Securing a Successful Future for Rural Tourism

Jason FreezerHead of Destination Management

To lead and drive forward the

quality, competiveness and

sustainable growth of England’s

Visitor Economy

Our Mission

● The sector is currently worth £106bn

● It provides 2.6m jobs

● Projected to be £217bn (2025)

● It benefits every part of the country

The Visitor Economy is Big Business in England

Visitor Economy?

• Visitors

• Leisure/ Business/ VFR

• Day/ overnight

• Supply chain

• Core

• Accommodation

• Attractions

• Bars/ restaurants

• Related

• Retail

• Transport

• “other” services –laundry, petrol stations, food suppliers

Countryside Trips Represents a Big Part of Tourism

36%

43%

21%

Countryside

City

Seaside

£8.1bn

£3.9bn *

*Includes small towns

£6.7bn

Source: GB Tourism Survey 2013

City and countryside breaks are two of the key drivers of the staycation trend

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Domestic Holidays by Social Grade 2006-2013

Seaside Countryside/ village Large city/ large town

Trips

(m)

-6%+26%

+16%

-20%

2006 vs

2013

Seaside

City / Large Town

Countryside

Source: GB Tourism Survey 2013

33

24

16

13

10

27

40

10

9

12

Holiday camp / camping /

caravanning

Hotel / motel

Self-catering

Other serviced

accommodation

Friends / relatives

33% of all domestic countryside holidays which involve an overnight stay include camping /

caravanning sites

Almost three quarters of overnight stays at countryside destinations take place in spring and summer (Apr-Sep), although there are still

notable off-peak trips

12

29

42

1714

28

38

20

Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec

Overnight Domestic Holiday Trips

Countryside trips % All trips %

Source: GB Tourism Survey

Our world is changing fast!

• If the consumer is king, we need to understand how his (or her) needs and wants are changing

• Spending on culture and leisure grown

• Work-life balance remains a challenge

The changes start and end with the customer

Source: ONS Population prospects

65-79s +11.2%

80+ +19.2%

Under 18s +10%

18-34s +1.2%

35-49s -3.4%

50-64s +10.5%

More younger people

More older people (NB – baby

boomers are now retiring – a

different mindset than

previous generations!)

Fewer ‘squeezed middle’

UK population change 2013-2020

As the population structure changes…

Source: ONS Population prospects

65-79s +11.2%

80+ +19.2%

Under 18s +10%

18-34s +1.2%

35-49s -3.4%

50-64s +10.5%

More younger people

More older people (NB – baby

boomers are now retiring – a

different mindset than

previous generations!)

Fewer ‘squeezed middle’

UK population change 2013-2020

…the current baby boom will also have an impact

Source: ONS Population prospects

65-79s +11.2%

80+ +19.2%

Under 18s +10%

18-34s +1.2%

35-49s -3.4%

50-64s +10.5%

More younger people

More older people (NB – baby

boomers are now retiring – a

different mindset than

previous generations!)

Fewer ‘squeezed middle’

UK population change 2013-2020

...piling pressure on the squeezed middle

At the same time, families aren’t what they were

69%66%

71%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

18-34 35-54 55+

‘I like to find bargains, even when I don’t need to save the money’

After the recession… “discretionary thrift” is a habit that’s

likely to stay with us

“This is habit forming, rather

than just a blip. For younger

people, a significant proportion

of their life has been spent in

this climate - it’s seen as weird

to pay over the odds”

Gavin Flynn, Senior VP, IHG

Holiday trips are getting shorter and shorter

3

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

3.5

3.6

3.7

3.8

3.9

4

Apr-

06

Jun-0

6

Aug-0

6

Oct-

06

De

c-0

6

Feb

-07

Apr-

07

Jun-0

7

Aug-0

7

Oct-

07

De

c-0

7

Feb

-08

Apr-

08

Jun-0

8

Aug-0

8

Oct-

08

De

c-0

8

Feb

-09

Apr-

09

Jun-0

9

Aug-0

9

Oct-

09

De

c-0

9

Feb

-10

Apr-

10

Jun-1

0

Aug-1

0

Oct-

10

De

c-1

0

Feb

-11

Apr-

11

Jun-1

1

Aug-1

1

Oct-

11

De

c-1

1

Feb

-12

Apr-

12

Jun-1

2

Aug-1

2

Oct-

12

De

c-1

2

Feb

-13

Apr-

13

Jun-1

3

Aug-1

3

Oct-

13

De

c-1

3

Domestic Holiday Trips in England – Average Length (Nights)

Source: GB Tourism Survey

3.65

3.33“It doesn’t feel right

spending too much

on holiday just now”

“I am self-employed… I can’t be

away for more than 5 days in case

a job comes in.. If you’re not here

to do it you wont be asked again”

It means we can make most of a long weekend

…and means we can have more short holidays

rather than longer ones

Last minute bookings make it hard for businesses to plan ahead –

but offer opportunities to capture spontaneous trip takers

Source: GBTS: All holidays with firm booking

15%

21%

18%20%

26%

32%

29%

14% 14%

11%

More than 3months

2-3 months About a month 2 - 3 weeks 7 days or less

Period between booking and taking domestic holidays

1 - 3 nights 4+ nights

...online booking has grown by over 100% in recent years...

