Half of domestic holiday accommodation providers saw a rise in bookings during the peak summer period, a new study reveals.
The VisitEngland research covered 300 businesses, with 50% stating that their visitor numbers from mid-July to the end of August were up against the same period in 2017.
The period coincided with the summer heatwave and confirms that many holidaymakers opted to take domestic breaks rather than travel overseas.
The increased numbers put off from booking holidays abroad this summer triggered a profits warning by Thomas Cook on Monday.
The survey by VisitEngland found that 28% of accommodation providers attracted the same level of bookings as last summer with just 22% suffering a downturn.
Findings from the research showed that the increase in bookings during the school summer holiday period came from both domestic and overseas visitors.
The tourism body also asked 250 visitor attractions in England about their performance during the summer, with 54% reporting that visitor numbers were up year-on-year.
The research also asked about the expected performance of those accommodation businesses surveyed from the end of the summer holidays until the end of October.
It showed that 92% said they were confident about their business performance during the timeframe.
Sixty-seven per cent also reported good or very good advance booking levels until the end of next month.
Looking out to the rest of the year, 52% of the accommodation providers surveyed expected their performance to be better than in 2017.
The evidence of a strong summer follows VisitEngland’s Trip-Tracker survey which showed that 7.3 million Britons were planning an overnight holiday in the UK over the August bank holiday weekend, bringing an estimated £1.75 billion boost to the economy.
Britons took 16.2 million holiday trips in England from January to May this year, on par with the previous record set in 2009.
VisitEngland director Patricia Yates said: “It is encouraging to see that accommodation providers and visitor attractions have experienced a strong summer with bookings up on last year and confidence sustained beyond the peak season.
“These results are testament to the quality and range of experiences on offer year-round across England.”