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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
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:Â 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.
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.
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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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
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
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
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
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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55% of consumers used hotels in the last 12 months, up 5 percentage points year-on-year and marking a rebound from slower post-pandemic demand. However, value consciousness dominates consumer...
Country cottages, wellness breaks and ‘slow travel' touring holidays are seeing rising demand as consumers seek restorative staycations in a time of economic gloom, rapid technological change and...
The share of consumers choosing holiday centre or park visits has remained unchanged since 2022, demonstrating the resilience of demand for this holiday type, even as the post-pandemic...
Holidays remain important to consumers, but it will take more effort to convert interest into bookings as the post-pandemic urge to travel has waned, cost pressures persist and...
The UK holiday rental property market is projected to grow faster than the domestic holiday market overall, with value increasing by an estimated 12% to reach £3.2bn by...
Demand for human expertise is steady, with 9% of UK travellers planning to book their main holiday in-store, unchanged from last year. However, as AI becomes more personalised,...
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