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.
Research by Barclays has found that the British tourism industry is set to benefit from a 30% rise in staycations and a big climb in interest in UK holidays from tourists worldwide.
Findings from the Barclays Corporate Banking report Destination UK: driving growth in the UK hospitality and leisure sector show that 63% of international tourists are more interested in UK holidays compared to last year.
Factors driving this interest include ‘The Crown Effect’ – TV shows featuring the UK, such as The Crown, which have driven interest in 22% of overseas visitors, particularly Chinese and US guests.
Advertising campaigns and the weaker pound are also having a positive effect.
Nearly a third (30%) of Brits are expecting to spend more of their holiday in the UK this year and 39% believe domestic holidays represent better value for money in 2017
Nearly a third (31%) of international tourists said they are more likely to visit the UK than before the Referendum result, while only 10% said they are less interested.
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.
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.
"While the impact of a weak sterling, at least temporarily, has boosted the UK’s international appeal, underlying this increase is the quality of our hospitality industry today and the UK’s enduring appeal as a truly world class destination.
"Those holidaymakers who are more likely to visit today than 12 months ago are doing so for a range of reasons including the effect of UK operators’ advertising campaigns, the attraction of British TV programmes that have gone global and a case of simply having more money available to spend on holidays from which the UK is set to benefit."
