UK air travel surged back to 252 million passengers in 2023, while hotel demand climbed to 74% occupancy, up from 59% the year before. Behind that recovery is a wider picture spanning jobs, visitor spending, and changing transport patterns, including domestic holiday trips that still lean heavily on the car.
Key Takeaways
- 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
- 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 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
- 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
- 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 travel surged in 2023, boosting hotel demand and overseas spending while supporting millions of jobs.
Related reading
01 · Category
Accommodation Sector25 stats
01
UK hotel occupancy rates averaged 74% in 2023, up from 59% in 2022, with London at 80%
02
There were 47,000 hotels and guesthouses in the UK in 2022, providing 1.5 million bedspaces
03
Average daily room rate (ADR) for UK hotels reached £114 in 2023, a 9% increase year-on-year
04
Serviced apartment occupancy in the UK hit 78% in Q4 2023, driven by business travellers
05
62% of UK hotel rooms were in chains or branded properties in 2023
06
Holiday parks in England saw 12.5 million visitor nights in 2022, revenue £2.8 billion
07
Airbnb listings in the UK totalled 250,000 active in 2023, with London having 80,000
08
UK self-catering occupancy averaged 65% in 2023, peaking at 85% in August
09
Revenue per available room (RevPAR) for UK hotels was £84 in 2023, up 15% from 2022
10
35% of UK accommodation providers adopted sustainability certifications by 2023
11
UK hotel RevPAR in provincial markets rose 12% to £68 in 2023
12
B&B occupancy in England averaged 68% in 2023 summer season
13
UK glamping sites grew to 2,500 in 2023, generating £450 million revenue
14
London hotel ADR hit £160 in 2023, highest in Europe outside Paris
15
25% growth in UK hostel bed capacity since 2019, totalling 45,000 beds in 2023
16
Camp site pitches in the UK numbered 120,000 in 2022, 70% occupancy peak summer
17
Boutique hotels in the UK reached 1,200 properties in 2023
18
UK timeshare ownership totalled 250,000 units in 2023
19
Edinburgh hotel occupancy 82% in 2023 festival season
20
UK luxury hotel rooms 15% of total, ADR £350+ in 2023
21
Caravan holidays 4.8 million in 2022
22
Oxford hotels RevPAR £110 in 2023
23
Hostels saw 20% revenue growth to £250 million 2023
24
Rural B&Bs 18,000 properties UK 2023
25
Wellness retreats revenue £800 million 2023 UK
Interpretation
Accommodation Sector Interpretation
Across the UK accommodation sector, hotel demand surged in 2023 with occupancy climbing to 74% from 59% in 2022 and ADR rising to £114, showing that both capacity fill and pricing power improved alongside strong occupancy in areas like London at 80% and serviced apartments at 78% in Q4 2023.
02 · Category
Economic Impact22 stats
01
In 2022, the UK travel and tourism sector directly contributed £116.2 billion to the UK economy, accounting for 5.5% of total GDP
02
Overseas visitors to the UK spent £28.4 billion in 2022, a 322% increase from 2021 levels due to post-pandemic recovery
03
Domestic tourism expenditure in the UK reached £106 billion in 2022, supporting 2.6 million jobs across the sector
04
The travel and tourism sector's total contribution to UK GDP was £257 billion in 2022, including indirect and induced impacts
05
Inbound tourism generated £14.9 billion in tax revenue for the UK government in 2022
06
UK aviation contributed £22 billion to GDP in 2019 pre-pandemic, with forecasts to reach £24.8 billion by 2030
07
The events and conferencing sub-sector added £41.7 billion to the UK economy in 2022
08
Coastal tourism in England generated £13.5 billion in visitor spend in 2022
09
Rural tourism expenditure in the UK totalled £19 billion in 2022, supporting 212,000 jobs
10
London inbound tourism spend was £15.6 billion in 2022, 52% of total UK inbound spend
11
Inbound tourism forecast to reach £41 billion spend by 2025
12
Business events sector projected £52 billion contribution by 2028
13
Yorkshire tourism GVA £9.2 billion in 2022
14
NI tourism revenue £1.8 billion in 2022
15
Adventure tourism spend £3.4 billion in 2022 UK-wide
16
Gaming and esports tourism emerging at £200 million in 2023
17
Cornwall visitor economy £2.6 billion in 2022
18
Lake District tourism £1.9 billion spend 2022
19
Tourism GVA in Devon £3.2 billion 2022
20
East Anglia tourism £6.8 billion 2022
21
Norfolk visitor spend £4.1 billion 2022
22
Kent inbound tourism £1.4 billion 2022
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
In 2022, travel and tourism delivered a strong economic impact with a £257 billion total contribution to UK GDP and £28.4 billion from overseas visitors, showing a major rebound after the pandemic as inbound spending rose 322% over 2021.