10.211.9

12.4

16.5

16.8

19.5

21.6 22

14.313.3

1213.7

11.4 10.8 10.5 9.9

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Domestic Holiday Trips (m)

Booked Online Booked OfflineSource: GB Tourism Survey

Source: GB Tourism Survey

50%

16%

60%

28%

72%

51%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Owns smartphone Owns tablet

2011

2012

2013

..and we’re seeing a massive change in how people access

the internet...

According to Mediacom,

around one in five of the

UK population ONLY

access the internet using

a mobile device

Source: Trajectory

38%

25%

11%

24%

18%

11%9%

7%

11%

Uploaded photos Chatted on Social Media Posted a review

18-34

35-54

55+

...and in how they tell others about their holiday

Social media activity after last domestic holiday

Age Groups

Source: VE Brand & Communications Tracker

Barriers

27%

28%

43%

51%

56%

57%

39%

40%

40%

50%

58%

57%

Easy to get to by public transport

Ease of getting around by public transport

Reasonably priced car parking

Availability of independent local shops

Wide range of attractions and things to do

Doesn't take too long to get to

All English Destinations Countryside Destinations

% Describing Destination as Excellent or Very Good

Access issues relate to public transport rather than time /

distance

Source: VisitEngland Brand & Satisfaction Tracker

The unknown countryside.

• A blurred picture despite evocative perceptions

• Holidaymakers can imagine appealing countryside images (when asked to visualise)

• Don’t always have a clear image of what they can do

• Pre-family most likely to feel it’s boring

• They’re also often unsure where to find this appealing countryside

“The countryside is just

green and boring.”(London: Pre-family)

A few words about the weather.

• Most people know the weather can be changeable

• The English know you can’t count on the weather!

• Rural areas it is perhaps a greater barrier

• Messaging needs to focus on:

Still lots to do and enjoy if it rains

Lists/ reminders of wet weather activities

If your dressed appropriately it’s still fun to be outside

Fun to be had inside “No such thing as bad

weather, just bad clothing.”(York: Family)

“Mention a pub and everyone's’ happy.”(York: Family)

We need to provide 3D inspiration and information to build consideration – and eventually, action

Where to go?Heard of places or

have vague appealing image, but not always

both

Where Is it?People's geography can

be quite poor, and location and proximity

steers are helpful

What’s there to do?

Beautiful scenery is not always enough,

especially for longer trips (and if it rains…)

Need a sufficiently 3D view to be compelling

Source: Motivations and Barriers Research

The climate is changing!

• Challenges & opportunities

• Often dismissed as not “not my problem”

• Reality: it is a joint responsibility…now

Opportunities?

Make Rural Tourism SEXI

Increasingly urbanised population keen to get away from towns and cities

80% Of the UK population live

in urban areas

Source: Trajectory Global Foresight

JOMO (Joy of Missing Out)

Examples in the hospitality sector of venues offering discounts for those who surrender their phones at the door or hotels that make

a point of NOT offering Wi-Fi

Source: Trajectory Global Foresight

FOMO (Fear of missing out)

FOMO

The ease with which people can share their leisure activities with family or friends increases our

exposure to different experiences

People will become increasingly reluctant to miss out – and they

won’t want their peers to be having more fun than they are

Source: Trajectory Global Foresight

Sedentary lifestyles and sense that life is ‘too easy’ – driving consumers to push themselves

and seek adventure

43% Say that ‘adventure and

taking risks’ is important to

them

54% Say that ‘trying new things’

is important to them

Source: Trajectory Global Foresight

Quality of the Experience: Distinctive and Local.

• Tourism is more than just selling!• Need to ensure the visitor experience

excellentHigher spend, higher returns and more recommendations

• Creating destination distinctivenessLocal activities and eventsthings you can’t or wouldn’t do closer to homeMixing with the friendly localsIndependent shops, restaurants, etc.

• Local produce, food and drink (specialties)

enjoying good produce and food is increasingly key to holidaymakers

Health conscious consumers look for breaks that exhilarate and

help them keep fit

Healthier older people means that consumers are active for longer

into retirement – not just for younger consumers

Source: Trajectory Global Foresight

This trend will be driven by the consumer desire to increase their cultural capital

media promotion of new skills (antiques, cooking, baking)

• people do a wide range of leisure activities and are keen to try new things

49% Say that art or

culture is very or

rather important

to them

Source: Trajectory Global Foresight

But first who is VisitEngland

Jason Freezer

Jason.freezer@visitengland.org

www.visitengland.org

@visitenglandbiz

Thank you for listening!