British Tourism & Travel Show 2016 saw the launch of the first ever BTTS Industry Snapshot survey. Completed both before and during the show by a representative sample of 120 exhibitors and visitors, including tour operators, DMOs, visitor attractions, destinations and hotels, the findings provide a ‘snapshot’ of how the domestic tourism sector has fared over the last 12 months and their predictions for what’s in store for 2017.
The full results, revealed today, paint a distinctly positive picture of a buoyant domestic tourism market, which is enthusiastically upbeat about the opportunities for growth ahead – with visitor bookings on the rise (around 15% on average) and consumer spending set to improve further over the next twelve months.
Indeed, confidence in the market is such that a significant 90% of all respondents are either fairly or very optimistic about the future of the domestic tourism trade (62% and 28% respectively).
Looking specifically at visitor numbers and types, 66% of respondents cited increases in visitors over the last year, with destinations and attractions reporting a 25% and 18% growth respectively. Bookings by seniors, international visitors, families, luxury travelers were also up.
As one may expect, experience, cost and location (in that order) top the list of the three main factors their customers consider when booking an outing or trip. Although cost pips experience for tour operators and hotel/accommodation providers. Culture, family friendly and accessibility are next down the list.
Key trends emerging within the market, include an increase in staycations; a greater focus on millennials; further developments in digital tourism; more demand for ‘unique’ travel experiences; increased demand for single rooms; visitors taking shorter, more frequent trips; and growth in accessible tourism.
BTTS Industry Snapshot Survey 2016: All Results
Are you a:
| Hotel/accommodation provider | 14% |
| Attraction | 27% |
| Destination | 12% |
| Tour Operator | 27% |
| Other | 20% |
Have you seen a rise in domestic visitor numbers / bookings over the last year (compared to 2014)?
| Yes | 66% |
| No | 16% |
| Same | 18% |
If yes, by what percentage have you seen a rise?
| Average percentage | 15% |
Have you seen a rise in visitors/bookings from any of the following groups?
| Yes | No | Same | |
| Seniors | 61 | 9 | 26 |
| Youth | 23 | 26 | 20 |
| LGBT | 8 | 25 | 23 |
| Luxury | 30 | 25 | 16 |
| Business | 24 | 25 | 22 |
| Families | 43 | 19 | 14 |
| Accessible tourism | 20 | 23 | 17 |
| International | 44 | 14 | 14 |
| Other | 8 | 6 | 3 |
What do you think are the top 3 things your customers look for in an outing?
| Accessibility | 20% |
| Cost | 70% |
| Experience | 76% |
| Relaxation | 13% |
| Culture | 24% |
| Family friendly | 21% |
| Educational | 7% |
| Sustainable/green | 2% |
| Location | 45% |
| Pet friendly | 2% |
| Other | 7% |
Looking ahead, compared to the past 12 months, how do you think customer spending habits will change over the next 12 months?
| Significant improvement | 6% |
| Some improvement | 63% |
| No change | 23% |
| Some deterioration | 8% |
| Significant deterioration | 0% |
How optimistic do you feel about the future of the domestic travel trade?
| Very optimistic | 28% |
| Fairly optimistic | 62% |
| No change | 9% |
| Fairly pessimistic | 1% |
| Very pessimistic | 0% |
What key trends do you see emerging over the coming 12 months?
- Increase in digital interaction, and an increase in events programme to keep the Museum attractive as a destination.
- Becoming more involved online.
- I think that there will be fewer group visits, I hope that we will see a greater number of individuals visit, but we will have to wait and see.
- Increase in inbound tourism, especially the Far East and China. Increase in domestic tourism and staycations due to economy and exchange rates between dollar, euro and sterling.
- Quality of time more important than value for money, associated benefits – e.g. enjoy a package of dinner, theatre tickets, post theatre drinks and transport home at fixed rate – but not coach or group travel – independent packages using Uber or the like.
- Visitors taking shorter and more frequent breaks. The tourist season extending to most parts of the year. Older visitors being a more lucrative market.
- More aviation sites opening in Lincolnshire. New International Airshow at RAF Scampton in 2017. International Bomber Command Centre opens in 2017, and major aviation exhibitions planed 2016 – 2020 in Lincolnshire.
- Screen tourism
- An increase in rural experience day trips and holidays. Enjoying a countryside experience, made easy.
- Return of more visitors from Euro currency countries. Uncertainties around EU, Brexit. Continuing volatility of UK/Europe as a ‘safe’ destination subject to short-term reactions to security concerns/perceptions, and actual terrorist incidents. This has been affecting disproportionately the travel decisions in 2016 by e.g. college groups from US, Singapore etc. due to their parents’ perceptions of Europe/UK/London safety.
- Positive impact from Royal Family news Inc. HMQ 90th.
- Rio 2016 renewing the memories of successful London 2012. UK key travel infrastructure decisions finally getting resolved – runways in London, night Tube, Cross rail, HS2, cruise ships in London.
- Interest in added value and customer experience
- Shorter stays
- Demand for single rooms
- Luxury discovering cheap traveling
- Some growth in international
- API technology affiliates
- Greater awareness of activity / increase in shorter duration stays.
- Educational attraction that are family friendly, and offer unique experiences.
- Continuing cost consciousness. Flexibility, expecting more for money
- Value added extras, customers wish to feel they are maximising on special offers.
- Continuing increase in focus on millennials. More use of mobile technology in planning trips and during them
- More Chinese and European visitors
- Innovation
- Film tourism and family activities
- The dying of travel agents, plus the increase in web and app booked holidays
- Improving economy/growth of online booking/marketing
- More “off the beaten track” destinations being asked for – already large increase in our share of requests.
- Increase in staycations, increase in LGBT, increase in short breaks in addition to main holiday.
- Less continental travel. More holidays “at home”.
- Uncertainty from international travel scene should mean more people travelling/staying in UK (i.e. rather than choosing an outbound trip)
- Last minute bookings!
- Desire for “unique experience” rather than “all the same”. Quality over quantity. Less faith in the likes of “TripAdvisor” etc.
- Growth in accessibility tourism. Further development in digital tourism.
- More stay-at-home families. Staying for two weeks rather than one. Using self-catering accommodation with the occasional family meal out at good-food pubs.
- Increase in overseas visitors due to the UK becoming a more popular location for tourists/travellers
- Increase in international tourists – particularly in Bath and Windsor. People booking online as opposed to buying on the day.
- Money saving/ value for money groups, and added value requests. More special interest groups
- Passengers demanding value to money
- Families, pet friendly, short breaks.
- More UK trips and fewer overseas visits
- New destinations – mystery tours and European have been well booked this year
- Viewing destination safety. Perhaps booking later in case of issues
- more online marketing
- Due to events abroad re attacks, I think a lot more people are choosing to stay in the UK and visit places within the UK.
- customers looking for extra value
- Flying Scotsman’s comeback!
- Business spend appears to be challenging at present but there are definite leisure opportunities to be had for these companies targeting this area.
- Due to the political situation abroad, this may impact positively on the domestic tourism market
To view a pdf version of the full survey results, please visit www.tourismshow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/BTTS-Industry-Snapshot-Survey-2016-1.pdf.