Search data shows sharp rise in demand for domestic hotels
Consumer online searches for domestic accommodation outnumbered overseas accommodation by three to one in August 2013.
This paints a different picture to August 2012, when the split was pretty much 50/50 between domestic and overseas.
According to the latest figures from independent digital marketing agency Greenlight, consumers made a total of 3.1 million searches on Google UK for hotels located in domestic, short haul and long haul destinations last month.
Of that total, 1.8 million (58%) queries were for domestic hotels, compared to 619,320 (20%) for overseas hotels.
In August 2012, the total number of hotel-related searches was 1.4 million – 492,517 domestic and 428,330 overseas.
Greenlight’s research also showed that London was the biggest draw domestically. Online searches for hotels in the UK capital accounted for 13% of queries and Brighton followed with 4%.
Greenlight’s report also reveals the 10 most popular domestic hotel-related search terms as being:
‘hotels in london’ (90,500 searches)
‘london hotels’ (74,000 searches)
‘cheap hotels in london (60,500 searches)
‘blackpool hotels’ (33,100 searches)
‘hotels in york’ (33,1000 searches)
‘hotels in edinburgh’ (27,100 searches)
‘hotels in manchester’ (27,100 searches)
‘hotels in brighton’ (27,100 searches)
‘brighton hotels’ (27,100 searches)
‘cheap london hotels’ (22,200 searches)
For domestic hotel-related queries, Laterooms.com was the most visible site in the organic listings (based on relevance), attaining a 22% share of visibility.
Booking.com was the most prominent advertiser in the paid listings, with 70%.
Interestingly, of the 10 most visible sites in Greenlight’s natural search listings, four were hotel chains, compared to just two in the paid listings.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt