With overseas visitors pouring £28.4 billion into the economy in 2022 and domestic trips topping 122 million, the UK travel industry isn't just recovering—it's powering a £257 billion economic engine that supports millions of jobs from coast to countryside.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the UK travel and tourism sector directly contributed £116.2 billion to the UK economy, accounting for 5.5% of total GDP
- Overseas visitors to the UK spent £28.4 billion in 2022, a 322% increase from 2021 levels due to post-pandemic recovery
- Domestic tourism expenditure in the UK reached £106 billion in 2022, supporting 2.6 million jobs across the sector
- In 2023, UK inbound visitor numbers reached 37.2 million, up 12% from 2022 but still 8% below 2019 levels
- The top overseas market for UK visitors in 2023 was the USA with 3.9 million trips, spending £3.2 billion
- Domestic holiday trips in the UK totalled 122 million in 2022, averaging 4.3 nights per trip
- UK hotel occupancy rates averaged 74% in 2023, up from 59% in 2022, with London at 80%
- There were 47,000 hotels and guesthouses in the UK in 2022, providing 1.5 million bedspaces
- Average daily room rate (ADR) for UK hotels reached £114 in 2023, a 9% increase year-on-year
- UK air passenger numbers reached 252 million in 2023, with Heathrow handling 79.2 million
- High-speed rail (HS1) carried 8.7 million passengers in 2023, up 25% from 2022
- UK domestic flights totalled 25 million passengers in 2023, primarily to Scotland and Northern Ireland
- The UK travel and tourism sector employed 3.8 million people in 2022, 11.3% of total employment
- Hospitality jobs in the UK numbered 2.1 million in 2023, with 15% vacancies due to skills shortages
- 42% of UK tourism jobs were part-time in 2022, particularly in accommodation and food services
The UK travel industry shows strong post-pandemic recovery with significant economic contributions.
Accommodation Sector
- UK hotel occupancy rates averaged 74% in 2023, up from 59% in 2022, with London at 80%
- There were 47,000 hotels and guesthouses in the UK in 2022, providing 1.5 million bedspaces
- Average daily room rate (ADR) for UK hotels reached £114 in 2023, a 9% increase year-on-year
- Serviced apartment occupancy in the UK hit 78% in Q4 2023, driven by business travellers
- 62% of UK hotel rooms were in chains or branded properties in 2023
- Holiday parks in England saw 12.5 million visitor nights in 2022, revenue £2.8 billion
- Airbnb listings in the UK totalled 250,000 active in 2023, with London having 80,000
- UK self-catering occupancy averaged 65% in 2023, peaking at 85% in August
- Revenue per available room (RevPAR) for UK hotels was £84 in 2023, up 15% from 2022
- 35% of UK accommodation providers adopted sustainability certifications by 2023
- UK hotel RevPAR in provincial markets rose 12% to £68 in 2023
- B&B occupancy in England averaged 68% in 2023 summer season
- UK glamping sites grew to 2,500 in 2023, generating £450 million revenue
- London hotel ADR hit £160 in 2023, highest in Europe outside Paris
- 25% growth in UK hostel bed capacity since 2019, totalling 45,000 beds in 2023
- Camp site pitches in the UK numbered 120,000 in 2022, 70% occupancy peak summer
- Boutique hotels in the UK reached 1,200 properties in 2023
- UK timeshare ownership totalled 250,000 units in 2023
- Edinburgh hotel occupancy 82% in 2023 festival season
- UK luxury hotel rooms 15% of total, ADR £350+ in 2023
- Caravan holidays 4.8 million in 2022
- Oxford hotels RevPAR £110 in 2023
- Hostels saw 20% revenue growth to £250 million 2023
- Rural B&Bs 18,000 properties UK 2023
- Wellness retreats revenue £800 million 2023 UK
Accommodation Sector Interpretation
While travellers might now wince at the average £114 nightly rate, the UK accommodation sector is clearly thriving, offering everything from a £350 luxury suite to a £20 hostel bed, and proving that whether you seek a boutique hotel, a serviced apartment, or a glamping pod, the industry is adept at filling beds and generating revenue even as it increasingly paints itself green.
Economic Impact
- In 2022, the UK travel and tourism sector directly contributed £116.2 billion to the UK economy, accounting for 5.5% of total GDP
- Overseas visitors to the UK spent £28.4 billion in 2022, a 322% increase from 2021 levels due to post-pandemic recovery
- Domestic tourism expenditure in the UK reached £106 billion in 2022, supporting 2.6 million jobs across the sector
- The travel and tourism sector's total contribution to UK GDP was £257 billion in 2022, including indirect and induced impacts
- Inbound tourism generated £14.9 billion in tax revenue for the UK government in 2022
- UK aviation contributed £22 billion to GDP in 2019 pre-pandemic, with forecasts to reach £24.8 billion by 2030
- The events and conferencing sub-sector added £41.7 billion to the UK economy in 2022
- Coastal tourism in England generated £13.5 billion in visitor spend in 2022
- Rural tourism expenditure in the UK totalled £19 billion in 2022, supporting 212,000 jobs
- London inbound tourism spend was £15.6 billion in 2022, 52% of total UK inbound spend
- Inbound tourism forecast to reach £41 billion spend by 2025
- Business events sector projected £52 billion contribution by 2028
- Yorkshire tourism GVA £9.2 billion in 2022
- NI tourism revenue £1.8 billion in 2022
- Adventure tourism spend £3.4 billion in 2022 UK-wide
- Gaming and esports tourism emerging at £200 million in 2023
- Cornwall visitor economy £2.6 billion in 2022
- Lake District tourism £1.9 billion spend 2022
- Tourism GVA in Devon £3.2 billion 2022
- East Anglia tourism £6.8 billion 2022
- Norfolk visitor spend £4.1 billion 2022
- Kent inbound tourism £1.4 billion 2022
Economic Impact Interpretation
While we may grumble about queues and weather, the travel industry is the UK's economic workhorse, quietly generating over a quarter of a trillion pounds and proving that whether it's a coastal ice cream or a London hotel suite, someone's always willing to pay for a British experience.
Employment and Sustainability
- The UK travel and tourism sector employed 3.8 million people in 2022, 11.3% of total employment
- Hospitality jobs in the UK numbered 2.1 million in 2023, with 15% vacancies due to skills shortages
- 42% of UK tourism jobs were part-time in 2022, particularly in accommodation and food services
- Tourism supported 177,500 jobs in London alone in 2022
- 65% of UK tourism businesses reported sustainability as a top priority in 2023 surveys
- Female workers comprised 53% of the UK tourism workforce in 2022
- Net zero emissions target for UK aviation set for 2050, with 14% sustainable aviation fuel mandate by 2030
- 72% of UK visitors in 2023 sought eco-friendly experiences, boosting green jobs
- Training apprenticeships in tourism reached 25,000 in 2023, up 10% year-on-year
- Scotland's tourism sector employed 194,000 people in 2022, 7.5% of total jobs
- Tourism jobs in Wales numbered 130,000 in 2022, 10% of workforce
- 30% of UK tourism SMEs adopted digital skills training in 2023
- Carbon emissions from UK tourism fell 25% since 2019 to 40 million tonnes CO2e in 2022
- 55,000 new jobs projected in UK tourism by 2033, per WTTC
- BAME representation in tourism workforce at 14% in 2022
- 80% of UK national parks achieved sustainable tourism status by 2023
- Youth employment (18-24) in hospitality at 22% of total jobs in 2023
- Protected area tourism visits reached 500 million in England 2022
Employment and Sustainability Interpretation
The UK travel industry is a colossal employer, chronically short-staffed yet increasingly green and digitally savvy, where part-time pints and full-time sustainability efforts are creating a sector as multifaceted as the destinations it promotes.
