IT’S TIME to bring back the weekend break as experts say Brits favouring day trips is not good news for the future of seaside towns.
An expert has claimed that the economy in some of the UK’s bustling seaside towns has declined despite a huge amount of visitors continuing to go year on year.
Blackpool, the home of Pleasure Beach Resort, is struggling to maintain overnight visitors, according to reports.
A tourism leader in Blackpool has revealed that its economy took a hit in 2024 despite there being an increase in visitors – all because the number of overnight stays declined.
The day trip is what Brits are opting for as Blackpool is not short on visitors, with the footfall on the famous Blackpool Promenade increasing year-on-year.
The Illuminations switch-on ceremony in 2024 saw around 80,000 people attend.
While it means a more affordable day out, it results in hotels being unable to make or maintain bookings.
Claire Smith, president of hoteliers group StayBlackpool, described 2024 as the “perfect storm”.
She claimed the challenges Brits experienced from the cost of living crisis to the bad weather influenced the lack of overnight holiday makers.
And Blackpool wasn’t the only place that felt the impact either; VisitBritain’s statistics for 2023 showed that cities have more day visitors than weekend ones.
VisitBritain revealed London had 174.5 million day visitors in 2023, but just 18.3 million overnighters.
Greater Manchester saw 43.9 million daytrippers, but only 5.5 million who came to spend the night.
Last year, The Telegraph even noted a rise in what they called the “extreme day tripper”.
The term describes people who go on the ultimate day trip, like jumping on a flight to Italy to sample their pizza for an afternoon before coming home that same evening.
The term ‘Victorian seaside break‘ was a term used for workers who swapped city life for the coast to enjoy a few days of entertainment and improve their health.
Over the last few years, we’ve fallen back in love with our country’s coastline, with some going for the purpose of a ‘Victorian seaside break’.
However, while turning up for the day to enjoy the sunshine and have fish and chips is fun for us it doesn’t do much for the economy.
To boost it, visitors need to stay, and spend money on local hospitality from hotels to restaurants.
VisitEngland’s CEO Patricia Yates has said: “Overnight holiday visitors [are] spending an average of £94 per night in England compared to £44 for day visits.
“We know how important it is for destinations to convert day-trippers into overnight stays, which also encourages visitors to discover more of an area and to go on and spend in local businesses including accommodation and hospitality.”
Interestingly, ABTA found that the average number of holidays taken per person has reached a new high.
The trend has become that Brits prefer quantity of quality, and are going on more day breaks or shorter trips to break up the year.
Seaside staycation inspiration
The Sun travel team have put together which three places in the UK should be your next staycation location
Margate is a vibrant town boasting the famous Dreamland theme park, which has featured in Hollywood films and attracts top musical acts. The Old Town offers a delightful mix of multicoloured shops and award-winning eateries like Sargasso and Dory’s, perfect for a unique shopping and dining experience.
Bournemouth combines history with adventure, featuring the historic pier with RockReef’s 28 themed climbing walls. For a more relaxed visit, enjoy the Oceanarium or Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf, and explore literary history at Mary Shelley’s grave in St Peter’s churchyard.
Brighton charms visitors with its labyrinth of colourful shops and historic 16th-century houses. The Southern Belle boutique hotel offers a cosy stay, while dining options like Rockwater Hove and The Salt Room provide stunning ocean views and fresh seafood, ensuring a memorable visit regardless of the weather.
