# Research and Insights: UK Domestic and Inbound Tourism Data

**Publisher:** VisitBritain  
**Published:** n/a  
**Category:** Destinations, NTOs & DMOs  
**Type:** Report  
**Access:** Free  
**Official source:** https://www.visitbritain.org/research-insights  
**Canonical:** https://tourismintel.ai/reports/research-and-insights

## At a glance
- VisitBritain publishes monthly and quarterly inbound visit and spending data, plus domestic tourism trends and sentiment tracking.
- Multiple data sources tracked monthly: hotel occupancy, flight searches, card spending, short-term rental supply.
- Domestic sentiment tracker monitors overnight and day trip intentions, motivations, planned activities and travel barriers.
- Visitor attraction surveys cover nearly 2,000 locations nationally; separate regional and top-20 rankings published annually.
- Research spans consumer behaviour, market insights by origin country, accessibility, sustainable travel and film/TV tourism impact.

## What the report covers
VisitBritain's research platform aggregates official statistics and third-party data on domestic and inbound tourism across the UK and its nations. It covers visitor volumes, spending, accommodation occupancy, traveller behaviour, market segmentation by country of origin, activities, motivations and emerging themes such as sustainable travel and screen tourism. Data is refreshed monthly and quarterly; reports are published on a scheduled timetable to support DMO, business and policy decision-making.

## Key findings
VisitBritain maintains separate tracking systems for inbound and domestic tourism. Inbound data derives from the International Passenger Survey (IPS), published by the Office for National Statistics, and covers monthly, quarterly and annual breakdowns by region and UK nation. Domestic statistics source from the Great Britain Tourism Survey (GBTS), tracking overnight trips and day visits. Both datasets are supplemented by visualisation tools allowing users to explore trends by geography, time period and traveller segment.

Monthly operational metrics are tracked across multiple channels. Hotel occupancy data covers England; flight search volumes come from ForwardKeys (Amadeus); card spending is monitored by Visa Destination Insights for both domestic and inbound travellers; short-term rental supply is tracked via Lighthouse. These indicators are updated monthly to provide near-real-time signals of tourism activity and booking intent.

Visitor sentiment and behaviour are measured through the Domestic Sentiment Tracker, which monitors intentions to take overnight and day trips, trip motivations, planned activities and barriers to travel. The Domestic Bank Holiday Trip Tracker provides targeted data around public holidays. The MIDAS project explores international traveller booking journeys and decision-making. Together, these tools capture both volume and behavioural dimensions of the tourism market.

Special-topic research complements core data collection. Recent publications include film and TV tourism activity (July 2026), sustainable travel attitudes among international travellers (July 2026), and accessibility and inclusive tourism insights. Historical research on crisis impacts on holiday behaviour and the social and economic value of tourism are archived. These thematic reports allow stakeholders to understand emerging opportunities and market shifts beyond headline visitor numbers.

## Key numbers
| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor attractions surveyed in national visitor attractions study | Nearly 2,000 attractions | Annual survey; England focused; includes top-20 national and regional rankings |
| Inbound data granularity | Monthly, quarterly and annual time series | International Passenger Survey (IPS); regional and UK nation breakdowns available |
| Domestic data coverage | Overnight trips and day visits tracked separately | Great Britain Tourism Survey (GBTS); Q4 2025 and full-year 2025 published |
| Card spending monitoring | Monthly reporting up to June 2026 | Visa Destination Insights; separate dashboards for domestic and inbound traveller spend |
| Short-term rental data | Supply tracked monthly; June 2026 latest release | Lighthouse source; supply data available via interactive dashboard |

## Why it matters
**DMOs & destinations** — VisitBritain's research platform provides timely, multi-source data on visitor volumes, spending patterns and traveller motivations by geography and season. The Domestic Sentiment Tracker reveals trip intentions and barriers, enabling DMOs to tailor marketing and product development. Regional and subregional breakdowns support destination-level planning; film/TV and sustainable travel research highlight emerging market segments.

**Hotels & hospitality** — Monthly hotel occupancy data, flight search trends and card spending dashboards offer real-time visibility into demand signals and booking pace. The Domestic Bank Holiday tracker forecasts peak periods. Data on visitor activities and planned experiences inform product development. Short-term rental supply metrics provide competitive context for accommodation strategies.

**Travel tech & distribution** — ForwardKeys flight search data and MIDAS research on booking journeys help platforms understand consumer intent and channel preferences. Monthly card spending insights reveal spending patterns by geography and traveller type. IPS inbound data by market origin guides distribution partnerships. Accessible tourism and sustainable travel research highlight consumer priorities influencing search and booking behaviour.

## Methodology and limits
This platform aggregates data from multiple official and third-party sources: the International Passenger Survey (IPS) from the Office for National Statistics for inbound tourism; the Great Britain Tourism Survey (GBTS) for domestic overnight and day visits; ForwardKeys for flight search volume; Visa Destination Insights for card spending; Lighthouse for short-term rental supply; and MIDAS project research on traveller behaviour. Monthly and quarterly releases maintain current coverage. The brief is based on publicly available summary information from VisitBritain's research portal; detailed report contents and methodology for individual studies are not fully accessible in this source.

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© VisitBritain for the original report. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel (https://tourismintel.ai). Read the original: https://www.visitbritain.org/research-insights