Regional Spread of Inbound Tourism Foresight issue 157 VisitBritain Research 1
Contents Introduction Summary Key metrics by UK area Analysis by UK area Summary of growth by UK area Scotland Wales North East North West Yorkshire West Midlands East Midlands East of England South West South East 2016 data Top 5 markets Popular Towns Spotlight on London 2016 Top 5 markets Day Visits and Day Trippers Nation Share Visits Spend Journey Purpose UK Averages Further resources Appendix 2
Introduction This edition of Foresight looks at the regional distribution of inbound visitors to the UK during 2016, along with nation spread over the longer term. This analysis comes from the International Passenger Survey (IPS) carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) during 2016. This report updates the historical Foresight reports on this topic. Further information on visitor characteristics and behaviours from the Discover England Fund can be found here: https://www.visitbritain.org/visitor-characteristics-and-behaviour Interactive data visualisations and latest regional data can be found on the VisitBritain website: https://www.visitbritain.org/nation-region-county-data https://www.visitbritain.org/latest-quarterly-data-area All figures are based on IPS 2016, unless otherwise stated All spend is nominal 3
Summary In 2016 the UK welcomed a record 37.6 million inbound visits, 4% more than in 2015. There was also a record 22.5 billion spent in the UK up 2% on 2015. This report looks at each of the UK regions to see the effect that this national result has had at the regional level. Scotland saw an increase in both visits and spend in 2016. The USA Scotland s largest and most valuable market a had 31% increase in visits and a 71% rise in spend in the last 3 years. Wales posted its 4 th consecutive year on year visits growth in 2016. Spend also rose to a record 444 million. In the last 3 years the top 5 Welsh towns for inbound visits were Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Holyhead and Llandudno. Though the North East saw a fall in visit numbers in 2016 (3%), spend was on the rise (up 52%). Three of the top 5 generating markets to the North East have posted double digit visit growth in the last 3 years Germany (19%), France (27%) and the Netherlands (51%). Although the North East saw a fall in visit numbers in 2016 (3%), spend was on the rise (up 52%). Three of the top 5 generating markets to the North East have posted double digit visit growth in the last 3 years Germany (19%), France (27%) and the Netherlands (51%). North West saw visit numbers rise 6% to a record 2.6 million in 2016, though spend fell 5% from the record set in 2015. The North West s most valuable market USA reported a 37% rise in spend in the last 3 years. Manchester was the most popular place in the North West between 2014 and 2016, welcoming 3.3 million visits. In 2016 the number of visits to Yorkshire was on par with the record setting 2014 and up 5% on 2015 results. Visitors spent 516 million in Yorkshire in 2016. Leeds, York and Sheffield were the 3 most popular places for international visitors to spend at least a night in 2016. 4
Summary Both visits and spend set new records to the West Midlands in 2016. There were 2.2 million visits, with these visitors spending a combined 855 million in the area. While the West Midlands welcomes visitors for a range a purposes, in 2016 they reported the highest proportion of business visits, with 2 out of every 5 visits to the area for business. There was a 19% increase in visits to the East Midlands in 2016 and a 11% rise in spend. The East Midlands was the only area where a long haul market did not make it into the top 5 generating markets. For the West Midlands all of the top 5 markets are in Europe - Poland, Irish Republic, Germany, France and Spain since 2014. East of England was a 10% growth in the number of visits in 2016, although spend fell 11%. Of all the areas examined in this report the East of England had the highest proportion of visits to friends and relatives in 2016 46%. Inbound visitor spending in the South West jumped 27% in 2016, visitor number grew by a more modest 5%. Holiday and VFR were the most popular reason for visiting the South West accounting for almost 80% of all visits. Germany was the number 1 generating market in the last 3 years. 2016 was the second consecutive year the South East hosted more than 5 million international visits, although spend fell slightly by 1% compared to the record 2015. In the last 3 years Oxford and Brighton/Hove were the 2 most popular places in this area followed by Reading. London saw a 3% increase in visit numbers in 2016, while spend remained flat. London was the only area to include Italy in the top 5 generating markets in the last 5 years. As part of the IPS in 2016, VisitBritain asked departing passengers about their day trips which can be explored to give a fully picture of international tourism at the regional level. A link to this additional report is included on slide 43. 5
