Just before ipw in Orlando, when a record number of UK tour operators and travel journalists descend up the destination for the trade show, the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) released its report on 2014 travel by UK residents, which showed that they made 4 percent more trips abroad last year—8 percent more to North America.
Also, as the ONS reported: “Between 2008 and 2009 there was a major change in the holiday visits of UK residents, with a 16 percent fall in visits abroad according to the International Passenger Survey. At the same time the Great Britain Tourism Survey, which looks at GB residents only, found a 17 percent increase in holiday visits to destinations in Great Britain. These figures widened the gap between visits to GB and non-GB destinations.
“The most recent figures show that this gap may be starting to narrow, there was a 4 percent increase in the number of UK residents holidaying abroad between 2012 and 2013, alongside a 1.3 percent decrease in visits to GB destinations. When more data becomes available for 2014 it may become clearer if tourists are once again travelling abroad or if the staycation is here to stay.”
Number of Holidays Visits
To GB and Non-GB Destinations
2007-2013
