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South East and Domestic Tourism

South East England

The South East comprises the of , , East , , , , , and . It has a population of 8.9 million, representing 16% of the total England population.

Value to Domestic

There were 16.2 million domestic overnight trips to the South East in 2014, representing 17% of all trips in England, with expenditure of £2.5 billion. The 227 million day trips to the South East that year were also 17% of the total, and saw expenditure of £7.6 billion.

South East trips Total England South East trips (as % of total) Domestic Overnight Trips

Trips (millions) 92.61 16.19 17% Spend (£ millions) 18,085 2,448 14% Day Visits

Trips (millions) 1,345 227 17% Spend (£ millions) 45,101 7,571 17%

Trip Type

Overnight Travel

Almost half of trips to the South East are visits to friends and relatives (47%), compared to 39% of all trips. Leisure VFR trips are particularly important to the South East, representing almost 3 in 10 trips. Only in ten trips in the South East are 4+ night holidays, compared to 15% of all England trips.

% of trips taken South East % of South East Total England by all trip takers trips trips taken All Overnight Trips (millions) 92.61 100% 16.19 100% All Holidays 40.74 44% 6.14 38% 1-3 night holidays 26.47 29% 4.47 28% 4+ night holidays 14.27 15% 1.67 10% Visiting Friends and Relatives 35.91 39% 7.57 47% Leisure VFR 22.26 24% 4.61 28% Other VFR 13.65 15% 2.97 18% Business Travel 13.55 15% 1.98 12%

Day Trips

As with overnight holidays, visiting friends and relatives is a key activity for day trips to the South East, being the main activity in nearly three in ten visits. Other top activities are similar to day visits overall, although a lower share of trips involve a night out or outdoor activities.

% of trips taken South East % of South East Total England by all trip takers trips trips taken All Day Trips, millions 1,345 100% 227 100% (selected activities) Visiting friends or family 313 23% 66 29% Going out for a meal 131 10% 22 10% Going on a night out 113 8% 14 6% General day out 100 7% 19 8% Undertaking outdoor activities 109 8% 15 6% Special shopping 84 6% 14 6% Going out for entertainment 95 7% 12 5%

Holidays in

With fewer longer holidays in the South East than nation-wide, average trip length to the South East is shorter than the average. As such, the average spending on holidays in the South East is also lower.

Domestic Holidays Total England South East trips Average spend per trip £247 £194 Average spend per night £73 £68 Average trip length (nights) 3.37 2.87

A higher proportion of trips in the South East are to the seaside than the national average (36% compared to 32%), but self-catering accommodation is less likely to be used (30% of trips, compared to 37% on average).

Travellers to the South East are somewhat more likely to be in the social group AB (43% vs. 39%) and have children in the household (40% vs. 36%) than the average domestic holidaymaker to England. The age profile of holidaymakers to the South East is similar to the national average.

The profile of activities undertaken on holidays in the South East is similar to the average for all trips, with visiting visitor attractions (33%) the top activity. Visiting parks and gardens is done more on South East trips than overall (18% vs. 14%).

% of trips taken % of South East by all trip takers trips taken Destination Type

Seaside 32% 36% Large city/ large 31% 27% Small town 19% 21% Countryside/ village 23% 20% Accommodation used Serviced rented 50% 52% Self-catering rented 37% 30% Camping / Caravanning 23% 22% Other self-catering rented 14% 8%

% of trips taken % of South East Cont. by all trip takers trips taken Transport used Public transport 16% 14% Car 79% 80% When booked More than six months before trip 7% 4% Between 2 and 6 months before trip 26% 26% About a month before trip 12% 13% 2-3 weeks before trip 13% 11% In the week before trip 13% 14% Same day / after setting off on trip 1% 0% How booked Booked online 54% 51% On a laptop or desktop PC 40% 37% On a smartphone 3% 3% On a tablet 8% 9% Age groups 16-34 23% 24% 35-54 42% 40% 55+ 35% 36% Social grade AB 39% 43% C1 28% 29% C2 19% 19% DE 13% 9% Children in household 36% 40%

% of trips taken % of South East Cont. by all trip takers trips taken Region of origin North East 6% 1% Yorks & 13% 6% East 9% 6% 9% 11% 7% 14% South East (excluding London) 15% 37% South West 11% 7% 10% 8% North West 13% 5% 3% 1% 5% 2% Activities undertaken History & heritage 23% 24% Arts, culture & entertainment 15% 14% Visitor Attractions 33% 33% Parks and Gardens 14% 18% Events, festivals and exhibitions 11% 10% Outdoor activities (including long 27% 24% walks) Outdoor activities (excluding long 14% 14% walks) Visited 20% 20% Special shopping 7% 8% Live sport 3% 2% Special personal event 3% 2%

Trends

Growth in domestic holidays in the South East has slightly outstripped that of holidays in England overall since 2008, averaging growth of 2% per year compared to 1% overall.

