VisitEngland’s Easter ‘Trip-Tracker’ survey, published today, indicates that 12.5 million Brits are planning an overnight holiday trip in the UK for the Easter weekend, bringing an estimated £4.8 billion boost to the economy. This is also more than the 7.4 million Brits who are planning a trip abroad this Easter.
The figures are up on last year’s Easter Trip-Tracker when 10.6 million Brits had definitely planned an overnight holiday trip in the UK for the long weekend. In 2024, the figure was 11 million and in 2023 it was 6.5 million.
A further 5.1 million people surveyed this year were undecided about whether to take an overnight holiday trip in the UK during the Easter weekend. The top reasons were around ‘waiting to see if I can afford it’ and ‘waiting to see what the weather is like’.
Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock said:
“It is wonderful that so many people are planning on having a staycation this Easter weekend, whether that’s spending time visiting our stunning landscapes and coastlines or exploring our vibrant towns, cities and cultural landmarks.
“Supporting domestic tourism helps local areas thrive - fuelling small businesses, boosting pride, and strengthening community economies.
“Spring is a fantastic time for more people to get out and discover the variety of incredible places on our doorsteps.”
VisitEngland Chief Executive Patricia Yates said:
“Tourism businesses and destinations will be looking to the critical Easter weekend for much needed cash flow so it’s encouraging to see so many of us are planning a holiday at home, with its ease, convenience and certainty of budgeting. We also know that the cost of living remains a concern for holidaymakers, leaving it difficult too for businesses to plan in advance.
“We have incredible activities, experiences and places to stay for all tastes and budgets, and there really is nowhere quite like Britain in springtime. From walks in our beautiful countryside with the promise of a pub lunch or discovering contemporary culture in our buzzing cities to enjoying fish and chips on the beach, there is something for everyone.
“So, a rallying cry to please go out and explore the amazing destinations and events here on our doorstep this spring. Tourism businesses will be very pleased to welcome you, you will have an amazing time and create memories to make you smile all year.”
Of those definitely planning an overnight domestic trip during the Easter break, the majority are planning a short-break of one-to-three nights.
VisitEngland’s Trip-Tracker also showed that more than a quarter of those surveyed, 28%, expressed concern about the impact of the Middle East conflict on their upcoming travel plans in April and May. The top concern was having less money to spend due to the economic impact followed by deciding to holiday at home instead of abroad.
Tourism is worth £147 billion annually to the UK economy, 5% of GDP, and supports 2.4 million jobs, almost one in every 15.
For information about what’s on this spring in England please see VisitEngland’s springtime news here: VisitEngland’s 2026 Coastal Springtime News | VisitBritain.org
ENDS
Notes to editors:
About VisitEngland’s Easter Trip-Tracker Survey:
- VisitEngland’s full Easter Trip-Tracker survey can be accessed on our Bank Holiday trip tracker page
- VisitEngland commissions online omnibus surveys periodically in order to collect data on the number of GB consumers who plan to take an overnight trip at key times throughout the year.
- In this Easter edition, the survey was carried out on an online omnibus by Kantar, with a representative sample of 1246 adults aged 16 and over in Great Britain, between 19-23 March 2026.
- Trip volumes are based on an estimated adult (16+) population of 56.6 million in GB for 2026 (Office for National Statistics).
- The 12.5 million represents 22% of adults in Britain who said they definitely plan to take a holiday in the UK during Easter 2026.
- This compares to 7.4 million, representing 13% of adults in Britain, who said they definitely plan to take a holiday abroad during Easter 2026.
- 5.1 million undecided represents 9% of adults in Britain.
- Economic impact is based on the average domestic overnight holiday spend of £382 per trip in Britain (GBTS, 2024 annual figures, adjusted for inflation).
Further background:
- The decline of domestic holidays has hit coastal destinations particularly hard, with visits down by 11% year-on-year. VisitEngland has been running a pilot domestic coastal campaign to boost holidays to England’s North West coast.
- There is also a huge opportunity if more Brits holidayed at home. Converting just 10% of what Brits spend on travelling abroad to holidaying here could deliver an £8 billion boost annually to the British economy.