Analysis by UK area North, South, East and West 6
Key metrics by UK area 2016 Scotland 2.7m 1.8bn North West 2.8m 1.2bn West Midlands 2.2m 855m Wales 1.1m 444m South West 2.5m 1.3bn North East 560,000 413m Yorkshire 1.4m 516m East Midlands 1.3m 481m East of England 2.4m 854m London 19.1m 11.9bn South East 5.2m 2.2bn Base (2016): Scotland 2,660; Wales 1,151; London 19,800; North East 599; North West 3,244; Yorkshire 1,511; West Midlands 2,049; East Midlands 1,158; East of England 2,336; South West 2,827; South East 5,150 7
Average key metrics by UK area 2016 Scotland Spend per visit: 673 Nights per visit: 8 Spend per night: 87 North West Spend per visit: 405 Nights per visit: 7 Spend per night: 62 West Midlands Spend per visit: 389 Nights per visit: 7 Spend per night: 54 Wales Spend per visit: 413 Nights per visit: 7 Spend per night: 62 South West Spend per visit: 534 Nights per visit: 8 Spend per night: 66 North East Spend per visit: 737 Nights per visit: 10 Spend per night: 73 Yorkshire Spend per visit: 378 Nights per visit: 8 Spend per night: 45 East Midlands Spend per visit: 361 Nights per visit: 8 Spend per night: 48 East of England Spend per visit: 355 Nights per visit: 7 Spend per night: 52 London Spend per visit: 623 Nights per visit: 6 Spend per night: 107 South East Spend per visit: 424 Nights per visit: 7 Spend per night: 61 Base (2016): Scotland 2,660; Wales 1,151; London 19,800; North East 599; North West 3,244; Yorkshire 1,511; West Midlands 2,049; East Midlands 1,158; East of England 2,336; South West 2,827; South East 5,150 8
Spend ( m) Visits (000) Scotland 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Base (2016): 2,660 Visits Growth 2016 2.7m 6% Spend Growth 2016 1.8bn 9% 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2016 saw growth of 6% in visits, recovering to 2006/2007 levels. Spend rose 9% in 2016, compared to 2015 and set a new annual record of 1.8bn. In 2016, 54% of the visits to Scotland were for Holiday with visits to friends and relatives (VFR) accounting for 1 in 3 visits. Summer (July-Sept) was the most popular season in 2016. Holiday Business VFR Study Other 54% 15% 28% 2% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 15% 26% 40% 19% Winter (Jan-Mar) Summer (Jul-Sep) Spring (Apr-Jun) Autumn (Oct-Dec) 9
Scotland Top 5 markets (2014-2016) #1 USA 1.3m 1.3bn #5 Netherlands 420,000 218m #3 France 538,000 305m #2 Germany 1m 561m #4 Australia 432,000 357m Base (2014-2016): USA 1,221, Germany 1,226, France 398, Australia 695, Netherlands 678 10
Scotland Popular Towns (2014-2016) #1 Edinburgh 4.8 million visits #2 Glasgow 1.9 million visits #3 Inverness 917,000 visits #4 Aberdeen 695,000 visits #5 Fort William 383,000 visits Base (2014-2016): Edinburgh 4,149; Glasgow 2,632; Inverness 992; Aberdeen 616; Fort William 446 11
Spend ( m) Visits (000) Wales 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Base (2016): 1,151 Visits Growth 2016 1.1m 11% Spend Growth 2016 444m 8% 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2016 saw visits grow 11%, the 4 th consecutive year-on-year growth. Spend rose a further 8% in 2016, compared to 2015, and set a new annual record of 444 million. Holiday visits accounted for 44% of all visits to Wales in 2016, followed by VFR visits at 33%. 2/3 of the visits were between April and September in 2016. Holiday Business VFR Study Other 44% 17% 33% 4% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 14% 28% 38% 20% Winter Spring Summer Autumn 12
Wales Top 5 markets (2014-2016) #4 USA 266,000 120m #1 Irish Republic 445,000 94m #2 France 309,000 122m #3 Germany 282,000 95m #5 Australia 199,000 102m Base (2014-2016): Irish Republic 454; France 302; Germany 300; USA 380; Australia 315 13
Wales Popular Towns (2014-2016) #1 Cardiff 1.0 million visits #2 Swansea 226,000 visits #3 Newport 167,000 visits #4 Holyhead 95,000 visits #5 Llandudno 85,000 visits Base (2014-2016): Cardiff 1,229; Swansea 274; Newport 182; Holyhead 88; Llandudno 99 14
