Experiential travel trends

Find out about activities that domestic and inbound consumers might engage in while on holidays in England, activities that might even motivate the trip and its destination.

Experiential activity research 2019

Drawing on research from a number of destinations in England we explored the levels of interest in various kinds of experiences among inbound and domestic holidaymakers and the types of barriers they consider when planning their trip.

Report highlights

Half of inbound visitors and 59% of domestic visitors to England now base their decision about where they are going to travel on what kind of experience they are seeking.

For inbound visitors the most popular types of experiences were life ‘behind the scenes’, a visit to a distillery or brewery, and street food and tour and tasting.

For domestic visitors the three most popular types of experiences were visiting a distillery or brewery, a vineyard tour and tasting and experience life 'behind the scenes.'

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Experiential Activities pdf June 2019

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Experiential Activities ppt June 2019

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Activities themes 2017

The primary objective of this research was to identify the potential of the activity clusters/ themes among inbound and domestic tourist to grow the England tourism industry.

Report highlights

The top theme is 'visiting famous / iconic tourist attractions / places', followed by 'exploring history and heritage' and 'experiencing city life'.

Experiencing city life is more considered among those from Germany and Denmark, less so by domestic tourist, who are more interested in rural scenery and outdoor leisure, indicating that consideration of individual activities varies by inbound market.

To develop a travel product, it is useful to understand the ability of an activity to drive a holiday choice, as well as the number of people an activity is likely to attract while in England on holidays, understanding that visiting a museum or art gallery has a wide appeal but is less of a driver of holiday choice.

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Discover England Fund Research Outdoor Activities

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Outdoor activities trends 2018

The project explored the potential for the most fertile inbound and domestic tourist product development in England by delving more deeply into these four areas:

  • the role of activities

  • activity combinations

  • inbound market differences

  • regional awareness

Report highlights

England has a good share of some of the more niche activities, but could look to grow the level of provision and marketing for cycling, horse riding and coastal activity to that enjoyed by walking.

The trips designed almost always involve more than one activity (indoor in addition to outdoor), especially for the more niche outdoor activities.

For their accommodation, those interested in outdoor activities look beyond hotels - B&B and guesthouses are important and even hostels for some markets.

The majority of outdoor activities bookings occur after arrival at the destination, only 14% of outdoor activities in England are expected to be booked before they arrive in England.

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Discover England Fund Visitor Research Qualitative Presentation

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Activities and England destinations 2017

This section is about qualitative research undertaken in Germany, the Netherlands and the US to understand consumer perceptions of different dimensions of England’s product offering, and to identify which elements are most compelling for our potential visitors.

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Activities in Britain’s nations and regions

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Activities undertaken by inbound visitors 2020

This report is based on the International Passenger Survey and looks at activities undertaken while on holidays in GB, at a total level as well as by region.

Report highlights

Top activities undertaken while in Britain on holidays were dining in a restaurant (63%), shopping (55%) and sightseeing famous monuments or buildings (47%).

Only 10% visited England coats and beaches. Longer stays of at least week, and even more so two weeks or more, are the most likely to include some time at the coast.

The South West is particularly popular with well connected Germany, France and the Republic of Ireland. This region was more likely than other regions to attract international visitors for niche activities, such as cycling, studying English and spas.

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Activities in Britain’s nations and regions

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