Image via Shutterstock
Domestic tourism in England saw a strong growth in 2015, with overnight trips up 11% in 2015.
A total of 103 million overnight trips were recorded in England for 2015, while Brits spent a record £19.6 billion on holidays and trips at home.
The number of holidays taken in England last year increased by 7% from the previous year to 43.7 million and holiday expenditure also increased by 7%.
The Great Britain Tourism Survey (GBTS) shows visits to friends and relatives were the key driving force behind the growth, up by 13% to 40.6 million, the highest level since 2006.
All regions across England experienced growth in overnight trips and spend, according to the report. Regions which saw the biggest increases in overnight trips include Yorkshire, the West Midlands, London and the southwest.
Trips to the English countryside saw growth of 17%, while 124 million trips were recorded across Great Britain, a 9% increase on 2014.
Culture secretary John Whittingdale said: “Tourism is one of our fastest growing sectors and we are absolutely committed to helping support the industry across the whole country.
“The increase in visitors and spend throughout the regions is excellent news for our economy and shows that our stunning countryside and world-leading attractions are a huge draw for domestic visitors.”
VisitEngland/VisitBritain chief executive Sally Balcombe said: “These hugely encouraging results demonstrate the growing importance of tourism to the UK economy as we continue our drive to get visitors out exploring more of our regions, ensuring that economic growth from tourism is felt across the whole country.”