Spend ( m) Visits (000) North East 700 600 500 400 300 200 Visits Growth 100 2016 560,000-3% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 Spend Growth 50 2016 413m 52% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Base (2016): 599 2016 saw visits fall 3% in the North East after 3 years of growth. Spend jumped 52%, driven by VFR spend, to set a new annual record of 413 million and twice the amount spent in 2010. VFR was the most popular reason to be in the North East in 2016, followed by business. The summer quarter was most popular for visits. Holiday Business VFR Study Other 26% 28% 39% 6% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 17% 23% 36% 24% Winter Spring Summer Autumn 15
North East Top 5 markets (2014-2016) #5 USA 118,000 59m #2 Irish Republic 155,000 41m #3 France 131,000 28m #4 Netherlands 121,000 30m #1 Germany 158,000 48m Base (2014-2016): Germany 230; Irish Republic 157; France 95; Netherlands 234; USA 156 16
North East Popular Towns (2014-2016) #1 Newcastle-upon-Tyne 803,000 visits #2 Durham 178,000 visits #3 Sunderland 87,000 visits #4 Middlesbrough 71,000 visits #5 Berwick-upon-Tweed 56,000 visits Base (2014-2016): Newcastle-upon-Tyne 895; Durham CO 190; Sunderland 80; Middlesbrough 84; Berwick-upon-Tweed 99 17
Spend ( m) Visits (000) North West 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 Visits Growth 500 2016 2.8m 6% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 Spend Growth 200 2016 1.2bn -5% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Base (2016): 3,244 2016 saw visit numbers increase by 6% to the North West, the 5 th consecutive year of visits growth. Spend fell 5% in 2016 from the record 1.2 billion in 2015. Visitor spending has topped 1 billion for the last 4 years in the North West. VFR was the most popular reason followed by holiday and business visits both at 27% in 2016. The summer quarter was most popular for visits in 2016. Holiday Business VFR Study Other 27% 27% 34% 11% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 20% 25% 31% 23% Winter Spring Summer Autumn 18
North West Top 5 markets (2014-2016) #3 USA 587,000 376m #1 Irish Republic 951,000 270m #5 Spain 495,000 183m #2 Germany 623,000 202m #4 Poland 537,000 75m Base (2014-2016):Irish Republic 1,099; Germany 896; USA 879; Poland 407; Spain 465 19
North West Popular Towns (2014-2016) #1 Manchester 3.3 million visits #2 Liverpool 1.9 million visits #3 Chester 388,000 visits #4 Preston 174,000 visits #5 Blackpool 169,000 visits Base (2014-2016): Manchester 4,222; Liverpool 2,176; Chester 473; Preston 204; Blackpool 216 20
Spend ( m) Visits (000) Yorkshire 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 Visits Growth 200 2016 1.4m 6% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 700 600 500 400 300 200 Spend Growth 100 2016 516m 0% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Base (2016): 1,511 Visits to Yorkshire in 2016 were on par with the record breaking 2014 results after a small dip in 2015. Yorkshire visitor spending has remained constant over the last 2 years, topping over 500m each year since 2013. VFR and business visits together accounted for 7 of every 10 visits in 2016. Summer was the most popular season for visits in 2016. Holiday Business VFR Study Other 24% 28% 43% 3% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 19% 27% 35% 19% Winter Spring Summer Autumn 21
Yorkshire Top 5 markets (2014-2016) #1 USA 376,000 152m #4 France 294,000 79m #2 Germany 343,000 102m #5 Spain 282,000 129m #3 Poland 317,000 66m Base (2014-2016): USA 487; Germany 520; Poland 197; France 249; Spain 193 22
Yorkshire Popular Towns (2014-2016) #1 Leeds 1.0 million visits #2 York 815,000 visits #3 Sheffield 478,000 visits #4 Bradford 294,000 visits #5 Hull & Kingston-upon-Hull 209,000 visits Base (2014-2016): Leeds 1,018; York 1,100; Sheffield 574; Bradford 308; Hull & Kingston-upon-Hull 264 23
Spend ( m) Visits (000) West Midlands 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 Visits Growth 2016 2.2m 4% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 Spend Growth 100 2016 855m 5% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Base (2016): 2,049 The West Midlands welcomed a record 2.2 million visits in 2016 4% more than in 2015. Spend also set a new record of 855 million, 298 million more than visitors spent in 2006. The most popular reason to visit the West Midlands in 2016 was business. In 2016, more than half of all visits to the West Midlands were in Summer and Autumn. Holiday Business VFR Study Other 17% 41% 36% 5% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 23% 22% 29% 26% Winter Spring Summer Autumn 24