03 · Category
Employment And Sustainability18 stats
01
The UK travel and tourism sector employed 3.8 million people in 2022, 11.3% of total employment
02
Hospitality jobs in the UK numbered 2.1 million in 2023, with 15% vacancies due to skills shortages
03
42% of UK tourism jobs were part-time in 2022, particularly in accommodation and food services
04
Tourism supported 177,500 jobs in London alone in 2022
05
65% of UK tourism businesses reported sustainability as a top priority in 2023 surveys
06
Female workers comprised 53% of the UK tourism workforce in 2022
07
Net zero emissions target for UK aviation set for 2050, with 14% sustainable aviation fuel mandate by 2030
08
72% of UK visitors in 2023 sought eco-friendly experiences, boosting green jobs
09
Training apprenticeships in tourism reached 25,000 in 2023, up 10% year-on-year
10
Scotland's tourism sector employed 194,000 people in 2022, 7.5% of total jobs
11
Tourism jobs in Wales numbered 130,000 in 2022, 10% of workforce
12
30% of UK tourism SMEs adopted digital skills training in 2023
13
Carbon emissions from UK tourism fell 25% since 2019 to 40 million tonnes CO2e in 2022
14
55,000 new jobs projected in UK tourism by 2033, per WTTC
15
BAME representation in tourism workforce at 14% in 2022
16
80% of UK national parks achieved sustainable tourism status by 2023
17
Youth employment (18-24) in hospitality at 22% of total jobs in 2023
18
Protected area tourism visits reached 500 million in England 2022
Interpretation
Employment And Sustainability Interpretation
In 2023, with 65% of UK tourism businesses naming sustainability as a top priority and hospitality showing 15% job vacancies from skills shortages, the employment picture is increasingly tied to sustainability efforts, even as the sector employed 3.8 million people in 2022.
More related reading
04 · Category
Transportation Sector26 stats
01
UK air passenger numbers reached 252 million in 2023, with Heathrow handling 79.2 million
02
High-speed rail (HS1) carried 8.7 million passengers in 2023, up 25% from 2022
03
UK domestic flights totalled 25 million passengers in 2023, primarily to Scotland and Northern Ireland
04
Eurotunnel LeShuttle transported 2.5 million cars and 12 million passengers in 2023
05
National Rail passenger journeys in England reached 1.5 billion in 2023/24
06
45% of inbound visitors used air transport to enter the UK in 2023
07
UK ferry passengers totalled 20 million in 2023, with Dover-Calais route handling 4.5 million
08
Electric vehicle charging points at UK motorway services grew to 1,200 in 2023, supporting road travel
09
Gatwick Airport's passenger throughput was 40.7 million in 2023, focused on short-haul routes
10
Cycling tourism generated £1.2 billion in spend in 2022, with 10 million cycle tourist days
11
Stansted Airport passengers grew to 28.5 million in 2023
12
Great Western Railway carried 28 million passengers in 2023
13
UK cruise passengers totalled 2.1 million in 2023, up 50% from 2022
14
P&O Ferries transported 8.5 million passengers across UK routes in 2023
15
18% of domestic tourism used coach travel in 2022, totalling 150 million journeys
16
Luton Airport handled 18.2 million passengers in 2023, low-cost carrier hub
17
Edinburgh Tram carried 2.3 million passengers in 2023, boosting city tourism
18
Walking accounted for 28% of domestic trips under 5 miles in 2022 NTS
19
Birmingham Airport 12.9 million pax 2023
20
LNER rail 6.2 million passengers 2023
21
Southampton cruise port 1.9 million pax 2023
22
Brittany Ferries 2.8 million passengers 2023
23
Domestic air market 70% recovery to pre-pandemic 2023
24
Uber rides for tourism 500 million annually UK 2023 est
25
Glasgow Subway 14 million journeys 2023
26
E-bike rentals boosted cycle tourism 30% 2023
Interpretation
Transportation Sector Interpretation
In the UK transportation sector, passenger demand stayed strongly air and rail led in 2023, with air carrying 252 million travellers and high speed rail on HS1 rising 25% to 8.7 million while national rail notched 1.5 billion journeys, and 45% of inbound visitors arriving by air underscores how central transport connectivity remains to travel flows.
