The British staycation boom will continue in 2019, as holidaymakers rate UK and overseas holidays equally, according to new research by Barclays.
Three in 10 domestic holidaymakers (31%) plan to spend more holiday time in this country in 2019 than in previous years – and more than half of those surveyed (52%) who were aged 25 to 34 plan to increase their UK-based holiday time.
More than half of tourism businesses (55%) reported an increase in domestic tourism since 2017.
The findings come from a poll of 2,006 Brits who take holidays in UK, on behalf of Barclays Corporate Banking.
It also surveyed 528 manager-level respondents from hospitality and leisure businesses across the UK.
Called The Great British staycation, the report said holidaymakers cited convenience and affordability as two reasons behind their staycations – as well as “positive recent experiences of domestic holidays that people want to repeat”.
Most hospitality and leisure businesses in every region of the UK have seen rising demand from domestic tourists, with many reporting increased revenue as a result.
Favourites such as the Lake District, Scotland and Cornwall remain most popular, but operators in the north east and the Midlands are seeing the biggest rise in demand
Holidaymakers are booking their breaks earlier, a trend noted by 39% of businesses.
Mike Saul, head of hospitality and leisure at Barclays, said: “There are various reasons for this [growth] but ultimately, it’s fairly simple. The top-quality services provided by our hotels, restaurants, resorts and leisure providers are helping the British public enjoy great experiences without having to travel too far.”
Sally Balcombe, chief executive of VisitBritain and VisitEngland, said: “Barclays’ new research delivers some heartening news about the flourishing health of UK domestic tourism.”
She hailed the news about millennials increasing the time they spend on UK breaks, and earlier booking intentions, as they reversed earlier negative trends.
Balcombe said the report came at a “pivotal” time as VisitBritain recently announced its new Tourism Exchange Great Britain (TXGB) platform, and is expecting to hear of a new deal for the sector from the government in the coming weeks.
TXGB is a B2B digital platform that will connect British tourism suppliers to global distributors.
Pictured: Woman and dog on a paddle-board, Snowdonia, Wales.
Credit: ©VisitBritain/Two For Joy Photography Ltd