West Midlands Top 5 markets (2014-2016) #4 USA 409,000 211m #1 Irish Republic 834,000 244m #5 France 394,000 124m #3 Germany 594,000 181m #2 Poland 672,000 81m Base (2014-2016): Irish Republic 618; Poland 454; Germany 623; USA 564; France 361 25
West Midlands Popular Towns (2014-2016) #1 Birmingham 3.2 million visits #2 Coventry 512,000 visits #3 Stratford-upon-Avon 369,000 visits #4 Warwick 205,000 visits #5 Rugby 164,000 visits Base (2014-2016): Birmingham 2,825; Coventry 506; Stratford-upon-Avon 417; Warwick 238; Rugby 148 26
Spend ( m) Visits (000) East Midlands 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 Visits Growth 200 2016 1.3m 19% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 600 500 400 International visits to the East Midlands grew 19% in 2016, while spend grew 11%, compared to 2015. 2016 was a record year for both inbound visits and spend to the East Midlands. 4 out of every 5 visits to the area in 2016 were to visit friends and relatives or for business. July September were the most popular visit months in 2016. 300 200 100 0 Spend Growth 2016 481m 11% 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Holiday Business VFR Study Other 13% 37% 44% 4% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 22% 25% 30% 24% Winter Spring Summer Autumn Base (2016): 1,158 27
East Midlands Top 5 markets (2014-2016) #2 Irish Republic 301,000 83m #4 France 253,000 117m #3 Germany 269,000 83m #5 Spain 222,000 61m #1 Poland 393,000 47m Base (2014-2016): Poland 249; Irish Republic 205; Germany 294; France 209; Spain 137 28
East Midlands Popular Towns (2014-2016) #1 Nottingham 326,000 visits #2 Leicester 565,000 visits #3 Northampton 397,000 visits #4 Derby 304,000 visits #5 Lincoln 159,000 visits Base (2014-2016): Nottingham 719; Leicester 557; Northampton 337; Derby 302; Lincoln 180 29
Spend ( m) Visits (000) East of England 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 Visits Growth 500 2016 2.4m 10% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 1,200 1,000 2016 was a record setting year for international visits to the East of England up 10% on 2015. 2014 holds the record for spend, with spend falling 11% in 2016 (compared to 2015). Visiting friends and relatives account for almost half of all visits in 2016. Summer and spring were the most popular seasons in 2016. 800 600 400 200 0 Spend Growth 2016 854m -11% 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Holiday Business VFR Study Other 21% 27% 46% 5% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 19% 26% 29% 25% Winter Spring Summer Autumn Base (2016): 2,336 30
East of England Top 5 markets (2014-2016) #3 USA 522,000 311m #4 Irish Republic 505,000 143m #1 France 631,000 198m #2 Germany 551,000 171m #5 Poland 499,000 85m Base (2014-2016): France 531; Germany 528; USA 829; Irish Republic 473; Poland 338 31
East of England Popular Towns (2014-2016) #1 Cambridge 1.3 million visits #2 Luton 443,000 visits #3 Norwich 312,000 visits #4 Peterborough 228,000 visits #5 Ipswich 220,000 visits Base (2014-2016): Cambridge 1,425; Luton 401; Norwich 323; Peterborough 242; Ipswich 220 32
Spend ( m) Visits (000) South West 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 Visits Growth 500 2016 2.5m 5% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 Spend Growth 200 2016 1.3bn 27% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Base (2016): 2,827 After 4 years of growth, the South West welcomed a record 2.5 million visits in 2016. Inbound visitor spend has also seen 4 years of growth, reaching a record 1.3 billion in 2016. Holiday and visiting friends and relatives were neck and neck as the most popular reasons to visit. The South West was the most popular in the summer, amongst international visitors in 2016. Holiday Business VFR Study Other 39% 18% 39% 2% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 17% 28% 38% 18% Winter Spring Summer Autumn 33
South West Top 5 markets (2014-2016) #3 USA 601,000 301m #5 Irish Republic 434,000 148m #2 France 794,000 257m #1 Germany 961,000 444m #4 Spain 485,000 211m Base (2014-2016): Germany 945; France 777; USA 924; Spain 521; Irish Republic 594 34
