Domestic GB tourism statistics (overnight trips in Wales): 2024
Estimates for the volume and value of domestic overnight tourism trips taken by British residents in Wales and Great Britain in 2024.
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Introduction
This is the first release of the main estimates for the volume and value of domestic overnight tourism trips taken by British residents in Wales and Great Britain for the period January to December 2024.
This report includes estimates for the main purpose of overnight trips; holidays, visits to friends and relatives (VFR) and business trips, with the definitions for each of these provided in the relevant section of this report.
The report also includes estimates and details of overnight trips taken in Wales, and in Great Britain for comparative purposes. Detailed results for England and Scotland are being published by VisitEngland and VisitScotland.
These statistics are used to monitor domestic tourism demand and measure the contribution and impact of domestic tourism on the visitor economy. A key purpose of these statistics is to uncover insights into market trends over time. Changes in survey methodology mean that results published in this release are not directly comparable with data published for 2019 and previous years. Please refer to the section on comparability and coherence. Changes in expenditure should be considered in light of increased costs, as these estimates have not been adjusted for inflation.
The statistics are labelled as ‘official statistics in development’ to enable testing and further modification to meet user needs. Further information on this is available on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website. We are keen to check that the new tourism statistics meet user needs and invite you to provide feedback on the information in this output at tourismresearch@gov.wales.
Main points
Wales trips
- In 2024, GB residents took 7.61 million overnight trips in Wales with 22.30 million nights and £2.24 billion spent during these trips.
- 38% of overnight trips taken in Wales during 2024 were holidays. 34% were visits to friends and relatives (VFR), 7% were for business purposes and 22% were for miscellaneous/other purposes.
- Approximately 7% of all GB trips included an overnight stay in Wales. The shares of total GB nights and expenditure were also 7%.
- The average duration of Wales trips in 2024 was 2.9 nights with an average spend of £295 per trip.
- Compared to 2023, the volume of trips taken in Wales in 2024 was 10% lower, whilst expenditure was 11% higher.(r)
Revised on 28 April 2025.
Great Britain trips
- In 2024, GB residents took 105.61 million overnight trips in GB with 307.54 million nights and £32.92 billion spent during these trips.
- 31% of overnight trips taken in GB during 2022 were holidays, 37% were VFR trips, 6% were for business purposes and 26% were for miscellaneous/other purposes.
- 85% of trips taken in GB in 2024 including an overnight stay in England, 10% including an overnight stay in Scotland and 7% including an overnight stay in Wales.
- The average duration of GB trips in 2024 was 2.9 nights with an average spend of £312 per trip.
- Compared to 2023, the volume of trips taken in GB in 2024 was 10% lower, whilst expenditure was 5% higher.(r)
Revised on 28 April 2025.
Trips, nights and spend to GB nations
| Measure | England | Scotland | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trips (millions) | 89.59 | 10.59 | 7.61 |
| % Great Britain trips | 85% | 10% | 7% |
| Nights (millions) | 255.75 | 29.49 | 22.30 |
| % Great Britain nights | 83% | 10% | 7% |
| Spend (£ millions) | £27,336 | £3,336 | £2,244 |
| % Great Britain spend | 83% | 10% | 7% |
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2024
[Note 1] Percentages do not sum to 100% as some trips included visits to more than one nation.
In 2024, there were 105.61 million overnight trips taken in GB by British residents with a total of 307.54 million nights and a total expenditure of £32.92 billion. There were 7.61 million overnight trips taken in Wales with a total of 22.30 million nights and a total expenditure of £2.24 billion.
The distribution of domestic trip-taking has remained stable across the GB nations since 2022, with 85% of trips being taken in England, and 7% taken in Wales, each year. In 2024, Scotland received 10% of GB trips, slightly lower than in 2022 and 2023 (11%). Wales has received 7% of total GB nights each year since 2022, and received 7% of total GB spend in 2024, slightly higher than in 2022 and 2023 (6%).
Purpose of visit
Compared to 2023, the volume of overnight trips taken in Wales in 2024 has decreased by 10%. Trip volumes decreased across all trip types, except for business trips, which increased by 33%. Findings relating to business trips to Wales should be treated with caution, due to low base sizes.
Similarly, the number of nights spent in Wales in 2024 decreased across all trip types, except for business trips, which increased by 9%.
