2012-12-19 — /travelprnews.com/ — 12 million Brits (24 per cent of the adult population) plan to make the most of Christmas and New Year period by taking at least one overnight trip in the UK, with 9.8 million people (20 per cent) planning to take that trip in England, according to VisitEngland’s latest Trip Tracker survey. This is likely to generate some £2.1billion in tourism spend for the UK economy, around £1.7billion of which will be spent in England. Just over a third of people (35 per cent) definitely planning an overnight trip in England said they will be spending more nights away from home compared to last Christmas.
The national tourist board also revealed that many Brits have already made plans for seasonal activities, with 45 per cent intending to visit the sales, 30 per cent planning a trip to a Christmas market and one in five (19 per cent) planning other Christmas pursuits such as ice skating, seeing a pantomime or visiting Father Christmas.
James Berresford, Chief Executive of VisitEngland, commented:
“It’s great to see that so many people are planning to visit another part of the country with a break over the festive period. Wherever you stay in England there is always something exciting to see or do right on the doorstep, and this is never truer than at Christmas!
Mr Berresford continued:
“Why not pay a visit one of our most spectacular historic houses, such as Osborne House on the Isle of Wight or Burghley in Lincolnshire? Those looking for something a little more energetic can try winter sports at Chill Factore in Manchester – the UK’s longest indoor skiing and snowboarding slope. Dance buffs can enjoy a wealth of classic ballet across the country, with productions of the perennial Christmas favourite – The Nutcracker – taking place from Leeds to London.”
Just 3 per cent (1.5million) of Brits plan to travel abroad over the Christmas and New Year period.
For more ideas and inspiration on things to see and do in England over the festive period, visit: www.visitengland.com/christmas
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Notes to Editors:
• VisitEngland commissions online omnibus surveys periodically in order to collect data on the number of GB consumers who plan to take an overnight trip at key times throughout the year.
• In this Christmas and New Year edition, the survey was carried out on an online omnibus by TNS, with a representative sample of 1213 adults aged 16 and over in Great Britain.
• The fieldwork for the survey took place between the 13th and 16rd December 2012.
• Trip volumes are based on an adult (16+) population of 49.2m (Office for National Statistics).
• Total trip value is calculated using the average ‘spend per trip’ figures from 2011 for the UK (£179) and England (£172 for all trips) – see here for more info: http://www.visitengland.org/Images/Headline%20summary%20GBTS%202011_tcm30-32636.pdf
• For the full report, visit: http://www.visitengland.org/Images/Trip%20Tracker%20Christmas%202012_tcm30-35854.pdf
For more information contact:
Sarah Long, Head of Corporate Communications Tel: 020 7578 1452, Email sarah.long@visitengland.orgwww.visitengland.org
Emma White, Corporate Communications Executive Tel 020 7578 1471, Email: emmalucy.white@visitengland.org www.visitengland.org
About VisitEngland
• VisitEngland is the country’s national tourist board. We work in partnership with the industry to develop the visitor experience across England, plan national tourism strategy, grow the value of tourism in England and provide advocacy for the industry and our visitors
• Our work is underpinned by robust research and customer insights. You can access the latest in-depth market intelligence and statistics on www.visitengland.org/insight-statistics
About England
• England is a unique destination and a real powerhouse in global tourism. It represents 84 per cent of the total UK visitor economy, is worth £97 billion, and supports in excess of 2 million jobs
• More information can be found on www.visitengland.com and www.visitengland.org