Business confidence amongst accommodation providers is at a record high for the summer holidays, according to a new survey.
Tourism body VisitEngland found that more than half the 500 accommodation providers questioned were expecting an increase in visitors following the EU referendum.
English businesses are anticipating a strong summer holiday period, it said, with 65% of accommodation providers feeling ‘very confident’ about the summer holidays and 47% reporting forward bookings as ‘very good’ – both record highs for the survey.
Around 40% of accommodation providers and attractions reported increased visitor numbers in the year to date with a further 30% maintaining performance.
Tourism minister Tracey Crouch said: "The number of people enjoying holidays in England is at a record high. With our world-leading museums and galleries, beautiful countryside and stunning coastline, it should come as no surprise that more people are planning staycations this summer.
"Tourism contributes an estimated £60 billion to our economy every year, so a strong summer season is not only great news for the sector but the whole country."
VisitEngland director Patricia Yates said that, with the weakened pound, a holiday at home gave people the reassurance and certainty of budgeting for a domestic trip.
From January to April, Britons took 11 million holidays, 8% more compared to the same period last year, and spent £2.8 billon, 22% up on last year and taking both measures to record levels for this period.~
These figures come on the back of a strong 2015 with domestic holiday trips and spending both up 7% on the previous year to 43.7 million holiday trips and £10.7 billion respectively.
The number of Brits taking short-breaks in England was up 10% compared to the previous year with people also taking about four million more short-breaks in England than they did 10 years ago.
Also in 2015, domestic seaside holiday trips were up 7%, city holidays up 6% and countryside holidays up 12%.