Number of domestic holidays Total England South East trips Millions 2008 39.75 5.77 2009 47.01 7.64 2010 43.54 6.14 2011 46.16 6.37 2012 45.99 6.64 2013 44.93 6.78 2014 40.74 6.14 Annual average growth 2008-2014 1% 2%

Appendix

Sub-Regional Volume and Value – Domestic Overnight Tourism - 3-year averages 2012 - 2014

South East Counties

Total trips Total nights Total spend Holiday Holiday Holiday (thousands) (thousands) (£millions) trips nights spend (thousands) (thousands) (£millions)

England 99607 293537 18764 43883 147740 10505 Berkshire 1870 4002 289 625 1284 117 Buckinghamshire 1160 2741 142 213 505 27 2189 6278 363 1025 3238 217 Hampshire 3480 9631 510 1328 3751 246 Isle of Wight 955 4136 244 662 3058 199 Kent 3199 8429 458 1207 3155 202 Oxfordshire 1606 3851 232 483 1106 98 Surrey 1478 3523 176 258 574 39 West Sussex 1624 4898 258 774 2384 156

South East Local Authorities

Total trips Total nights Total spend Holiday Holiday Holiday (thousands) (thousands) (£millions) trips nights spend (thousands) (thousands) (£millions)

England 99607 293537 18764 43883 147740 10505 Forest 119 330 26 15 45 3 Reading 511 1250 71 110 230 23 224 490 43 16 65 4 197 414 31 51 136 17 Windsor and 732 1359 110 423 784 67 80 141 5 6 10 * Berkshire 1870 4002 289 625 1284 117 Vale 238 517 23 63 140 7 Chiltern 110 229 8 18 41 2

Cont. Total trips Total nights Total spend Holiday Holiday Holiday (thousands) (thousands) (£millions) trips nights spend (thousands) (thousands) (£millions) 422 890 61 79 182 11 97 257 19 11 50 2 Wycombe 288 829 31 43 93 5 Buckinghamshire 1160 2741 142 213 505 27 and 999 2333 179 401 972 100 309 960 54 176 583 34 260 821 38 127 429 23 136 319 15 44 109 7 Rother 335 1171 54 226 911 41 Wealden 157 673 24 51 233 12 East Sussex 2189 6278 363 1025 3238 217 and 195 511 26 41 93 7 Deane 181 403 24 24 29 5 56 117 4 15 24 1 103 236 15 19 41 6 81 215 15 15 37 2 Hart 81 143 10 9 14 3 140 426 23 80 242 16 606 2068 94 403 1471 72 741 1946 114 306 797 58 131 472 15 17 32 3 674 1748 107 243 581 48 143 448 19 35 132 8 362 806 43 118 226 17 Hampshire 3480 9631 510 1328 3751 246 Isle of Wight 955 4136 244 662 3058 199 Ashford 240 546 52 101 220 26 427 1190 58 198 587 37 225 441 37 22 38 4 284 693 34 170 339 22 105 174 5 11 15 1 257 624 30 76 161 9 294 796 41 76 189 11 182 364 22 47 76 7 Shepway 341 1137 53 210 705 36 Swale 195 524 25 76 210 8 Thanet 318 986 55 129 368 27

Cont. Total trips Total nights Total spend Holiday Holiday Holiday (thousands) (thousands) (£millions) trips nights spend (thousands) (thousands) (£millions) and 138 376 16 34 79 6 Malling Tunbridge Wells 150 372 13 55 112 6 Kent 3199 8429 458 1207 3155 202 Cherwell 283 651 37 77 161 15 646 1526 105 215 491 45 294 639 35 75 159 10 131 300 13 17 27 3 245 692 39 90 237 23 Oxfordshire 1606 3851 232 483 1106 98 Elmbridge 208 438 26 25 36 5 and 57 144 9 3 6 * 275 681 33 45 90 6 116 281 14 31 73 3 and 148 294 16 14 24 1 115 364 18 28 107 5 Spelthorne 92 174 9 24 39 3 142 369 15 28 74 6 97 187 9 22 38 2 Waverley 121 328 16 18 36 4 104 199 10 14 26 1 Surrey 1478 3523 176 258 574 39 Adur 22 77 2 - - - Arun 368 1254 66 240 921 52 436 1475 82 248 928 57 313 635 47 171 243 30 160 550 22 45 123 4 Mid Sussex 184 602 23 43 80 8 144 287 14 26 70 3 West Sussex 1624 4898 258 774 2384 156