August Bank Holiday: 3.6 million Brits plan holiday at home
According to VisitEngland’s Bank Holiday Trip Tracker, 43 per cent said that the high-profile events of 2012 have made them more interested in exploring the UK – 81 per cent said that the Diamond Jubilee and Olympic and Paralympic Games have made them feel proud of their country.
“It’s great news that almost three million people will be taking an overnight break in England over the August Bank Holiday,” said VisitEngland’s chief executive James Berresford. "Many of them having been inspired to get out and explore this beautiful country by the exciting events of this year.
“Those waiting on the weather should remember that England is a fantastic all-weather destination, with a wealth of world-class attractions including many free galleries and museums across the country.
“This weekend is a huge opportunity for the industry to make the most of this surge of national pride, and encourage even more Brits to take the home advantage and take a holiday or day trip in England – whatever the weather.”
Weather and financial concerns
The Bank Holiday Trip Tracker also reveals that a further 6.4 million Brits (13 per cent of the population) are currently undecided about whether to take an overnight trip in the UK over the Bank Holiday weekend, with the weather (31 per cent of this group) and financial concerns (28 per cent) being the main reasons for delaying a decision.
One in five (19 per cent) are waiting to see if there are any special deals or offers to take advantage of.
Earlier this year, VisitEngland conducted 38,000 interviews with people about the day trips they had made in the previous seven days. Residents of Great Britain made 1.5bn tourism day trips last year and spent nearly £44bn in England alone.
For the Bank Holiday weekend, 5.9 million (12 per cent) plan to take a day trip in the UK, with another 14.3 million (29 per cent) still undecided. The most popular planned types of trip are a day out to the seaside (41 per cent of this group) or the countryside (37 per cent). One in five (19 per cent) plan to visit a stand-alone attraction, such as a theme park or stately home.
The fieldwork for the Bank Holiday Trip Tracker took place between 16 and 20 August 2012 and the survey was carried out on a representative sample of 1238 adults aged 16 and over in Great Britain.
Earlier this week, the national tourist board announced the start of a new partnership projectto deliver local destination marketing and thematic campaigns throughout the country, creating 9,100 jobs in the UK tourism sector over the next three years.
