Key Facts and Figures 

The latest report we currently have is for 2024. This is because our annual volume and value report use national data sets, which have yet to be published for 2025. We can instead look at trends for 2025 using our own Business Barometer Data in the 2025 Trends section below. 

In 2024, there was a total of 31.6m staying and day trips to the region. The majority of these were day visitors (almost 28m). Of the staying visitor trips, 2.7m were domestic visits and just under 1m were international trips. 

Staying Visitors 

Staying visitors will use a variety of accommodation types, including staying with their own family and friends. Serviced accommodation (hotels, guest houses, bed and breakfast etc.) remains the most popular form of accommodation used by visitors. Staying visitors spent just over £1bn in 2024, of which 52% was domestic spend and 28% international. 

Bristol accounts for around 53.7% of all staying visits, followed by Bath (28.7%), North Somerset (10.5%) and South Gloucestershire (7%).   

For international visits, Bristol accounts for 56% of the region’s total, followed by Bath (36.1%), North Somerset (6.7%), and South Gloucestershire (1.2%). 

Bristol has the largest number of hotel rooms in the region and is one of the UK’s most booked destinations for short term lets. Using the data we have, we estimate that Bristol’s staying visitors are almost equally split between those visiting friends and relatives (VFR), holiday and business, while Bath is almost exclusively for holiday visits. Bath is in the top 20 most booked destinations for short term lets. 

Both destinations are in the top 15 most visited destinations by international visitors.

14% of all visitors spend is on accommodation. Overseas staying visitors spend more shopping than their domestic counterparts, with domestic staying visitors spending slightly more on food and drink.   

Day Visits 

The region welcomed almost 28m day visitors in 2024, with a total expenditure of around £1.5bn. 

Bristol accounts for 43% of all day visits and 45% of all spend. North Somerset has 22% of all day visits with 19% of the spend, and South Gloucestershire 21% of all day visits and spend. Bath and North East Somerset account for 15% of all day visitors and spend. 

60% of all spending on attractions or entertainment is by day visitors, as is 70% of food and drink spend and retail spend. 

International Day Trips 

It is difficult for us to be able to know how many international visitors come to the region as a day trip – usually from London. We know that having this figure would have a significant impact on the reporting on visits to Bath in particular. We continue to highlight this as a missing dataset with VisitBritain and aim to undertake some data gathering with key operators of day trips from London to understand a little more about markets and volumes. The last time this research was completed was in 2016 

Visitor Attractions 

Attractions in Bath had a very mixed 2025, which included some having record numbers of visitors and other recording fewer visits than in 2024. 

Bristol’s visitor attractions had a good 2025; however, visits began to decline overall from September, with November having the largest decline in visits overall.  The visual and performing arts sector generally had a good year, with just May showing fewer visits than in 2024. 

For those outside of the city centres, it was a much more mixed year, although generally a good summer and December overall. 

Bristol hotels finished the year with almost 1% higher occupancy than in 2024, although the average daily rate (ADR) had dropped slightly. Bristol finished the year ahead of the UK and regional average occupancy, and regional UK ADR. 

Bath hotels grew occupancy by 0.5% overall with ADR growing at just over 4%. Like Bristol, Bath’s average occupancy was just above the UK and Regional average, as was the ADR. 

To measure the value and volume of the visitor economy in the region, Visit West undertakes research both with local businesses directly, measuring volume through visitor numbers and occupancy (our monthly Business Barometer) and works with external agencies to provide the economic impact of the industry. This data is delivered annually; however, as it uses national datasets, it is usually available in the last quarter of the year. 

Business Barometer 

One of the ways in which we track the performance of the region’s visitor economy is through our monthly business barometer. This includes quantitative data about visits to attractions and hotel occupancy, as well as our own performance. 

The report is sent each month to those who participate, and a quarterly summary can be sent by emailing enquries@visitwest.co.uk.

If you would like to be part of the business barometer or have any questions, please get in touch. 

Annual Volume and Value Report 

Each year, we commission an independent report about the volume and value of the region’s visitor economy. This is done using the Cambridge Model.   

This gives us an estimated value of visitor spend, where it is being spent and by what type of visitor (day visit, domestic overnight, international overnight). Using this data, we can map the growth of the region’s visitor economy over more than 20 years. 

The Cambridge Model 

This model was developed to calculate estimates of the volume, value and economic impact of tourism on a County or District basis. It uses a range of sources, most of which are national reports, but also uses our own business barometer data and other local insights (such as festivals and events) that may fall outside of the standard reporting. 

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We are currently working with VisitEngland and Oxford Economics to compare our figures with those of destinations using the STEAM model, to find a common comparison.