Holiday or vacation travel constitutes one of the most prominent segments of the tourism industry in the United Kingdom. In 2022, the
reached nearly 46 million, growing sharply compared to the previous year but remaining below the volume of trips reported prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As the number of holidays bounced back while not catching up with pre-pandemic levels,
followed the same trend, amounting to roughly 34 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. As forecast by Statista Mobility Market Insights, this market’s revenue is predicted to fully recover from the impact of the health crisis in 2023 and then rise steadily over the following years, peaking at nearly 42 billion U.S. dollars in 2027.
What are the most popular travel destinations for UK vacationers?
When looking at the
leading holiday destinations abroad for UK travelers, Spain comes out as the clear favorite, topping the list of the most visited countries both before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, Spain recorded around 13.6 million holiday visits from the United Kingdom in 2022. While France and Greece followed behind based on the number of trips, when focusing on the
leading holiday destinations from the UK based on spending, the United States ranked third that year, ahead of Greece. On the other hand, according to a May 2023 study on the
most popular regions for summer staycations in the UK, the South West was by far the preferred destination for domestic trips, chosen by one in five respondents.
How do UK vacationers book their holidays?
According to an October 2022 survey on the
preferred methods to book overseas holidays in the UK, online travel agencies (OTAs) were the most popular choice, with approximately 40 percent of the sample stating to use that channel. However, although OTAs were the
favorite booking method across most age groups, high street agencies or tour operators ranked highest among respondents aged 65 and older. Meanwhile, when asked about the
providers used to book a package holiday in the United Kingdom in 2023, roughly three in ten UK respondents to Statista Consumer Insights Global survey reported relying on TUI and Jet2 Holidays.
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