VisitEngland domestic consumer sentiment tracker update

The results of wave 30 of the consumer sentiment tracker are available on the VisitEngland website. The fieldwork for this wave was conducted between 4-9 May 2021. There are some positive gains in sentiment but no substantial bounce in trip intent just yet.

The ‘appetite for risk’ score continues to rise, confidence is building (despite a 1 point fall for June trips), bookings are climbing (albeit slowly) and almost half of the adult population now thinks the ‘worst has passed’ regarding the Covid situation. There are also stronger signals that vaccinations may be having a positive impact on the likelihood to take spring or summer trips. 

From a new question for this wave (on slide 16 via the link above), asked to better understand the risk of domestic trip substitution as the overseas markets open up, over 90% of spring and summer intenders say they would still go on their UK trip, with just a couple of percent opting to cancel and go overseas instead.

Other points of note from Wave 30:

• The national mood is unchanged at 6.7/10
• Only 12% now believe the ‘worst is still to come’ (down from 18%).
• 47% of adults expect ‘normality’ by end of this year – up 2 points compared to last wave.
• The Appetite for Risk score climbs to 2.7/4.
• Around half of adults anticipate taking more or the same number of overnight domestic trips between now and end of the year compared to normal.  This compares with c. 30% of adults with similar intent regarding overseas trips.  These figures are largely unchanged this wave.
• Confidence continues to improve, with the majority (55%) now confident a July trip would go ahead as planned.
• 14% anticipate taking an overnight trip this spring (Apr – June) rising to 32% during the summer (July – Sept) which is broadly stable wave-on-wave.
• Among those who are intending to take a trip this summer, 37% have reached the planning and 29% the booking stages of their trips, which is up from 33% and 26% respectively last wave.
• The South West remains the lead region for spring and summer trips and although it still dominates, its share has dipped slightly this wave, especially for spring trips.
• The leading destination type for spring trips is ‘traditional coastal/seaside town’ (33%) narrowly ahead of ‘countryside or village’ (29%).  The pattern is similar for the summer period.
• The accommodation types most likely to be used on overnight trips this spring are ‘camping/caravan’ (41%), private home’ (38%) ‘commercial rentals’ (e.g. holiday cottages) on 36% and ‘Hotel/motel/inn’ (also 36%).  Again, we see a broadly similar pattern for summer trips.
• 44% of UK adults intend to take a day trip to either a ‘countryside/village’ or ‘traditional coastal/seaside town’ destination respectively this spring or summer.  This compares with 25% intending to visit a ‘large city’.