2025
9
UK Holiday Industry Review 2025
2025-02-21T10:04:21+00:00
REP47BCC536_6F7A_435B_8454_5C8126F6917F
2195
179679
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Report
en_GB
41% of UK holidaymakers say recent protests about overtourism have put them off visiting a destination. As travellers grow more aware of their environmental impact, many are turning to lesser-known…
UK
Holidays and Vacations
variable

UK Holiday Industry Review 2025

"Travellers are becoming increasingly mindful of the effects of overtourism and are showing interest in exploring lesser-known destinations."

Paul Davies - Category Director, Technology and Consumer Leisure Habits

Paul Davies - Category Director, Technology and Consumer Leisure Habits

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Don’t stop at one report. Go for the industry bundle. Mintel’s industry bundles hone in on a specific industry and provides a selection of Mintel’s unparalleled market and consumer insights for deeper and more varied insights.

The UK Holidays Industry Bundle contains:

  • UK Holiday Review: A detailed analysis of the UK holiday market, examining consumer trends, market dynamics, and emerging opportunities for travel companies.
  • UK Hotels: A comprehensive overview of the UK hotel market, examining growth opportunities, market trends, consumer behaviour, and industry innovations.
  • UK Holiday Centres and Parks: An analysis of the UK holiday centres and parks sector, highlighting current trends, opportunities, and challenges, along with insights into future market dynamics.
  • UK Holiday Rental Property: An in-depth examination of the UK’s holiday rental property market, encompassing its current condition, projected growth, consumer trends, regulatory landscape, and future prospects.

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UK Holiday Industry Research

Despite the rising cost of living, holidays remain a top priority for consumers. However, the focus has shifted from quantity to quality, with many opting for fewer trips than before. This shift highlights a strong desire to make each holiday truly memorable, creating an opportunity for travel companies to offer premium upgrades and luxurious experiences.

Mintel’s holiday industry market research found that over 40% of UK holidaymakers say that recent protests about overtourism have put them off visiting a destination. As travellers grow more aware of their environmental impact, many are turning to lesser-known regions that promise both authenticity and a more sustainable travel experience.

Meanwhile, extreme weather patterns, coupled with financial uncertainty, are driving more people to opt for last-minute holiday bookings. Brands have an opportunity to alert consumers to last-minute deals in locations where good weather is predicted for the coming period, or to fill vacancies when a late notice cancellation has happened.

The number of UK holidaymakers taking overseas trips has reached pre-pandemic levels

UK Holiday Industry Review – What’s Inside?

Key Topics Analysed in the Report

  • The performance of domestic versus overseas holidays, and how rising prices are impacting the number and type of trips people take
  • The impact of overtourism on popular destinations and how travel companies can help holidaymakers to explore alternatives
  • How far in advance people book accommodation and transport for their holiday, and how brands can capitalise on last-minute bookers
  • How consumers are demanding more authentic holiday experiences and personalised itenaries

Report Scope

This Report examines the habits and attitudes of British adults aged 16 or over towards holiday-taking in the UK and abroad. For the purposes of this Report, Mintel defined a holiday as a stay of at least one night that is primarily for leisure purposes. Business trips and visiting friends or relatives are not included.

Market size and forecast data refer to holidays taken within Great Britain, in line with the Great Britain Tourism Survey (GBTS).

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • Opportunities for the travel market
    • Bring lesser-known holiday destinations to the forefront
    • Target last-minute domestic holidaymakers
    • Offer personalised itineraries for luxury travellers
    • Market dynamics and outlook
    • Market size & forecast
    • Market predictions
    • Value of domestic holidays set for steady growth
    • Overseas holidays will continue to outperform staycations
    • Intentions to book signal that holidays remain a consumer priority
    • Graph 1: plans to book a holiday in the next three months, 2023 and 2024
    • What consumers want and why
    • Holiday participation in the year to October 2024 remained level
    • Graph 2: destinations visited on holiday in the past 12 months, 2019-24
    • Overseas summer beach holidays continue to attract Brits
    • Graph 3: future holidaying intentions abroad, by holiday type, 2022-24
    • Half of overseas holidaymakers plan to spend over £1,000 per adult on their most expensive holiday
    • Graph 4: spending on UK and abroad holidays, 2024
    • Holidaymakers most likely to book accommodation and transport 1-5 months in advance
    • Graph 5: transport booking lead times, 2024
    • Graph 6: accommodation booking lead times, 2024
    • Three in four holidaymakers seek authentic experiences
    • Graph 7: holiday preferences and behaviours, 2024
    • Innovation and marketing
    • Airlines roll out expansion plans
    • Rewarding sustainable travel
  2. MARKET DYNAMICS