South West Popular Towns (2014-2016) #1 Bristol 1.5 million visits #2 Bath 890,000 visits #3 Bournemouth 498,000 visits #4 Exeter 352,000 visits #5 Cheltenham 281,000 visits Base (2014-2016): Bristol 1,868; Bath 1,062; Bournemouth 536; Exeter 371; Cheltenham 341 35
Spend ( m) Visits (000) South East 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 Visits Growth 1,000 2016 5.2m 1% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 2016 was the second consecutive year more than 5 million international visits were made to the South East. In each of the last 4 years, visitor spend has been above 2 billion down 1% in 2016. While a quarter of visits were for business, VFR was the most popular reason to visit in 2016. One third of the visits to the South East were in the summer quarter. Holiday Business VFR Study Other 28% 25% 38% 7% 500 0 Spend Growth 2016 2.2bn -1% 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 18% 27% 32% 24% Winter Spring Summer Autumn Base (2016): 5,150 36
South East Top 5 markets (2014-2016) #4 Netherlands 968,000 256m #3 USA 1.2m 684m #1 France 1.9m 498m #2 Germany 1.6m 597m #5 Spain 862,000 306m Base (2014-2016): France 1,649; Germany 1,518; USA 1,855; Netherlands 946; Spain 724 37
South East Popular Towns (2014-2016) #1 Oxford 1.6 million visits #2 Brighton / Hove 1.3 million visits #3 Reading 670,000 visits #4 Southampton 645,000 visits #5 Windsor 566,000 visits Base (2014-2016): Oxford 1,884; Brighton / Hove 1,210; Reading 812; Southampton 793; Windsor 752 38
Spotlight on London 39
Spend ( m) Visits (000) London 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 Visits Growth 2016 19.1m 3% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 16,000 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 Spend Growth 2,000 2016 11.9bn 0% 0 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Base (2016): 19,800 London welcomed 3% more visits in 2016, than they did in 2015 - a record 19.1 million visit in 2016. Spend was on par with the record set in 2015. Holiday was the most popular reason to visit London in 2016 accounting for half of all visits. With the exception of winter, London welcomes tourists in similar proportions throughout the year. Holiday Business VFR Study Other 49% 19% 25% 6% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 20% 26% 27% 26% Winter Spring Summer Autumn 40
London Top 5 markets (2014-2016) #1 USA 6.4m 5.5bn #5 Spain 3.4m 1.6bn #2 France 6.0m 2.3bn #3 Germany 4.2m 1.8bn #4 Italy 3.6m 1.7bn Base (2014-2016): USA 9,806; France 4,707; Germany 4,408; Italy 2,823; Spain 2,750 41
London - Top 5 markets (2016) By journey purpose The top 5 London visit generating Holiday Business VFR Study Other 13% 14% 9% 20% 19% 11% 11% 10% 7% 9% 9% 8% 6% 4% 8% 5% 5% 7% 6% 6% 3% 3% 15% 8% 7% USA France Germany Italy Spain 47% 43% 40% 54% 38% markets (in the last 3 years) contributed almost half (47%) of all holiday visits in 2016. USA visitors accounted for 16% of all business visits to London in 2016, with the top 5 markets representing 43%. Amongst all journey purposes VFR was the least dominated by the top 5 markets. The top 5 markets contributed 54% of all study visits to London in 2016. 1/5 of the London bound study visits were from the USA in 2016. Base: USA 3,342; France 1,546; Germany 1,553; Italy 937; Spain 949 42
Day Visits and Day Trippers 43
Day Visits and Day Trippers While understanding where international visitors stay overnight, to complete the picture, we also need to be able to see about day trips that is where inbound visitors visits, but do not stay overnight. During 2016, VisitBritain sponsored 2 questions in the IPS to understand this area in more detail. How many day visits did you take from (CITY / TOWN)? Which towns were your five most recent day visits made to? Due the scale of the data, a separate report has been prepared to explore the day trip data at the regional level and to outline the characteristics of day trippers. The report is available on our website here: https://www.visitbritain.org/visitor-characteristics-and-behaviour This report currently focuses on holiday day trips in England but subsequent analysis will look at Wales and Scotland. 44
Nations Share Long Term and Journey Purpose 45
