Activities and experiences

What types of activities and experiences do domestic and inbound consumers look for while in England – and how do they influence where they go?

Activities undertaken by inbound visitors (2019)

This report was based on data collected via the International Passenger Survey, and explored activities undertaken while in Britain – at a total level as well as by region.

Report highlights

Top activities undertaken while in Britain on holiday were:

  • Dining in a restaurant (63%);

  • Shopping (55%);

  • Sightseeing famous monuments or buildings (47%).

Only 10% of inbound tourists visited England’s coast and beaches. Those most likely to journey to the coast were on visits lasting a week or longer.

The south-west of England was more likely than other regions to attract international visitors – in particular those from Germany, France and the Republic of Ireland. These visitors tended to undertake niche activities such as visiting spas, cycling, and studying English.

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Regional activities undertaken by inbound visitors (IPS)

See the full report for details on activities undertaken by inbound visitors from 2006-2019 using data from the International Passenger Survey

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Explore activities, visits and spend

Expand the tables below, to view all of the activities that inbound visitors to Britain were asked about – with the volume and value of visitors.

  • Activity asked about

    Number of visits that involved activity (000)

    % of all visits

    Amount spent in UK (£m)*

    Sightseeing famous monuments/buildings

    19,367

    47%

    £16,160

    Going on a guided tour

    6,647

    16%

    £6,186

    Visiting literary, music, TV, film locations

    2,241

    5%

    £2,108

    Zoo, aquarium or other wildlife attractions

    1,313

    4%

    £872

  • Activity asked about

    Number of visits that involved activity (000)

    % of all visits

    Amount spent in UK (£m)*

    Visiting castles or historic houses

    11,037

    28%

    £9,204

    Visiting religious buildings

    8,147

    21%

    £6,711

    Researching ancestry

    483

    1%

    £362

  • Activity asked about

    Number of visits that involved activity (000)

    % of all visits

    Amount spent in UK (£m)*

    Dining in restaurants

    25,689

    63%

    £20,523

    Shopping

    22,402

    55%

    £18,674

    Going to the pub

    16,881

    41%

    £12,394

    Socialising with the locals

    12,867

    31%

    £10,237

    Visiting parks or gardens

    12,581

    32%

    £10,295

    Visiting museums or art galleries

    11,198

    29%

    £9,476

    Having a traditional afternoon tea

    5,604

    14%

    £5,927

    Going to bars and nightclubs

    5,107

    12%

    £5,082

    Visiting a spa/beauty centre

    1,013

    2%

    £1,718

  • Activity asked about

    Number of visits that involved activity (000)

    % of all visits

    Amount spent in UK (£m)*

    Going to countryside or villages

    5,234

    13%

    £5,154

    Going to the coast or beaches

    3,867

    10%

    £3,842

    Visiting a national park

    2,604

    7%

    £2,729

  • Activity asked about

    Number of visits that involved activity (000)

    % of all visits

    Amount spent in UK (£m)*

    Walking in the countryside

    8,751

    21%

    £7,790

    Going for a walk, hike or ramble

    6,065

    17%

    £5,317

    Walking along the coast

    4,584

    11%

    £4,258

    Going for a run

    2,042

    5%

    £2,259

    Playing golf

    367

    1%

    £525

    Fishing

    112

    <1%

    £140

  • Activity asked about

    Number of visits that involved activity (000)

    % of all visits

    Amount spent in UK (£m)*

    Activities to learn a new skill

    971

    2%

    £1,127

    Take part in sports activities

    717

    2%

    £776

    Studied English language

    614

    2%

    £940

    Watersport (e.g. water-ski, speedboat, sailing)

    212

    1%

    £172

    Played football

    109

    <1%

    £199

    Went cycling/mountain biking

    57

    <1%

    £63

    Played rugby

    27

    <1%

    £18

    Played cricket

    22

    <1%

    £21

  • Activity asked about

    Number of visits that involved activity (000)

    % of all visits

    Amount spent in UK (£m)*

    Theatre/musicals/opera/ballet

    3,610

    9%

    £3,898

    Going to a live music event

    2,797

    7%

    £3,030

    Going to a live sports event

    2,248

    5%

    £2,309

    Watch live football

    1,505

    4%

    £1,368

    Attend a festival

    1,192

    3%

    £1,426

    Going to a football match/attending a live football match

    814

    2%

    £722

    Watch live cricket

    225

    1%

    £349

    Watch live rugby

    203

    <1%

    £160

    Watch tennis

    166

    <1%

    £218

    Watch live horse racing

    78

    <1%

    £118

    Watch live motor sport (including motorbike)

