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VisitEngland, VisitScotland and Visit Wales have commissioned a Domestic Sentiment Tracker to understand the impact of major events, such as the cost of living crisis and Covid-19, on the UK public’s intent to take overnight trips, both within the UK and abroad.
The survey addresses areas, such as: current attitude to travel (incl. concerns around travel and reassurances needed from the tourism sector), intentions of UK residents to travel for day trips, short breaks and holidays, when they plan to book and when they plan to go on their trip, as well as the destination, type of location and accommodation for their intended trip.
Fieldwork tends to take place at the start of each month and the below are highlights taken from the fieldwork conducted between 1st – 7th August 2022.
From July to August, the proportion of those who think ‘the worst is still to come’ in relation to COVID-19 has decreased again, moving from 27% to 21%. Now, more perceive the worst to have passed.
Three quarters (76%) of UK adults think ‘the worst is still to come’ in relation to the cost of living crisis, in line with the last two months.
67% of UK adults plan on taking an overnight domestic trip at some point in the next 12 months. In June, looking three months ahead, 20% were planning a trip in September, which is now only 16% as we near September. Just over a quarter (27%) are expecting to take a trip in October to December this year.
31% of UK adults intend to take more domestic overnight trips in the next 12 months compared to pre-pandemic, while 30% intend to take fewer overseas trips, suggesting a switch from overseas to domestic travel
39% of respondents indicated they are more likely to choose a UK trip in the next 6months than an overseas trip, compared to pre-pandemic. The top reasons for UK preference is ‘UK holidays are easier to plan’ (67%), and ‘avoiding long queues at airports/cancelled flights’ (50%)
The ‘rising cost of living’ is the biggest perceived barrier to taking overnight UK trips in the next 6 months (37% stating this), followed by ‘the cost of fuel’ (28%) and ‘personal finances’ (28%). At a net level, ‘costs and finances’ as barrier declined for a second consecutive wave.
As a result of the ‘cost of living crisis’, 33% of UK adults say they will ‘choose cheaper accommodation’, 32% will ‘look for more free things to do’ and 31% expect to ‘spend less on eating out’. Nearly a quarter (24%) say it would have no influence on their choice of destination, while 10% would not go on a break/holidays.
The top two destinations for overnight domestic trip in August – September are ‘traditional coastal/seaside towns’ and ‘countryside or village’, while during autumn and winter the lead destination is ‘countryside or village’.
Booking lead time for UK overnight trips indicate there is still time to influence a UK domestic trip during Q4.
The South West is the most preferred UK overnight destination for trips between August and September 2022 (19% of intenders planning a trip there), and it remains the top destination between October to December 2022 (16% intending to take a trip there).
For the next overnight trip in both time periods, ‘hotel / motel / inn’ is the leading accommodation type, followed by ‘staying in a rented house or similar’.
Both time periods share the same top two reasons for going on the next overnight trip – ‘family time or time with my partner’, which is viewed as most important for trips in the August to September 2022, and ‘to get away from it all and have a rest’, which is the top motivation for trips in October to December 2022.
The top two intended activities and set out apart from the remaining activities for both time periods (Aug-Sep and Oct – Dec) are ‘trying local food and drink’ and ‘walking, hiking’.
Read the full report here.