The UK tourism industry is looking as healthy as ever after yet another study has revealed how popular holidaying at home is.
A recent study by the VisitEngland tourist board discovered that in 2011 alone, British holidaymakers went on a total of 1.5 billion day trips, spending some £54 billion in the process.
Conducted in partnership with the Welsh and Scottish national tourist boards, the research highlights the importance of tourism to the UK economy.
It revealed that in England alone, a total of £70 billion was spent on tourism by domestic and overseas visitors, while the average day tripper in England spends £34.
Commenting on the survey, VisitEngland chief executive, James Berresford, said: “This survey represents a very important piece of the domestic tourism jigsaw.
“Day visits are enormously important to the industry and the British economy and represent the cornerstone of the tourism industry in this country.”
In terms of the most popular reasons for going on trips, visiting friends and family came out on top with 350 million trips taken last year.
Eating and drinking was the second most popular with 250 million, while outdoor activities came in third place, accounting for 102 million days out.