    70

    <1%

    £35

    Watch live golf

    61

    <1%

    £129

    Watch a live marathon

    51

    <1%

    £54

Data: Regional activities undertaken by inbound visitors (IPS)

Explore the data in our pre-built tables using data from the IPS

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Interest in activities in Britain (NBI, 2019)

This report reviewed 35 activities (grouped in seven themes) that people might be interested in while in Britain. Findings were based on the views of respondents from 17 global markets, including Brazil, China, India, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the USA.

Report highlights

Overall, the activities that people said they would most like to do if they visited Britain on holiday were:

  • Driving through the countryside of England;

  • Taking a canal boat tour through the waterways of England;

  • A food tour of one of London’s best foodie markets;

  • Enjoying a traditional afternoon tea.

When looking at broader themes, the most popular activities included:

  • Stories. For example, staying the night in a fairy-tale castle or visiting locations from favourite TV/film shows filmed on location in Britain.

  • Discoveries. For example, a drive through the countryside of England or hiking on the South West coast are, on average, the most popular.

  • Women were more likely than men to pick activities within the Stories and Relaxation theme.

Fun/Unexpected activities were significantly more popular with those who had visited the UK before, as were the activities around the Culture theme.

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Report: Interest in holiday activities in Britain

See findings in the full report with data from 17 global markets.

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Experiential activity research (2019)

Drawing from a number of destinations in England, this research explored inbound and domestic visitors’ interest in a variety of experiences. We also looked at the barriers they considered when planning their trip.

Report highlights

  • Half of inbound visitors and more than half (59%) of domestic visitors in England decided on their trip’s destination based on the experiential activity they were interested in.

  • For inbound visitors: the most popular types of holiday experiences were: ‘behind the scenes’, ‘visiting a distillery or brewery’, and ‘taking part in a street food tour with tasting’.

For domestic visitors the three most popular types of holiday experiences were: ‘visiting a distillery or brewery’; ‘going on a vineyard tour with tasting’ and ‘experiencing life behind the scenes’.

PDF

Report: experiential activity research

View the full findings from the Discover Research Fund research

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Experiential activity research.pptx

View the full findings

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Explore all reports

Download these reports to better understand the appeal and opportunity of the range of experiential activities available to domestic and international audiences, while holidaying in England. You’ll find useful insights for the marketing of each activity, which we have grouped into five sections: Eat, Drink, Explore and learn, Exercise and wellness, and Appeal by market.

Outdoor activities trends (2018)

This project explored the potential of the most fertile inbound and domestic tourist product development in England, by exploring the role of activities, activity combinations, inbound market differences and regional awareness.

Report highlights:

  • England had a good share of some more niche activities, but could look to grow the level of provision and marketing for cycling, horse riding and coastal activity to that enjoyed by walking.

  • The trips almost always involved more than one activity (indoor in addition to outdoor), especially for more niche outdoor activities.

  • For their accommodation, those interested in outdoor activities looked beyond hotels to bed and breakfasts, guesthouses and even hostels for some markets.

  • The majority of outdoor activity bookings occurred after arrival at the destination in England, with only 14% of outdoor activities booked in advance.

PDF

Report: Outdoor Activities

See the report from the Discover England Fund research

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Activities and themes (2017)

This research identified the types of activities among inbound and domestic tourists which could grow England’s tourism industry. The project covered 40 activities which were grouped into different tiers and themes.

Report highlights

The top themes were:

  • ‘Visiting famous/iconic tourist attractions/places’, followed by ‘exploring history and heritage’ and ‘experiencing city life.’

  • Individual activities varied by inbound market. For example, city life was more of a consideration for Germany and Denmark visitors, but less so for domestic tourists who were more interested in rural scenery and outdoor leisure.

  • When developing a travel product, it is essential to understand the potential of an activity to drive the type of holiday that someone chooses, as well as the number of people an activity is likely to attract. For example, visiting a museum or art gallery had wide appeal to respondents, but was less of a deciding factor when it came to holiday choice.

PDF

Report: Activities and Themes

Read the full report from the Discover England Fund Research

Download (5.9 MB)