UK Staycation Statistics 2025

UK staycations are firmly embedded in British travel habits. These UK staycation statistics bring together the latest data on how often people holiday at home, where they go and how spending and travel behaviour have changed, offering clear, citable insight into the state of domestic tourism – including the continued rise of group and shared stays.

How many Brits are choosing staycations over going abroad?

• 52% vs 46%: For the first time in recent years, more Brits plan to take a UK staycation (52%) than travel abroad (46%) in 2025, according to holiday park operator data
• 63% Total Engagement: Broader surveys indicate that nearly two-thirds (63%) of all Brits will take at least one UK break in 2025, with 34% choosing it as their main summer holiday

Why are People Choosing Staycations?

• Ease of Planning: 55% (Top reason)​

• Cost Savings: 44%​

• Travel Convenience: 42% (Shorter/quicker travel)​

• Rest & Relaxation: 36% (Cited specifically for booking 2025 breaks)​

• Familiarity: 31% (Wanting to visit places they know and trust)

How Much Are Brits Spending on UK Staycations?

• In 2024, domestic overnight visitors spent £32.9 billion on trips within Great Britain, up 5% on 2023 despite fewer trips being taken.​

• The average spend per domestic overnight trip in 2024 was £312 per person, a 17% increase on 2023.​

• Average spend per night on a UK trip reached £107 in 2024, up 16% year‑on‑year, while the average trip length held steady at 2.9 nights.

How Long Are UK Staycations—and How Often Are We Taking Them?

• Average stay length (official data): In 2024, the average duration of a domestic overnight trip in Great Britain was 2.9 nights, unchanged from 2023.​

• Average stay length (consumer-facing “holiday” view): Survey and booking data for 2025 suggest that when people talk about a “UK break”, they typically mean around 6 days on average (covering week‑long holidays as well as shorter breaks).​

• Short-break dominance: For 2025 bookings, 48% of all UK stays are short breaks of six nights or fewer, up from 41% in 2023—showing a clear shift toward “micro‑cations”.​

• How often we go: UK adults expect to take an average of three UK breaks in 2025, making staycations a repeat, rather than once‑a‑year, purchase for many households.​

• Total volume: Altogether, Brits took around 105.6 million domestic overnight trips in 2024, plus about 1.0 billion tourism day trips, underlining how central domestic travel remains.

When Do Brits Book Their UK Holidays?

• Average booking window: The average lead time between booking and travel for UK cottage-style stays in 2025 is 105 days, down from 114 days in 2024—an 8% shift toward later booking.​

• Last‑minute behavior: 24% of all UK breaks are now booked within a month of departure, reflecting cost‑of‑living uncertainty and a desire to wait for deals or confirm budget.​

• Early‑bird hotspots: High‑demand areas like Cornwall and Cumbria still see bookings made about six months (around 180 days) in advance, showing that people will plan much earlier for “bucket list” UK locations.​

• Peak planning months: Separate UK holiday‑planning research finds that people with UK travel plans are most likely to make their bookings in May (17%) and August (16%), aligning with school holidays and late-summer getaways.​

What are the most popular UK staycation destinations?

1. Scotland (62% of travelers list it as their top choice)​

2. South West England (Cornwall/Devon)

3. Wales (Specifically Gwynedd and Anglesey for short breaks)​

4. Yorkshire & The Humber (North York Moors rated #1 sentiment destination)​

5. London (Top urban destination)

What are the accommodation preferences when it comes to UK staycations?

• Cottages & Self-Catering: Remains the dominant choice, with 42% of travelers favoring cottage-style stays.​

• Camping & Caravans: 14% of Brits plan a camping or caravan holiday in 2025.​

• Glamping: A rising niche, with bookings for yurts, lodges, and shepherd’s huts up 8% year-on-year in early 2025.

Which Age Group is Actually Taking UK Staycations?

There is a distinct “Intent vs. Reality” divide between younger and older generations.

• The “Core” Market: The most consistent demographic for actual domestic holidays remains older couples and families with children (under 16s account for one-third of all domestic travelers).​

• Future Growth (Gen Z): Younger travelers (aged 18-28) showed the highest intent for 2025, with 71% planning a UK holiday and 45% choosing it as their main summer break.​

• Mid-Life Professionals: The 25–34 age group is currently highlighted as the segment most likely to actually take a UK holiday in market reports.

Are UK Staycations Here to Stay?

UK staycations look set to remain a core part of how Brits holiday, even as international travel rebounds. Forecasts suggest the UK staycation market will grow steadily at around 5–6% a year between now and 2035, driven by demand for shorter, more frequent domestic breaks and flexible working patterns that make long weekends away easier.​

Analysts estimate the UK staycation market will be worth over £55–60 billion annually by the early 2030s, up from roughly £33 billion in domestic overnight spend in 2024, as rising prices and higher average trip budgets inflate the value of each break. At the same time, surveys show that over half of Brits still plan at least one UK holiday each year, and many spread their budget across multiple short breaks rather than one big trip abroad, suggesting domestic holidays are now a permanent fixture rather than a post‑pandemic blip

Sources

• VisitBritain. “Domestic Overnight Trips: Q4 and Annual 2024 (Great Britain Tourism Survey).” Published 25 March 2025.​

• VisitBritain. “Great Britain Domestic Overnight Trips: Latest Results (GB Tourist 2024 highlights).” Updated 6 November 2025.​

• VisitBritain. “Domestic Tourism: Latest Results – England Overnight Trips and Day Visits.” Updated 10 December 2025.​

• Government of Wales / Visit Wales. “Domestic GB Tourism Statistics: Overnight Trips 2024.” Published 23 April 2025 (includes Wales ethnicity and spend breakdowns).​

• Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). “Participation Survey 2024/25: Main Report.” (Used for arts and heritage engagement by gender and ethnicity.)​

• Sykes Holiday Cottages. “Sykes Staycation Index 2025.” Report and methodology based on booking data and OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK adults.​

• Hotelagio. “40+ Staycation Statistics [2025 Edition].” Synthesised summary of UK staycation metrics (intent, average number of UK breaks, trip length, and spend).​

• Hotelagio. “30+ UK Domestic Tourism Statistics [2025 Update].” Used for contextual UK domestic tourism figures.​

• YouGov. “What Drives UK Holiday Bookings in Early 2025?” Insights on booking motivations and timing.​

• Aviva. “Four in 10 UK Holidaymakers to Boost 2025 Travel Budgets by Almost £1,000.” Press release, March 2025 (used for budget and spending‑intention context).​

• Future Market Insights. “United Kingdom Staycation Market Size & Growth 2025–2035.” Long‑term market value and CAGR projections.