05 · Category
Visitor Statistics26 stats
01
In 2023, UK inbound visitor numbers reached 37.2 million, up 12% from 2022 but still 8% below 2019 levels
02
The top overseas market for UK visitors in 2023 was the USA with 3.9 million trips, spending £3.2 billion
03
Domestic holiday trips in the UK totalled 122 million in 2022, averaging 4.3 nights per trip
04
82% of UK domestic tourists travelled by car in 2022, compared to 6% by train
05
International arrivals to UK airports hit 243 million passengers in 2023
06
Visitors from Europe accounted for 63% of inbound trips to the UK in 2023, with Germany sending 3.1 million visitors
07
Average spend per inbound visitor to the UK was £772 in 2022, up from £684 in 2019
08
28% of inbound visitors to the UK in 2023 were under 35 years old, driven by social media influence
09
Business travel accounted for 23% of inbound visits to the UK in 2023, generating £6.5 billion in spend
10
Scotland welcomed 14.5 million visitors in 2022, with 3.2 million from overseas
11
In 2022, 40.8 million inbound visits to the UK, averaging 7.2 nights stay per visitor
12
France was the second largest source market with 4.1 million visitors to the UK in 2023
13
15.6 million overnight domestic trips from London residents in 2022
14
Manchester Airport handled 27.8 million passengers in 2023
15
19% of inbound visitors were from Asia in 2023, led by China with 450,000 trips
16
Holiday visits made up 55% of inbound trips to the UK in 2023
17
Northern Ireland saw 5.2 million visitors in 2022, 80% domestic
18
Average inbound visitor age was 42 years in 2023, with millennials prominent
19
Netherlands sent 2.8 million visitors to UK in 2023
20
VFR (visiting friends/relatives) trips 28% of inbound in 2023
21
68 million day visits from domestic market in London 2022
22
Bristol Airport 8.8 million passengers 2023
23
Australia contributed £1.1 billion spend from 1.2 million visitors 2023
24
12% growth in family holidays inbound to UK 2023
25
Peak District 13 million visitors 2022
26
41% of visitors female inbound 2023
Interpretation
Visitor Statistics Interpretation
Visitor statistics show that UK inbound tourism rebounded strongly in 2023 with 37.2 million visitors up 12% from 2022, yet still 8% short of 2019, while international airport arrivals climbed to 243 million passengers.
report visual · Key figures
UK travel demand rebounds strongly
Inbound tourism spending and visitor growth in 2022–2023 point to a post-pandemic recovery, with international spend surging year over year.
322%
Overseas visitors to the UK spent £28.4 billion in 2022, a 322% increase from 2021 levels due to post-pandemic recovery
£106 billion
Domestic tourism expenditure in the UK reached £106 billion in 2022, supporting 2.6 million jobs across the sector
12%
In 2023, UK inbound visitor numbers reached 37.2 million, up 12% from 2022 but still 8% below 2019 levels
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Uk Travel Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uk-travel-industry-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Uk Travel Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/uk-travel-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Uk Travel Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uk-travel-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
59 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level