Transportation Sector
- UK air passenger numbers reached 252 million in 2023, with Heathrow handling 79.2 million
- High-speed rail (HS1) carried 8.7 million passengers in 2023, up 25% from 2022
- UK domestic flights totalled 25 million passengers in 2023, primarily to Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Eurotunnel LeShuttle transported 2.5 million cars and 12 million passengers in 2023
- National Rail passenger journeys in England reached 1.5 billion in 2023/24
- 45% of inbound visitors used air transport to enter the UK in 2023
- UK ferry passengers totalled 20 million in 2023, with Dover-Calais route handling 4.5 million
- Electric vehicle charging points at UK motorway services grew to 1,200 in 2023, supporting road travel
- Gatwick Airport's passenger throughput was 40.7 million in 2023, focused on short-haul routes
- Cycling tourism generated £1.2 billion in spend in 2022, with 10 million cycle tourist days
- Stansted Airport passengers grew to 28.5 million in 2023
- Great Western Railway carried 28 million passengers in 2023
- UK cruise passengers totalled 2.1 million in 2023, up 50% from 2022
- P&O Ferries transported 8.5 million passengers across UK routes in 2023
- 18% of domestic tourism used coach travel in 2022, totalling 150 million journeys
- Luton Airport handled 18.2 million passengers in 2023, low-cost carrier hub
- Edinburgh Tram carried 2.3 million passengers in 2023, boosting city tourism
- Walking accounted for 28% of domestic trips under 5 miles in 2022 NTS
- Birmingham Airport 12.9 million pax 2023
- LNER rail 6.2 million passengers 2023
- Southampton cruise port 1.9 million pax 2023
- Brittany Ferries 2.8 million passengers 2023
- Domestic air market 70% recovery to pre-pandemic 2023
- Uber rides for tourism 500 million annually UK 2023 est
- Glasgow Subway 14 million journeys 2023
- E-bike rentals boosted cycle tourism 30% 2023
Transportation Sector Interpretation
While we remain a nation still deeply attached to our wings, a quieter revolution is taking root on the rails, roads, and cycle paths, stitching the country back together with more threads than just the jet trail.
Visitor Statistics
- In 2023, UK inbound visitor numbers reached 37.2 million, up 12% from 2022 but still 8% below 2019 levels
- The top overseas market for UK visitors in 2023 was the USA with 3.9 million trips, spending £3.2 billion
- Domestic holiday trips in the UK totalled 122 million in 2022, averaging 4.3 nights per trip
- 82% of UK domestic tourists travelled by car in 2022, compared to 6% by train
- International arrivals to UK airports hit 243 million passengers in 2023
- Visitors from Europe accounted for 63% of inbound trips to the UK in 2023, with Germany sending 3.1 million visitors
- Average spend per inbound visitor to the UK was £772 in 2022, up from £684 in 2019
- 28% of inbound visitors to the UK in 2023 were under 35 years old, driven by social media influence
- Business travel accounted for 23% of inbound visits to the UK in 2023, generating £6.5 billion in spend
- Scotland welcomed 14.5 million visitors in 2022, with 3.2 million from overseas
- In 2022, 40.8 million inbound visits to the UK, averaging 7.2 nights stay per visitor
- France was the second largest source market with 4.1 million visitors to the UK in 2023
- 15.6 million overnight domestic trips from London residents in 2022
- Manchester Airport handled 27.8 million passengers in 2023
- 19% of inbound visitors were from Asia in 2023, led by China with 450,000 trips
- Holiday visits made up 55% of inbound trips to the UK in 2023
- Northern Ireland saw 5.2 million visitors in 2022, 80% domestic
- Average inbound visitor age was 42 years in 2023, with millennials prominent
- Netherlands sent 2.8 million visitors to UK in 2023
- VFR (visiting friends/relatives) trips 28% of inbound in 2023
- 68 million day visits from domestic market in London 2022
- Bristol Airport 8.8 million passengers 2023
- Australia contributed £1.1 billion spend from 1.2 million visitors 2023
- 12% growth in family holidays inbound to UK 2023
- Peak District 13 million visitors 2022
- 41% of visitors female inbound 2023
Visitor Statistics Interpretation
While the UK's tourism industry is triumphantly recovering from its pandemic slumber—propelled by free-spending Americans and a continent of Europeans eagerly trading euros for rainy photos—it remains stubbornly a nation on four wheels domestically, yet increasingly shaped by the selfie-stick wielding, social-media-fuelled whims of a younger, global crowd.
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