The research reveals that the average British budget for UK breaks is £800 with over a fifth (22%) of holidaymakers planning to spend more than £1,000 on their UK getaways.
During their staycations, Brits also expect to spend an average of £309 on accommodation, £152 on dining out and £121 on shopping, if they were to spend time holidaying in the UK this year.
Barclays head of hospitality and leisure Mike Saul said: "2017 looks set to be a strong year for the British hospitality sector with both domestic and international visitors increasingly intent on spending more time here."
The majority of international holidaymakers (51%) report that the vote to leave the EU has had no impact on their likelihood to visit the UK, and nearly a third (31%) reported that they are more likely to visit the UK than before the referendum.
However, the study also highlighted the role of the UK as a tourism hub with nearly a quarter (24%) of those who said they would be less likely to visit the UK post-Brexit, citing worries about onward travel to other European destinations.
This was especially important for guests from Australia (44%) who are potentially looking to combine their visit with multiple European destinations owing to the longer travel distance.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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