Activities undertaken in Britain
International visitors participate in a number of activities whilst they are in Britain. Visits across the country very commonly include activities such as eating out, shopping and cultural attractions.
From 22 May we will be working to update all of the data and documents on this page following the Office of National Statistics (ONS) revision of the International Passenger Survey (IPS) data for 2009-2018 and the released detailed 2019 data. Please be patient as we update these pages or contact the VisitBritain research team if you have any questions- VB/VEResearch@visitbritain.org. Thank you.
Destinations offering rural locations or outdoor activities appeal to particular groups of visitors as do those where it is possible to watch football or other live sport. Those visiting Britain on holiday are often particularly likely to include activities such as dining in restaurants, shopping and sightseeing our famous monuments and buildings. Each year, we sponsor specific questions in the International Passenger Survey (IPS) to find out how many visitors from overseas undertook particular activites whilst in Britain.
- Available to download: our report on Activities in Britain’s nations and regions (PDF, 6.0MB) covers the profile of international visitors in different areas of Britain and the activities they do there.
Visiting famous / iconic tourist attractions
| Activity asked about | Number of visits that involved activity (000) | % of all visits | Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sightseeing famous monuments/buildings | 11,238 | 35% | £6,590 |
| Going on a guided tour | 6,072 | 15% | £5,240 |
| Zoo, aquarium or other wildlife attractions | 1,313 | 4% | £870 |
| Visiting literary, music, TV, film locations | 2,075 | 5% | £1,750 |
Exploring history and heritage
| Activity asked about | Number of visits that involved activity (000) | % of all visits | Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visiting castles or historic houses | 10,410 | 28% | £8,000 |
| Visiting religious buildings | 7,674 | 20% | £5,870 |
| Researching ancestry | 483 | 1% | £360 |
Experiencing city life
| Activity asked about | Number of visits that involved activity (000) | % of all visits | Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining in restaurants | 19,399 | 61% | £11,550 |
| Shopping | 20,985 | 54% | £15,850 |
| Going to the pub | 16,355 | 42% | £11,180 |
| Socialising with the locals | 12,368 | 32% | £9,120 |
| Visiting parks or gardens | 11,873 | 32% | £8,880 |
| Visiting museums or art galleries | 10,438 | 28% | £8,130 |
| Going to bars and nightclubs | 4,894 | 12% | £4,430 |
| Visiting a spa/beauty centre | 913 | 2% | £1,440 |
Experiencing rural life and scenery
| Activity asked about | Number of visits that involved activity (000) | % of all visits | Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Going to countryside or villages | 4,996 | 13% | £4,540 |
| Going to the coast or beaches | 3,797 | 10% | £3,460 |
| Visiting a national park | 2,490 | 7% | £2,430 |
Outdoor leisure pursuits
| Activity asked about | Number of visits that involved activity (000) | % of all visits | Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking in the countryside | 6,459 | 20% | £3,900 |
| Going for a walk, hike or ramble | 5,935 | 17% | £4,970 |
| Walking along the coast | 2,445 | 8% | £1,970 |
| Playing golf | 354 | 1% | £480 |
| Fishing | 115 | <1% | £140 |
Challenge and / or action
| Activity asked about | Number of visits that involved activity (000) | % of all visits | Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studied English language | 1,080 | 3% | £1,250 |
| Take part in sports activities | 707 | 2% | £730 |
| Watersport (eg water-ski, speedboat, sailing) | 217 | 1% | £170 |
| Played football | 105 | <1% | £180 |
| Went cycling/mountain biking | 57 | <1% | £60 |
Attending cultural / music / sports events
| Activity asked about | Number of visits that involved activity (000) | % of all visits | Amount spent in UK (£m)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theatre / musicals / opera / ballet | 3,316 | 9% | £3,210 |
| Going to a live music event | 2,637 | 7% | £2,610 |
| Going to a live sports event | 2,178 | 6% | £2,030 |
| Attend a festival | 1,119 | 3% | £1,160 |
| Going to a football match / attending a live football match | 800 | 2% | £680 |
| Watch live rugby | 92 | <1% | £80 |
| Watch live horse racing | 68 | <1% | £80 |
| Watch live cricket | 45 | <1% | £80 |
| Watch live golf | 18 | <1% | £30 |
Available to download: our report on Activities in Britain’s nations and regions (PDF, 6.0MB) covers the profile of international visitors in different areas of Britain and the activities they do there.
Source: International Passenger Survey 2006-2017 *By those whose visit included the activity. Spend is not specifically whilst under-taking activity throughout visit to UK.
Further resources on activities
- Download data (XLS, 18.9MB) to explore our activity data in more detail including where our visitors are from and the purpose of their stay when they undertook these activites.
- A question asked in 17 inbound markets what people would most like to do if they were to visit Britain for a holiday. Learn more about what may inspire a visit to Britain in this report (PDF, 1.9MB). Published May 2019
- In 2017 we explored the affect film and TV locations had on holiday destination choice (PDF, 284KB). Published February 2018
- Find out what potential visitors are interested in doing in Britain (PDF, 2.31MB). Published January 2015
- Take a look at our report on our latest exploring Britain research for emerging markets (PDF, 2.45MB). Published October 2014
- Read about the appeal of only in Britain activities (PDF, 2.4MB). Published December 2013
- View our deep dive into the behaviour of outdoor activity enthusiasts (PDF 3.1MB) in 5 markets - USA, France, Germany, Netherlands, UK. Published June 2018 as part of the Discover England Fund.
- Download the results of a domestic and international survey into leisure activities as part of an England holiday. (PDF, 3.4MB). Published March 2017
- Access market and activity summaries from the activities survey in England (PDF, 1.9MB). Published August 2017
Useful research pages
View our market pages for detailed information on visitors from our priority inbound markets
See how inbound tourism is performing with the latest monthly data
Find out how domestic tourism is performing with the latest overnight stays data
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