This week's heatwave has delivered a much-needed boost to the UK tourism industry, sparking a surge in last-minute staycation bookings. Record temperatures have drawn day-trippers and overnight visitors to coastal hotspots, coinciding with the bank holiday weekend and half-term breaks for many school children.
Surge in Coastal Bookings
The boss of Awaze, Europe's largest holiday rental provider, reports a "significant" rise in last-minute bookings to seaside destinations. Bookings to north-west England via its Cottages.com business jumped 50% in the past seven days, while Hoseasons seaside homes saw a 62% year-on-year increase. Popular destinations for Cottages.com include Whitby, Bridlington, and Filey, while Great Yarmouth, Bude, and Weston-Super-Mare are top for Hoseasons.
Factors Driving Demand
Beyond the heatwave, Awaze believes demand is fueled by wariness of foreign travel due to cost and long passport queues. Matthew Price, CEO, said: "We’ve seen a significant uplift in last-minute coastal bookings as consumers sought respite from the heat through seaside getaways. Traditional coastal hotspots performed particularly strongly, with holidaymakers drawn to easy-to-reach destinations combining striking coastlines, traditional charm, and a genuine sense of escape closer to home." He added that flexibility, convenience, and affordability continue to shape travel decisions.
However, Julie Dalton, managing director of Gulliver’s Theme Parks and Resorts, noted that scorching temperatures deterred some visitors. After a challenging start to the year, she described the current uptick as "first green shoots" but warned: "Customer habits have definitely changed. People are being more careful with their money. We are seeing a lot more picnics."
Government Support
The tourism industry is set for extra help following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ promise to slash VAT on summer attractions from 20% to 5%, alongside children’s meals in restaurants, as part of a "Great British Summer Savings" scheme. Dalton remained cautious: "It is very much too early to say."
