STR: Survey on Brexit travel impact

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - Brexit has had little impact on 2019 travel plans but has shaped a negative perception of the U.K. among European travellers, according to findings of a recent survey conducted by STR's Consumer Travel Insights team. 

Conducted in February 2019, the survey captured the views of 927 U.K. and international travellers from STR’s proprietary Traveller Panel, a global community of engaged travellers. 

“We asked our traveller panel a series of questions surrounding Brexit’s impact on travel behaviour and travel plans,” said Sean Morgan, STR’s director of research. “Although there are indications that some travellers will adjust their behaviour due to Brexit, the overall impact of Brexit on consumer travel plans in 2019 and beyond looks marginal. The results do, however, indicate that Brexit has shaped a negative perception of the U.K. among a small proportion of European travellers. But, it appears that strong consumer demand to travel far outweighs any potential limiting effect, such as economic uncertainty due to Brexit. These findings bode well for the future of the travel and tourism industry pre- and post-Brexit.”  

Key findings include: 

• 61% of respondents said Brexit was not impacting their 2019 travel plans, while 11% answered “yes.” Brexit has had a greater impact on the 2019 travel plans of British and European travellers – 17% and 15%, respectively, stated that - Brexit had impacted their holiday plans in 2019. 
• 9% of U.K. travellers stated that they were less likely to go to Europe in 2019 due to Brexit, whilst 10% of Europeans said they are less likely to go to the U.K. 
• 38% of Europeans said the ongoing Brexit issue has negatively impacted their perception of the U.K. as a visitor destination. 
• 17% of travellers from the rest of the world stated they would be less likely to travel to the U.K. in the future due to Brexit. 
• 33% of U.K. travellers and 36% of Europeans thought it was best to avoid travelling in late March and early April when the U.K. may formally withdraw from the European Union.

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