Expenditure on trips taken in Wales during 2024 increased across all trip types, except for holidays, which decreased by 3%.
| Trip purpose | 2023 | 2024 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All purposes | 8.44 | 7.61 | -10% |
| Holiday | 3.37 | 2.88 | -15% |
| VFR | 2.74 | 2.57 | -6% |
| Business | 0.38 | 0.51 | 33% |
| Miscellaneous/other | 1.94 | 1.66 | -14% |
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2023 to 2024
[Note 1] Low base sizes for business trips to Wales – data should be treated with caution.
| Trip purpose | 2023 | 2024 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All purposes | 24.47 | 22.30 | -9% |
| Holiday | 11.32 | 10.39 | -8% |
| VFR | 7.17 | 7.05 | -2% |
| Business | 1.21 | 1.33 | 9% |
| Miscellaneous/other | 4.77 | 3.53 | -26% |
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2023 to 2024
[Note 1] Low base sizes for business trips to Wales – data should be treated with caution.
| Trip purpose | 2023 | 2024 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All purposes | £2,019 | £2,244 | 11% |
| Holiday | £998 | £963 | -3% |
| VFR | £445 | £492 | 10% |
| Business | £91 | £226 | 147% |
| Miscellaneous/other | £485 | £564 | 16% |
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2023 to 2024
[Note 1] Low base sizes for business trips to Wales – data should be treated with caution.
Figure 1: Proportion of trips, nights and spend in Wales by main purpose of trip, 2024
Description of Figure 1: A stacked bar chart showing that in 2024, holidays were the most common type of trip taken to Wales by GB residents, followed by visits to friends and relatives.
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2024
Holiday trips remained the most common type of trip taken in Wales in 2024, making up 38% of trips, slightly lower than in 2023 (40%). Visits to friends and relatives and trips for other/miscellaneous purposes made up 34% and 22% of trips respectively, broadly in line with 2023. 7% of trips to Wales were business trips, slightly higher than in 2023 (5%).
Similar to Wales, the volume of overnight trips taken in GB in 2024 was 10% lower, compared to 2023. Trip volumes for GB decreased across all trip types in 2024, compared to the previous year.
The number of nights spent in GB during 2024 was 10% lower, compared to 2023. Nights spent in GB were lower across all trip purposes.
Expenditure on trips taken in GB during 2024 increased by 5% compared to expenditure during 2023.
| Trip purpose | 2023 | 2024 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All purposes | 117.38 | 105.61 | -10% |
| Holiday | 37.19 | 32.47 | -13% |
| VFR | 43.07 | 39.33 | -9% |
| Business | 6.17 | 5.89 | -5% |
| Miscellaneous/other | 30.94 | 27.92 | -10% |
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2023 to 2024
| Trip purpose | 2023 | 2024 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All purposes | 340.17 | 307.54 | -10% |
| Holiday | 131.75 | 115.80 | -12% |
| VFR | 117.47 | 110.41 | -6% |
| Business | 17.83 | 16.03 | -10% |
| Miscellaneous/other | 73.12 | 65.30 | -11% |
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2023 to 2024
| Trip purpose | 2023 | 2024 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All purposes | £31,253 | £32,916 | 5% |
| Holiday | £12,273 | £12,008 | -2% |
| VFR | £7,429 | £8,194 | 10% |
| Business | £2,254 | £3,069 | 36% |
| Miscellaneous/other | £9,296 | £9,646 | 4% |
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2023 to 2024
Characteristics of GB and Wales trips
The average duration of trips taken in Wales in 2024 was 2.9 nights, in line with the average for GB. The average spend per trip and spend per night on trips taken in Wales were lower than for GB as a whole, across all trip types. In 2024, the average spend per night was highest for business trips, both for trips taken in Wales and trips taken in GB as a whole.
| Trip purpose | Great Britain | Wales |
|---|---|---|
| All purposes | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| Holiday | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| VFR | 2.8 | 2.7 |
| Business | 2.7 | 2.6 |
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2024
[Note 1] Low base size for business trips to Wales, data should be treated with caution.
| Trip purpose | Great Britain | Wales |
|---|---|---|
| All purposes | £312 | £295 |
| Holiday | £370 | £335 |
| VFR | £208 | £191 |
| Business | £521 | £445 |
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2024
[Note 1] Low base size for business trips to Wales, data should be treated with caution.
| Trip purpose | Great Britain | Wales |
|---|---|---|
| All purposes | £107 | £101 |
| Holiday | £104 | £93 |
| VFR | £74 | £70 |
| Business | £191 | £170 |
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2024
[Note 1] Low base size for business trips to Wales, data should be treated with caution.
The average length of trips taken during 2024 has remained stable, compared to 2023, for both trips taken in Wales and trips taken in GB as a whole.
The average spend per trip for Wales in 2024 is well above the level in 2023, continuing the overall trend of increasing spend on trips taken. Average spend per trip was higher in 2024 for trips taken in Wales and trips taken in GB as a whole, and across all types of trips. Changes in expenditure should be considered in light of increased costs, as these estimates have not been adjusted for inflation.