    • Market size – domestic holidays
    • Boom in staycations tails off
    • Graph 8: volume of domestic holidays taken by British residents, 2019-24
    • Increase in average prices drives up market value
    • Graph 9: value of domestic holidays taken by British residents, 2019-24
    • Average cost of a staycation has increased by 30% over five years
    • Market size – overseas holidays
    • Number of overseas holidays back to pre-pandemic level
    • Graph 10: volume of overseas holidays taken by UK residents, 2019-24
    • Growing demand and rising prices boost market value
    • Graph 11: value of holidays taken by UK residents, 2019-24
    • Average cost of an overseas holiday reaches new high
    • Market forecast – domestic holidays
    • Number of staycations expected to edge up slightly
    • Value of domestic holidays set for steady growth
    • Lingering caution and desire for overseas getaways will restrict growth
    • Market forecast – overseas holidays
    • Overseas holiday market poised to outperform domestic segment in both volume…
    • …and value terms
    • Overseas holidays will remain a priority for many Brits
    • Market drivers
    • Financial wellbeing fluctuates with economic uncertainty
    • Graph 12: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-24
    • The cost of living crisis continues to bite
    • Graph 13: perception of the state of the cost of living crisis in the UK, 2024
    • Participation in booking holidays fell at the end of 2024…
    • Graph 14: holiday bookings in the last three months, 2023 and 2024
    • …but intentions to book point to a strong start to 2025
    • Graph 15: plans to book a holiday in the next three months, 2023 and 2024
  3. WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY

    • Holiday destinations – visited
    • Holiday participation in the year to October 2024 remained level
    • Graph 16: destinations visited on holiday in the past 12 months, 2019-24
    • Domestic tourism remains popular
    • Long-haul holidays near pre-pandemic levels
    • Over half of Brits visited destinations across England in the year to October 2024
    • Graph 17: destinations visited on holiday in the past 12 months, by country, 2020-24
    • Spain maintains its popularity among Brits
    • Holiday destinations – future intentions
    • Three in four Brits intend to take a holiday within the next year
    • Graph 18: intentions to visit destinations, 2020-24
    • Plans to visit overseas destinations have taken a step back
    • England retains its appeal as a holiday destination in the coming year
    • Graph 19: intentions to visit destinations, by country, 2020-24
    • A third of UK holidaymakers planning to visit Spain also intend to visit other European destinations
    • Spotlight destinations on par with Spain
    • Holiday types – future intentions
    • UK city breaks continue to appeal
    • Graph 20: future holidaying intentions in the UK, by holiday type, 2022-24
    • Appeal to luxury domestic summer beach holidaymakers
    • Incorporate authentic experiences in UK camping and caravan park holidays
    • Overseas summer beach holidays continue to attract Brits
    • Graph 21: future holidaying intentions abroad, by holiday type, 2022-24
    • Engage overseas beach holidaymakers with new European destination package holidays
    • The future of cross-Channel rail services has potential to boost overseas city breaks
    • Holiday spending
    • Half of overseas holidaymakers plan to spend over £1,000 per adult on their most expensive holiday
    • Graph 22: spending on UK and abroad holidays, 2024
    • Holiday budgets remain level
    • Support holidaymakers with booking low-priced overseas trips
    • Booking lead times
    • Holidaymakers most likely to book accommodation and transport 1-5 months in advance
    • Graph 23: accommodation booking lead times, 2024
    • Graph 24: transport booking lead times, 2024
    • Opportunity to target last-minute domestic holidaymakers
    • Offer weather insurance to last-minute UK holidaymakers
    • Holiday preferences and behaviours
    • Three in four holidaymakers seek authentic experiences
    • Graph 25: holiday preferences and behaviours, 2024
    • Promote lesser-known European destinations for travellers interested in authentic experiences
    • Tap into demand for authentic experiences
    • Assist holidaymakers with sustainable travel
    • Holidaymakers willing to pay for personalised itineraries express interest in different types of holidays each year and flexibility
    • Offer personalised itineraries for luxury travellers
    • Graph 26: consumer behaviour relating to paying more for a personalised itinerary, by household income, 2024
    • Offer flexibility in travel itineraries
    • A quarter of holidaymakers intending to visit cheaper destinations due to rising costs will spend less than £500 per adult on an overseas holiday
    • Promote budget-friendly holiday destinations
    • Bring lesser-known holiday destinations to the forefront
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS

    • Launch activity and innovation
    • New SAF mandate for the UK in 2025
    • MSC Cruises expands global partnership with Formula 1
    • easyJet announces more new routes and UK fleet growth for 2025
    • British Airways launches new rewards system
    • New activities launching at Center Parcs in 2025
    • Jet2 launching at London Luton Airport
    • Rewarding sustainable travel
  5. APPENDIX

    • Market forecast data and methodology
    • Volume forecast and prediction intervals for total holidays
    • Value forecast and prediction intervals for total holidays
    • Volume forecast and prediction intervals for domestic holidays
    • Value forecast and prediction intervals for domestic holidays
    • Volume forecast and prediction intervals for overseas holidays
    • Value forecast and prediction intervals for overseas holidays
    • Forecast methodology
    • Report scope and definitions
    • Market definition
    • Abbreviations and terms
    • Consumer research methodology

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