A survey undertaken at last month’s British Tourism & Travel Show indicates continued optimism in the domestic tourism market.
The second Domestic Tourism Industry Snapshot Survey, completed before and during the event by travel and tour operators, DMOs, visitor attractions, destinations and hotels, found 67% of respondents saw an increase in domestic visitor numbers and bookings in 2016.
The survey found 57% think customer spending habits will improve over the next year and 78% are feeling either very or fairly optimistic about the future of the domestic travel trade.
When asked specifically about the impact of Brexit on consumer spending, 39% said last year’s referendum result had no discernible impact on their business, while 28% reported a positive impact.
The remaining 33%, many of whom also cater to the outbound tourism market, said it was already having a negative effect. Many respondents commented that it may be ‘too early to tell.’
Key trends identified by respondents included a rise in staycations, more last minute bookings, a rise in inbound tourism, particularly from China, the US and Canada, a rise in digitisation, more away days, and exploring lesser known locations outside of London.
David Maguire, group event director of the British Tourism & Travel Show, said: "This is a really exciting time for British and Irish tourism. Yes, there are challenges ahead but also plenty of potential for growth – reflected both at the show and in our latest survey results. Visitor bookings are up and expected to stay up, with more people holidaying closer to home, while inbound tourism is enjoying a record high – with more overseas visitors than ever before."
To view the full results, please click here.
