Latest Research Seaside Tourism in England

Seaside Tourism in England

For decades seaside tourism has been the largest sector of the domestic tourism market in England. This repor t uses consumer research to pull out key trends and reviews the latest full year data to provide an over view of the current state of seaside tourism in England.

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“Data in this report is compiled from market research company TNS’ study of Great Britain Tourism Sur vey and Great Britain Day Visits Sur vey data from 2006 to 2013, commissioned by the NCTA. This repor t also draws on Visit England research on consumer perceptions English Destination Types, published in September 2012.”

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Seaside Tourism in England

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Executive Summar y English coastal resorts have been a draw for tourists since Victorian times, becoming the largest sector of domestic tourism. England’s 600 miles of coastline boasts some of the country’s most captivating holiday spots and although every destination is unique, there are a number of common factors – not least the predominance of tourism as an employer.

This report provides an overview of the present state of coastal tourism in England, pulling together key trends. To gain a comprehensive picture, it should be considered alongside the NCTA’s wider ‘State of Seaside Tourism’ report to be published in Spring 2015.

Key findings • T he North East attracts the highest number of ABC1 visitors who are likely to be older independents or older families.

• W hile short breaks to domestic cities have grown since 2013, coastal trips have not; but the situation is variable, some resorts continue to perform well.

• The North West attracts a high number of retirees and empty-nesters, more than a third come from within the region.

• V isitor satisfaction of coastal breaks remains consistently high.

• The South East is highly seasonal, more than one third of coastal trips take place in peak summer months, most trips are taken by Londoners or from within the South East itself. Short trips are most likely to be taken by ABC1s in self-catering accommodation.

• C oastal tourism is worth £7 billion to the economy and accounts for more than one third of overnight stays in England.

• S maller, lower profile resorts are becoming more popular.

• E nglish coastal resorts suffer badly from misconceptions, they’re often seen as ‘tacky, dated, faded and dirty’. Vast swathes of the coastline is seen as unappealing, but there is also serious lack of knowledge. Increasing awareness and offering inspiration is vital to boost coastal tourism.

• The South West is the most popular destination, accounting for more than half of all coastal trips.

• T he East Coast is less likely to suffer from seasonality than other regions, ‘boutique’ resorts appeal to higher socio-economic groups.

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Introduction to tourism in England and the seaside

Seaside Trips, per annum*:

-0.4%

Although domestic tourism has declined slightly since 2013, longer-term trends show that growth associated with the staycation phenomenon, fuelled by the recession in 2008, has largely been sustained.

Share of trips:

The rise of the domestic short break has also sustained domestic holiday share growth - as the appeal of the European low-cost airline weekender trips began to wane, cities closer to home began to benefit. Domestic city breaks grew by 3.7%, and spend by 6%, since 2006. Even the countryside has seen growth in trip numbers and spend.

2006 34%

But not so at the seaside. Of all destination types, at a national statistics level, only the seaside has failed to really benefit from the staycation trend. At a local level though, the results are more mixed and show that of all destination types, the fortunes of seaside destinations are perhaps more varied, with some such as Bournemouth and Scarborough, performing well, and others fairing less well.

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29%

Av. trip length: 2006 > 2013:

Visitor satisfaction of seaside breaks though has remained largely unchanged, and even shown a slight increase in 2014.

If seaside trips and spend are decreasing, but satisfaction isn’t, is this proof that England’s seaside destinations have an image problem to the non-visitor? It seems the biggest challenge facing resorts in 2015 and beyond is not necessarily the quality of the visitor experience, but getting visitors there in the first place.

> 2013:

4.5 nights

*

4.2 nights

Average year-on-year percentage change for trips taken between 2006 and 2013.

