Britain’s battered tourism industry faces a make-or-break summer with the weather key to a £8.3 billion boost.
One in two are set to holiday at home this year with the next month do-or-die for a sector still reeling from record losses and a cost of living crisis.
And the good news is all signs point to a blisteringly hot fortnight with highs of 34C [93F] set to hit the UK with the arrival of a heatwave.
Hot air from Central Europe and Northern Africa is set to head this way, bringing 14-days of scorching heat which will help boost the bottom line of staycation businesses.
Britain boasts an alluring and diverse offering, from bustling cities, unspoilt coastal retreats, 15 national parks, 46 areas of outstanding natural beauty and 3 million hectares of woodland.
But, as is often the case here, much depends on what the weather does with most of those set to holiday at home planning to do at the last minute.
Issuing an SOS, Visit Britain boss Patricia Yates said: “It is encouraging to see our latest survey indicating 29 million of us are keen to take a holiday in the UK to September. If realised, this would bring an estimated £8.3 billion economic boost, supporting businesses and jobs across our nations and regions.
“We can see that cost of living remains a concern. People are still keen to take their breaks, however, many are booking last minute, wanting to save on accommodation, activities, eating out and searching for good value options. Many destinations have also told us summer so far looks a very mixed picture, highlighting the ongoing challenges for industry with many businesses battling rising costs and staff shortages while competing for visitors.”
Windsor Great Park, the sweeping grounds adjacent to the magnificent castle, Stonehenge in Wiltshire, Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill in Oxfordshire, Eden Project in Cornwall, and Canterbury Cathedral remain enduring pulls for visitors.
London remains the biggest draw, with attractions including the Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, The National Gallery and Tower of London always hugely popular.
Hope of a successful summer comes after the UK’s special relationship with America helped boost domestic tourism, which was decimated by successive lockdowns as scores of businesses went bust.
The industry suffered a £97 billion hit during the pandemic and tens of thousands of businesses and attractions lost months of trading. In 2020 UK tourism saw two-thirds of its value wiped off.
But enduring appeal of our heritage and history and the magical spectacle of King Charles’s Coronation last May has already seen record numbers flock here.
The US is currently the UK’s largest and most valuable market with 4.6 million visitors spending £6 billion. Americans hand over £1 in every £5 spent by overseas tourists.
The UK was the number one European destination for Americans in 2022, the first time it had sealed top spot since 2018.
This has been helped by a strong recovery in transatlantic airline routes, with flight bookings from the US up one third compared to 2019.
Visitors say their UK bucket list includes exploring history and heritage, experiencing local food and drink, visiting famous and iconic tourist attractions and places, and experiencing the coast and scenery. The top three perceptions US travellers have of Britain, according to VisitBritain’s analysis, are history and heritage, vibrant towns and cities and a mixture of old and new.
Once here the top five destinations are London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Oxford.
Nick de Bois, British Tourist Authority Chairman, said: “We know there is pent-up demand for travel to Britain and our renowned history and heritage are proven tourism draws and [events] watched by a global audience of hundreds of millions, show our hospitality, creativity and warm welcome to the world, driving tourism here.”
Malcolm Bell, Head of Visit Cornwall, said: “We have seen a revival of interest from overseas customers, especially from the USA, with many of our tour and driver guides
very busy and making up for Covid years when we only had the domestic market. Cornwall has certainly not lost its appeal.”
Jim Dale, boss of British Weather Services, said: “A short-lived spell of increasingly warm or very hot weather is expected from Saturday for most of England and Wales, with 33C to 34C set for the south east of England and East Anglia by Monday.”