Changes to the way the data was collected mean that it cannot be compared with previous years, but does enable month on month comparisons beginning with May 2006 data. The data will therefore become far more relevant in driving future marketing and commercial activity by the national tourist boards and partners in the industry.
The key findings of the report follow:
More than 138 million overnight domestic stays were made by UK residents last year.
The 2005 United Kingdom Tourism Survey indicates that domestic visitors spent £22.7 billion – an average of £51 per night – on trips in their own country.
Data from the UK's four national tourist boards shows that the number of UK residents' domestic trips remains well ahead of the 66.5 million trips taken abroad.
A total of 63% (87 million) were holidays, representing £14.5 billion – 64% – of spending.
The study found that people are also taking more short breaks. Nearly twice as many holidays of one to three nights (56 million) were taken last year compared with 30 million trips of four or more nights. The information echoes the growing global trend of shorter breaks spread throughout the year, according to VisitBritain.
The latest annual data has been collected by TNS for VisitBritain, VisitScotland, Visit Wales and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board under an improved methodology, which provides more accurate and detailed information.
Face-to-face interviews with 100,000 people were conducted as part of a national omnibus survey with 2,000 people surveyed each week. The results more accurately reflect the demographic characteristics of the UK adult population in terms of gender, age group, social class, working status and, with interviews undertaken in 140 locations throughout the UK, regional distribution, VisitBritain has claimed.