Seaside Tourism in England

City

Small Town

Countyside

Trips, per annum*:

Trips, per annum*:

Trips, per annum*:

+3.7%

+2.2%

+2.7%

Share of trips:

Share of trips:

Share of trips:

2006 > 2013:

2006 > 2013:

2006 > 2013:

27%

30%

18%

18%

21%

22%

Av. trip length:

Av. trip length:

Av. trip length:

2006 > 2013:

2006 > 2013:

2006 > 2013:

2.4 nights

2.3 nights

3.2 nights

3.3 nights

5

3.5 nights

3.6 nights

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SEASIDE TOURISM : THE KEY INDICATORS • Seaside tourism is valued at more than £7bn to the UK economy and accounts for a third of all domestic tourism nights in England.

Domestic overnight (all trips) 18.6 18.3% 70.9 23.9% 3,886 20.8%

Trips (m) Nights (m) Spend (£m)

Domestic overnight (holiday trips) 13.4 29.9% 55.1 36.8% 3,109 29.7%

Tourism day visits 117 n/a 3,886

8.8% n/a 8.4%

Source: 2013 GBTS & GBDVS data

TIME OF YEAR (% OF TOTAL) • The seaside is still far more subject to seasonality than other destination types 18 15 12 6 2

Jan

12

11

9

6

3

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

4

3

Nov

Dec

VISITOR PROFILE (% OF TOTAL) •

The seaside appeals more to older families and empty nesters, with twice as many empty nesters visiting the seaside than any other life stage.

Empty nesters

Older families

20

Older independents

Young independents

13

Young families

8

6

19

40

Seaside Tourism in England

KEY: CITIES / LARGE TOWNS

SMALL TOWNS

COUNTRYSIDE

SEASIDE

SOCIO ECONOMIC GROUP (% OF TOTAL) • The seaside appeals far more to those from the C2DE socio-demographic groups and lower earning households, and significantly less to ABs. However, the level of ABs visiting the seaside has seen small increases over the past 5 years.

39

41

40

31

31

35

31

29 22 18

19

17

16

11

AB

C1

C2

10

10

DE

LENGTH OF HOLIDAY (% OF TOTAL) • Seaside trips are characterised by more mid-length stays (4-7 nights) and fewer short breaks (1-3 nights), whereas the opposite is true for other destination types 82 64

60 49 34

27

44

13

A short break of 1 - 3 nights

•

4

A mid-length holiday of 4 - 7 nights

8

6

7

A longer holiday of 8+ nights

4% of short break takers are choosing ‘other seaside/coastal destinations’ (destinations that combine 3 coast and countryside) versus 25% visiting a ‘major seaside resort’.

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SEASIDE TOURISM : MORE KEY INDICATORS • ‘Just relaxing’ is the most popular seaside activity, significantly more common at the seaside than other destination types

•

The South West is still by far the most popular UK region for domestic seaside holidays accounting for almost half of all trips

• Seaside holidays are less likely to be booked online than other trip types • Although hotels or guest houses are the most common accommodation type in seaside destinations, fewer

people stay in hotels on seaside holidays than on other holiday types (especially city breaks). The proportion of holidaymakers staying in hotels as opposed to other accommodation types has grown since 2008 on all holidays, but less so in seaside destinations

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Seaside Tourism in England

Seaside tourism by LIFE STAGE

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YOUNG INDEPENDENTS (16-34) Of all life stages, this group are more likely to be from the South East and from the ABC1 socio-economic group. They are also more likely to choose the South West than any other region, be on a short break (64%) rather than a main holiday, book online (51%) and travel spontaneously rather than planning ahead. Trip-taking is less seasonal than other life stages, with May, June and July all only slightly less popular than August. Motivation is more likely to be sightseeing on foot or visiting a beach than any other activity.

YOUNG FAMILIES (Parents aged 16-34) This group is characterised by a more even distribution of trip taking, with more from the Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside as well as the South East, taking fewer trips to the South West than other life stages. Young families are significantly more likely to be C2DE than ABC1, and more likely to stay in caravans (36%) than other accommodation types. They are significantly more likely to take trips in August (25%), although May (15%) and July (18%) are also popular. They are motivated by ‘just relaxing’ rather than sightseeing and are more likely to book ahead but not necessarily online.