In 2024, the most commonly used main type of accommodation on trips in Wales was serviced accommodation, at just under 4 in 10 trips. Just under 2 in 10 trips to Wales used a caravan/camping/glamping, and nearly a quarter used a private home (including the home of friends/relatives or a second home). Approximately 16% of trips to Wales used a self-catering property rental in 2024. The distribution of trips across types of accommodation remained largely stable across 2023 and 2024.
Figure 2: Volume and proportion of trips taken in Great Britain and Wales by main type of accommodation used, 2024 [Note 1]
Description of Figure 2: A stacked bar chart showing that in 2024, serviced accommodation was the most commonly used type of accommodation for GB residents taking trips in GB and in Wales.
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2024
[Note 1] The numbers within the coloured segments are the number of trips taken in Wales and in Great Britain in millions, where a certain type of accommodation was used as the main type of accommodation. For instance, in 2024, serviced accommodation was the main type of accommodation used on 2.82 million trips to Wales.
Profile of visitors taking trips to Wales
The profile of trips taken to Wales by nation of residence has remained stable across 2022, 2023, and 2024. In 2024, GB residents living outside of Wales generated approximately 7 in 10 of all overnight trips taken in Wales, with residents of England generating the most trips and expenditure. Residents of Wales generated just under 3 in 10 trips taken in Wales.
| Nation of residence | Trips (millions) | Spend (£ millions) | % of Wales trips |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 5.23 | £1,657 | 69% |
| Scotland | 0.21 | £108 | 3% |
| Wales | 2.17 | £479 | 28% |
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2024
[Note 1] Low base size for Scotland, data should be treated with caution.
Trip trends for Wales and GB
There was a decrease of 10% in the volume of trips to Wales in 2024, with 7.61 million trips taken, compared to 8.44 million during 2023. This was driven by a sharp decrease in the volume of trips taken between July and September 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. In the third quarter of 2024, 2.40 million trips were taken in Wales, compared to 3.02 million trips during the same period in 2023, a decrease of 21%.
Figure 3: Volume of trips to Wales in millions by quarter of visit, 2024
Description of Figure 3: A clustered column chart showing the volume of trips taken in Wales for each quarter, with trip levels in 2024 lower than in 2023 and 2022 across all quarters, except the fourth quarter.
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2022 to 2024
Expenditure on trips taken in Wales in 2024 was 11% higher, with £2.24 billion spent, compared to £2.02 billion in 2023. This was driven by increases in expenditure during the second and third quarters, by 27% and 14% respectively. Please note that these estimates have not been adjusted for inflation.
Figure 4: Total expenditure on trips taken in Wales in millions of pounds by quarter of visit, 2024
Description of Figure 4: A clustered column chart showing quarterly expenditure on trips taken in Wales from 2022 to 2024, with spend higher in 2024 for the second and third quarters, but lower in the first and last quarters, compared to spend in 2023 and 2022 respectively.
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2022 to 2024
In 2024, the volume of trips taken in GB was 10% lower compared to 2023, with 105.61 million trips taken during 2024, compared to 117.38 million in 2023. There was a particularly sharp decrease in the volume of trips taken in GB during the first quarter of 2024, compared to 2023. In the first quarter of 2024, 21.09 million trips were taken in GB, compared to 26.16 million trips during the same period in 2023, a decrease of 19%.
Figure 5: Volume of overnight trips taken in Great Britain in millions by quarter of visit, 2024
Description of Figure 5: A clustered column chart showing the quarterly volume of trips taken in GB from 2022 to 2024, with trip levels in 2024 lower than in 2023 and 2022 across all quarters.
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2022 to 2024
In 2024, expenditure for trips taken in GB was 5% higher compared to 2023, with £32.92 billion spent during 2024, compared to £31.25 billion in 2023. This was driven by increases in expenditure during the third and fourth quarters for 2024, compared to 2023. Changes in expenditure should be considered in light of increased costs, as these estimates have not been adjusted for inflation.
Figure 6: Total expenditure on trips taken in Great Britain in millions of pounds by quarter of visit, 2024
Description of Figure 6: A clustered column chart showing quarterly expenditure on trips taken in GB from 2022 to 2024, with spend in 2024 higher than in 2023 in the second, third and fourth quarters. Expenditure in 2024 was lower compared to 2022 and 2023 during the first quarter, and lower than 2022 in the last quarter.
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey: overnight trips, 2022 to 2024
Quality and methodology information
Definitions
To qualify as an eligible GB Domestic Overnight Trip the following criteria must be met.
- The trip involved a stay of at least one night in one or more of the GB nations; England, Scotland or Wales.
- The trip is not taken on a frequent basis (less often than once a week).
- For GB Domestic Overnight Holiday Trips; the main purpose of the trip was for holiday, pleasure or leisure.
- For GB Domestic Overnight VFR Trips (VFR); the main purpose of the trip was for visiting friends and relatives, including VFR trips that were combined with a holiday.