Nation Share 2002-2016 Visits Inbound Share of visits 2002-2016 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 48% 47% 48% 46% 48% 47% 46% 48% 49% 50% 50% 51% 51% 51% 51% 44% 46% 44% 44% 43% 44% 45% 43% 42% 42% 41% 41% 41% 42% 42% 4% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 7% 6% 7% 8% 8% 9% 8% 9% 8% 8% 7% 7% 8% 7% 7% 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Scotland Wales England (excl London) London Northern Ireland London has consistently attracted the largest share of visits - though pre 2008 the difference was not a marked as it has been in more recent years. Since 2010, England (excl London) has held market share of around 42%, while Scotland has held 7%. Wales holds a 3% share of visits, while Northland Ireland holds 1%. 46
Nation Share 2002-2016 Spend Inbound Share of spend 2002-2016 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 50% 50% 50% 49% 49% 52% 50% 50% 52% 53% 54% 55% 54% 54% 53% 39% 39% 38% 39% 38% 35% 38% 37% 35% 35% 33% 34% 33% 34% 35% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 7% 7% 8% 9% 9% 9% 8% 8% 9% 8% 8% 8% 9% 8% 8% 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Scotland Wales England (excl London) London Northern Ireland London s share of spend has been much more marked with London s share not below 50% since 2006. England (excl London) market share has shown the most variation in ranging from 39% more than 10 years ago to 33% as recently as 2014. Scotland has constantly held a 8-9% share of spend while Wales has 1%. 47
Nation Share 2016 Journey Purpose Visits 1% 1% 2% 2% Spend 1% 1% 2% 1% 2% 64% 40% 40% 35% 47% 61% 57% 39% 34% 51% 30% 45% 56% 63% 40% 24% 35% 48% 58% 38% 3% 2% 4% 3% 10% 5% 7% 3% 6% 4% Holiday Business VFR Study Other 2% 12% 1% 3% 2% 2% 5% 8% 5% 5% Holiday Business VFR Study Other London held the largest share of UK holiday and Other visits, while England (excl London) lead the way with the highest share of business, VFR and study visits. The results for spending share at the same although London holds top spot for share of business spending. Scotland over indexes on holiday spend with a 10% share of holiday visits, and 12% share of holiday spend. 48
Average spend and length of stay Journey purpose The average UK visit spend was 599 in 2016, but this varied from 628 from a holiday visit to 437 from those in the UK to visit friends and relatives. It is clear study visitors have a very different profile to the other main purpose categories driven by a long length of stay. Looking at average length of stay, VFR visitors stayed over a week, on average, in 2016, while a business visitor stayed only 4.0 nights. The UK average spend per night in 2016 was 81, but it is business visitors who spent the most per night ( 147) vs. the UK average of 81. It is helpful to keep these variations in mind when reading the following nation share charts. Holiday Business VFR Study Other UK Total AVERAGE SPEND PER VISIT 628 593 437 3,460 606 599 AVERAGE SPEND PER NIGHT 104 147 45 62 97 81 AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY 6.0 nights 4.0 nights 9.7 nights 55.4 nights 6.2 nights 7.4 nights 49
Further resources VisitBritain regularly publishes up to date inbound research at the UK area level. Below are some recent reports and links to the visualisation on our website for further regional information: Foresight 154: The Visitor Experience in Britain (Welcome, Expectations, Satisfaction and Recommendation) https://www.visitbritain.org/britains-welcome Latest regional statistics https://www.visitbritain.org/latest-quarterly-data-area International Passenger Survey data at region and county level https://www.visitbritain.org/nation-region-county-data UK town visits since 2010 https://www.visitbritain.org/town-data 50
Appendix It is possible to find more detail about the UK s inbound visits to our nations and regions, including the latest quarterly data from the International Passenger Survey, by exploring the Insights & Statistics pages of our website. The data source for all charts and tables is 2016 International Passenger Survey (IPS), by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The IPS is designed to be representative and statistically robust at national level. Therefore caution should be exercised when interpreting results, especially at regional, area and town level. Because come visitors stay in multiple destinations during their trip the sum of visits to each area will add to more than the total sum of visits to the UK. All spend is nominal and excludes the price of getting to the UK The icons are all designed by Freepik and distributed by Flaticon 51
Regional Spread of Inbound Tourism Foresight issue 157 November 2017 52