Sightseeing on foot

43

Visiting a beach

43

Just relaxing

42

Sightseeing by car

21

Short walk / stroll

20

Long walk, hike or ramble

18

Swimming

15

Had a picnic or BBQ

14

Sunbathing

13

City centre based walking Visiting a theme park

12 9

Sightseeing on foot

41

Visiting a beach

46

Just relaxing

47

Sightseeing by car

20

Short walk / stroll

27

Long walk, hike or ramble

15

Swimming

22

Had a picnic or BBQ

16

Sunbathing City centre based walking Visiting a theme park 10

21 9 20

Seaside Tourism in England

OLDER FAMILIES (Parents aged 35-54) The characteristics of older families are broadly similar to those of younger families, if slightly accentuated. They are even more likely to travel in August (28%)– more so than any other life stage, and more likely still to stay in caravans than other accommodation types. Seaside trips in May half term seem less popular for older families than younger families. Trip motivation is more likely to be beach-related than any other life stage.

OLDER INDEPENDENTS (35-54) Of all life stages, seaside trips by older independents comprise the most ABC1 visitors (69%), and are far less subject to seasonality. Hotel accommodation is preferred, more than a quarter of which is booked offline, and, like their younger counterparts they are more likely to take short breaks than holidays of 4+ nights. More are from the South West itself and travelling within the region than any other life stage, and they are motivated by sightseeing as well as just relaxing. The beach itself is slightly less of a factor for this group.

Sightseeing on foot

38

Visiting a beach

53

Just relaxing

45

Sightseeing by car

26

Short walk / stroll

33

Long walk, hike or ramble

19

Swimming

26

Had a picnic or BBQ

21

Sunbathing

20

City centre based walking

12

Visiting a theme park

17

Sightseeing on foot

42

Visiting a beach

34

Just relaxing

41

Sightseeing by car

26

Short walk / stroll

37

Long walk, hike or ramble

27

Swimming

8

Had a picnic or BBQ

8

Sunbathing

11

City centre based walking Visiting a theme park 11

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EMPTY NESTERS (55+) More likely to be on a longer holiday (4+ nights) and more likely to take holidays in the autumn than any other life stage, this group are least likely to book online but like to plan ahead. Unusually, September is more popular than the peak summer months for taking seaside trips and 37% travel between September and December. They are more likely to be ABC1 (but not as much as older independents), they are far more likely to stay in a hotel than any other accommodation type, more so than any other life stage.

Relaxation is a key trip motivator, as is sightseeing on foot – with the beach less important than for any other life stage.

Sightseeing on foot

36

Visiting a beach

28

Just relaxing

42

Sightseeing by car

26

Short walk / stroll

33

Long walk, hike or ramble Swimming

22 5

Had a picnic or BBQ

7

Sunbathing

9

City centre based walking Visiting a theme park

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Seaside tourism by REGION

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VisitEngland acknowledge that “coastal resorts are one of the most misunderstood types of destination”. They are also one of the most idiosyncratic, and therefore difficult to categorise.

As a result they are subject to sweeping generalisations in public perception, often heavily influenced by media and popular culture. By region however there are notable differences in trip taking patterns.

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Seaside Tourism in England

THE EAST OF ENGLAND Far less subject to seasonality than other regions, with seaside trips here most likely of all regions to take place in the off season. Other than Skegness and Great Yarmouth, there are few larger seaside resorts, with smaller ‘boutique’ destinations appealing to higher social grades (63% are ABC1), where ‘just relaxing’ is the primary motivation and travel is more likely to be by car (89%) than any other region – reflecting the relative remoteness of popular destinations like Aldeburgh and Southwold in Suffolk or the arty North Norfolk Coast.

Although the East Midlands (traditionally the Lincolnshire coast’s catchment area), is a significant source market, more visitors are from the East of England itself than any other region.