- For GB Domestic Overnight Business Trips; the main purpose of the trip was for business.
- For GB Domestic Overnight Miscellaneous/Other Trips; the main purpose of the trip was for another type of trip taken not covered by the above classifications including personal events, public events, or for study, medical, religious purposes, or any overnight stay in GB as part of an overseas trip.
Other definitions used in this publication
Volume
An estimate of what the grossed-up number of overnight trips undertaken by the population would be if the survey sample is representative of the whole GB population. The reported volume of trips is an estimate of trips by individuals, so that a travel party of two people would count as two individual trips.
Value
An estimate of what the total expenditure relating to the volume of overnight visits undertaken by the population would be if the survey sample is representative of the whole GB population.
Bednights
An estimate of what the grossed-up number of nights spent on overnight trips undertaken by the population would be if the survey sample is representative of the whole GB population.
These definitions and the associated qualifying criteria have been revised as part of the new combined GBTS/GBDVS survey to align with agreed international standards. These changes impact the comparability of the published domestic overnight tourism estimates from 2021 onwards with 2019 and previous years.
Methodology
Since 2021, data on both domestic overnight trips and domestic day trips has been collected through an online survey. The sample for this online survey is a non-probability-based design sourced from 4 ESOMAR accredited online panel providers and includes quotas for key demographic variables to make the overall sample as representative as possible of GB population. The target annual sample size for the survey of overnight visitors is 60,000 completed interviews. Not every person who is interviewed will have taken an eligible overnight trip and so the base sizes used for trip estimation are lower than the number of interviews.
A weighting scheme is used to make the results as representative as possible of the GB population. However, the use of a non-probability online sample limits the extent to which the survey responses are truly representative of the full GB population, a limitation of similar online sample surveys. The new weighting scheme uses the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC) mapped to approximate social grade for population statistics, for the purpose of quotas and weighting to the GB population. The change to using NS-SEC as the population statistics source will impact the estimation and reporting of trips compared to the previous reporting of social grade used for GBTS in 2019 and previous years.
In 2024, a review of the methodology was undertaken to address volatility in the data. As a result of the review, a range of changes were applied to the methodology. For further details on the changes made to the methodology in 2024, please see the statement on the methodological review. For a comprehensive guide to the survey methodology in 2024, please see the GBTS Background Quality Report 2024.
Comparability and coherence
Statistics for domestic overnight tourism have been collected in a broadly similar way since 1989. However, the changes in survey methodology introduced in 2021 means that results published from April 2021 onwards are not directly comparable with data published for 2019 and previous years. Results from April 2021 onwards are available, and are comparable with the results in this report.
Accuracy
The statistics produced from the Great Britain Tourism Survey in 2019 and previous years have been designated as official statistics, which provides reassurance to users that the statistics are produced to the very highest professional standards of trustworthiness, quality and value, set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics (UK Statistics Authority). Due to the changes in methodology and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey results for 2021 have been labelled as ‘official statistics in development’ (UK Statistics Authority). The new survey and statistics have undergone a comprehensive programme of quality assurance including piloting of the survey, analysis of changes to the trip definitions, testing the impact of the new weighting scheme and a review of caps and imputation rules. Changes to the survey methodology and estimation have taken account of a review and advice provided by the Methodology Advisory Service of the Office for National Statistics. A further review of the methodology was undertaken in 2024 to address volatility in the data and estimates for 2022 and 2023 were revised following the review. For further information on the review undertaken in 2024, please see the statement on the methodological review.
Relevance
These statistics are used both within and outside the Welsh Government to monitor domestic tourism demand and measure the contribution and impact of domestic tourism on the visitor economy. A key purpose of these statistics is to uncover insights into market trends over time.
As far as possible, the new combined GBTS and GBDVS survey provides consistency with previous information collected, but new questions capture enhanced information on activities undertaken, booking methods and responder profiles including protected characteristics. It is envisaged that this additional information will be of value for the various users of the survey. The questionnaire for 2024 is included in the GBTS 2024 Background Quality Report.
The survey sponsors are planning to engage with the priority users of the statistics to check the new survey information meets their needs and we encourage users of the statistics to provide feedback on the data and this output at tourismresearch@gov.wales.
Timeliness and punctuality
All outputs adhere to the Code of Practice by pre-announcing the date of publication through the upcoming calendar. Furthermore, should the need arise to postpone an output this would follow the statement on revisions, errors and postponements. We aim to publish data as soon as possible after the relevant research time period. It is anticipated that future results for Wales will be published on a quarterly basis, to ensure estimates are supported by robust trip base sizes. Specific publication timings will be notified on the WG website, but the aim is to publish quarterly statistics for Wales approximately 9 to 10 weeks after the end of each quarter based on the 4 week survey trip taking reference period and to allow for quality assurance and reporting timescales.