Two-thirds of businesses responding to the annual Experience Oxfordshire Business Confidence Survey are confident for 2023. 84% said their performance for 2022 was better than expected and just over a third said pre-bookings for 2023 were either higher or much better than expected.
To meet the challenges posed by rising operational costs and issues relating to staff recruitment and retention, however, 23% of business had introduced new practices including shortening their operating hours and introducing mid-week closures. Over half of businesses (53%) had increased prices by up to 10% and just over a quarter (28%) were delaying business developments.
Operators are building on the innovations adopted during the pandemic, with investment in technology to enable pre-bookings, online sales and deliveries, online events and exhibitions and to build relationships with customers to encourage repeat visits. With 81% targeting international visitors, 67% said a reduction in VAT charged on hospitality and tourism related services would aid recovery. Reducing VAT on energy costs, business rates relief and a greater level of investment in destination marketing were also seen by over half of respondents as interventions which would boost business.
For the first time, Experience Oxfordshire used the annual consumer survey to separate out the views of residents and potential visitors and both provide a degree of good news. 90% of past visitors and 76% of potential visitors see the county as an appealing place to visit. The visitor survey indicates a pent-up demand with 80% of past visitors keen to return to Oxfordshire this year (in addition to 66% of the respondents who had yet to visit). Over a third of respondents had visited Oxford, Henley, Bicester, Burford and Woodstock. When asked what attributes they would associate with Oxfordshire as a destination, 86% stated history and heritage, 71% museums and galleries and 58% arts and culture. Over half of respondents (53%) chose its attractive countryside. 66% said they used official tourist information websites for sourcing travel information with 72% stating they were aware of or had used the experienceoxfordshire.org website.
95% of Oxfordshire residents view tourism as important to the local economy, whilst expressing concern over traffic and environmental impact. Residents also recognise the benefits of living in a county which offers a full range of heritage, cultural and outdoor experiences. When out and about in the county 93% said they visited a pub, restaurant or café/tearoom whilst over 80% visited attractions, museums or cultural venues. 78% enjoyed attending events, 72% like to get out walking, riding or cycling and 73% go on shopping trips.
Asked about the current economic climate, residents and visitors both stated that they were being cautious in their spending (49% and 64% respectively), with a third looking for free things to do and spending less on eating out. 79% of visitors and 84% of residents said they would spend the same amount or less money this year on leisure activities.
Commenting on the surveys Experience Oxfordshire CEO, Hayley Beer-Gamage said: “Running these three surveys simultaneously provides us with a unique view, from a strategic level, as to how the visitor economy in Oxfordshire is performing.
“We’re looking forward to a busy 2023 for Oxfordshire’s visitor economy, with an anticipated return of our much-needed international visitors. Business performance for some improved in 2022, but for 36% of operators responding to our survey there is still a good way to go before returning to pre-pandemic levels. We know that half of visitors responding to the survey use review sites when planning their trip, with over 50% also taking verbal recommendations into account. So, it’s imperative that as our visitors return they have the best of experiences with all their expectations met. As a county we need them to leave us as Oxfordshire ambassadors.”