THE NORTH EAST Seaside trips to this region are more likely to be taken by higher social grades than any other, with 67% ABC1 visitors. Generally, visitors are more likely to be older independents and older families than other regions, trips are much more likely to be short breaks (68%) here than in other regions with the exception of the neighbouring North West. Like the East of England, trip taking is spread more evenly throughout the year, with May as popular as August and September more so. Trip motivation is much more likely to be sightseeing than visiting a beach, although visitors are typically pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of Northumberland’s sandy, uncrowded beaches.

THE NORTH WEST Of all regions, trips to the North West’s resorts are characterised by a higher proportion of empty nesters (46%) and retirees (31%), more than a third of whom are from within the region. More trips here are short breaks (68%) than in any other region and taken by lower social grades (C2DE 55%). Like the neighbouring North East, hotel accommodation (62%) is far more popular than other accommodation types, and sightseeing is a more common motivation than visiting a beach. Blackpool dominates, with its sheer volume of visitors skewing the region’s profile somewhat.

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THE SOUTH EAST Highly seasonal, with over a third of all seaside trips taking place in the peak summer season (and 21% in August), trip takers are most likely to be from London (24%) or the South East itself (37%). Short breaks are more common here than longer holidays, and they are more likely to be taken by higher social grades (ABC1 63%), staying in hotels or guest houses (37%). Perhaps more so than any other region, the South East’s resorts are difficult to categorise, with everything from big and brash to small and artsy sharing the same stretch of coastline, and Brighton stands alone as arguably the most urban of all English resorts.

THE SOUTH WEST The region is enduringly popular and positively perceived even by non-visitors, but suffers more than most from the effects of seasonality, with more longer holidays than any other region (60% 4+ nights) mostly taking place in July and August. Seaside holidays here are more likely to be taken by higher social grades (63% ABC1) and more likely to be self-catered than in any other region. Relaxing and visiting a beach are equally likely to motivate trips here, and young independents are more in evidence here than any other region. Resorts here tend to be smaller and more scenic, with the surrounding countryside and coastline as much a part of their appeal as the resort itself.

YORKSHIRE & HUMBERSIDE Popular with older independents (25%), over half of whom live within the region, seaside trips here are the most likely of all regions to take place in September (16%), although most are taken in the summer months.

‘Just relaxing’ is significantly more likely to be a trip motivation than visiting a beach, and trips are more likely to be short breaks (65%) than longer holidays.

More than a quarter of trip takers in this region have no firm booking. Most resorts are small, and with the exception of Scarborough, relatively little known, although the Yorkshire Coast (along with Northumberland) is among the nation’s top performing coastal destinations for visitor satisfaction.

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Seaside Tourism in England

Non-Visitor Perception There is much talk of the need for coastal resorts to “reinvent themselves”, diversifying their offer to appeal to a new generation of visitors. While there is truth in this, it belies an underlying problem that is rooted in perception rather than reality. Previous research commissioned by Visit England [Visit England: English Destination Types, September 2012] has revealed the extent of often sweeping and media influenced generalisations in public perception of the English seaside, among younger life stages in particular.

Typically, perceptions are negative and the traditional English seaside resort, though temporarily buoyed by a boost in ‘nostalgia tourism’ prompted by the 2008 recession, is often misunderstood, and worse, derided. Strong prejudices persist, even among families, with many dismissing English resorts as “tacky and dated, faded and dirty” – certainly more of a daytrip than short break or holiday destination.

The staycation phenomenon may have helped some rediscover old favourites but not necessarily discover new ones, and lack of information and inspiration is a key barrier, with “large swathes of the coastline unfamiliar or not expected to be appealing”. Committed seaside trip takers have a relatively narrow repertoire of destinations they would visit or like to visit, and the South West dominates most wish lists.

Visitor perception and satisfaction research has tended to focus on existing seaside visitors. A different approach, focusing on seaside non-visitors on trips to other destination types, might provide more useful insight as to what influences negative perceptions of the English seaside.

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