More than 11 and a half million Brits are planning a holiday in the UK over the Christmas and New Year period according to a VisitEngland survey released today.
VisitEngland’s Christmas Trip Tracker Survey reveals that 11.7 million Brits (23% of the adult population) are planning an overnight holiday trip in the UK this Christmas and New Year, with 9.7 million people (19%) planning an overnight trip in England.
Brits holidaying at home are likely to generate some £2.3bn in tourism spend for the UK economy during this time, £1.9 billion of which will be spent in England.
VisitEngland Chief Executive Sally Balcombe said, “It’s fantastic to see so many people planning to holiday at home over the festive season and with so much on offer throughout the country people are spoiled for choice. From winter walks in England’s beautiful countryside to delighting the senses with cultural offerings in bustling cities, there is truly something for everyone this Christmas in the UK.”
The Trip Tracker survey shows that 15% of Brits have yet to decide if they will take an overnight trip during the season and among those definitely planning an overnight trip in England over a third are planning on taking two or more trips over the period.
What’s on over Christmas:
- Lighting up Blenheim Palace with the new Christmas Trail, Oxfordshire - 25 November 2016 - 2 January 2017
- Norwich, The City of Stories presents Christmas Projections and the UK’s first immersive ‘Tunnel of Light’, Norwich - 17 November 2016 - 5 January 2017
- The Stage is set for a Magical Christmas at Chatsworth: The Nutcracker, Derbyshire - 5 November 2016 – 3 January 2017
- Winchester Cathedral Ice Rink, Winchester - 18 November 2016 - 2 January 2017
- Festive Fun Fit For A Tudor Queen This Christmas, Hampton Court Palace, London - 27 December 2016 – 1 January 2017
- Key Insights
- Overnight Trips
- 23% of adults living in Britain ‘definitely’ plan to take an overnight trip during the Christmas and New Year period. A further 15% ‘might or might not’ take a trip. In 2015, the comparative figures were 27% and 15%, suggesting that this year adults living in Britain are slightly less inclined to travel over this period.
- 19% ‘definitely’ plan to take a trip in England, and a further 14% ‘might’. This compares with 24% and 13% last year.
- 5% ‘definitely’ plan to take a trip elsewhere in the UK, and a further 12% ‘might’ compared to 6% and 12% respectively last year.
- And 6% of adults living in Britain ‘definitely’ plan to take a trip abroad, while a further 7% ‘might’ which is unchanged compared to December 2015.
Topline Results- 23% of adults living in Britain ‘definitely’ plan to take an overnight trip during Christmas & New Year, and around one in five (19%) ‘definitely’ plan to take an overnight trip in England. This is a decrease from Christmas 2015 (27% and 24% respectively).
- 64% of adults living in Britain plan to visit friends or relatives (compared to 69% in 2015), and 28% ‘definitely’ plan to have friends / relatives over to stay.
- Aside from visiting friends and family, other popular seasonal activities include going out for a meal (50%), and shopping at post-Christmas sales (38%).
Overnight Trips in England- Among those definitely planning an overnight trip in England, 56% plan to take a trip over Christmas, 41% between Christmas and New Year and 24% over New Year. This compares with 52%, 46% and 23% respectively in 2015, with a similar proportion this year currently undecided as to when they will take their trip (6% compared to 7% for Christmas 2015).
- 60% plan to take just one trip, but notably just over a third (37%) are planning to take two or more.
- 36% of adults in Britain who are planning any kind of trip in England are planning a holiday trip in Christmas 2016. This is a higher proportion than at Christmas 2015 (30%), but a lower proportion are planning a visit to friends or relatives (68% compared to 73% last year).
- More than 1 in 3, 37%, of those who are ‘definitely’ planning an overnight trip in England are planning on spending more nights away from home in England this year than last, and only 15% will spend fewer nights away from home.
- Those in Greater London(34%) and the Midlands (21%), those working (24%) and ABC1s (23%) are most likely to ‘definitely’ be taking an overnight trip in England.
Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR trips)- 64% of adults living in Britain plan to visit friends and family over the Christmas and New Year period either for the day or as part of an overnight trip (69% in 2015).
- Just over a quarter (28%) ‘definitely’ plan to have friends or family staying with them for at least one night, and a further 19% ‘might or might not’.
- Those aged 55-64 are particularly likely to be visiting friends and family (71%), as are those in higher social grades ABC1 (66%).
- Those in the Greater London are most likely in England to be having friends stay with them (36% ‘definitely’).
Activities undertaken- Aside from visiting friends and family, other popular seasonal activities include going out for a meal (50%), and shopping at post-Christmas sales (38%). A third (32%) plan to visit a Christmas market (see table overleaf).
- The proportion planning to shop at post-Christmas sales or at a Christmas market is similar to 2015 (42% and 33% respectively).
- However, those in younger age groups appear more likely to spend money at seasonal shopping events, with 50% of 25-34 year olds planning to shop at post-Christmas sales, and 49% of 25-34 year olds planning to visit a Christmas market.
Activities planned 2016 (%) 2015 (%) 2014 (%) 2013 (%) 2012 (%) Visiting friends and family 64% 69% 64% 67% 70% Going out for a meal 50% 50% 42% 39% 45% Shopping at post-Christmas sales 38% 42% 35% 36% 45% Visit a Christmas Market 32% 33% 26% 24% 30% Going for a night out to a bar, pub and / or club 28% 30% 25% 26% 31% Undertake outdoor activities such as walking, cycling etc. 27% 27% 24% 22% 26% Go out for other entertainment such as cinema, concert or theatre 23% 26% 24% 21% 26% Go out for other Christmas activities e.g. ice skating, pantomime, visiting Santa etc. 21% 21% 17% 15% 19% Go on a general day out to explore an area you don’t normally visit 14% 15% 13% 9% 12% Watching live sporting events (not on TV) 12% 12% 10% 10% 10% Visit a visitor attraction such as a historic house, theme park, museum, zoo etc. 8% 9% 7% 6% 6% Attend a special public event such as a festival, exhibition etc. 9% 8% 6% 6% 7% None of the above 10% 11% 10% 13% 10%
