Rise in overseas searches for UK hotels

By Sophie Witts

- Last updated on GMT

Searches for destinations in Cornwall such as St Ives have doubled since 2014
Searches for destinations in Cornwall such as St Ives have doubled since 2014

Related tags Hotel United kingdom

A rise in overseas visitors searching for UK hotel stays is predicted to provide a boost for the hospitality sector in August.

According to data from the Expedia Group, the number of US travellers browsing for available hotel rooms in August has risen 35 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Canadian interest is up 25 per cent, while searches from Germany have risen by approximately 20 per cent.

The UK is also attracting a rising number of enquiries from emerging markets - with searches from South Korea up 100 per cent since 2014.

There was also a 30 per cent increase in interest from the Brazilian market, and a five per cent rise in searches from China. 

Despite a reported rise in UK travellers opting for domestic staycations this summer​, Expedia has found that international visitors tend to provide more value for hoteliers by staying longer and spending more per night.

According to data from summer 2014, American tourists spent an average of £46 more per night on their room than UK citizens - while Brazilians spent on average £36 more.

While Britons stayed an average of 1.6 days, American travellers stayed 2.5 days, Germans three days and Brazilians 3.5 days.

Searches for Cornwall, Bournemouth, Devon and the Scottish Highlands have all doubled on the same period last year.

London and Edinburgh are the most searched for cities, with seaside destinations such as Bournemouth, Brighton and Cornwall all seeing increased interest.

Isabelle Pinson, Expedia group senior director of market management for the UK and Ireland, said:  “Our numbers paint a very encouraging picture for UK hotels in summer 2015 with emerging traveller markets combining with more established ones to give solid, year-on-year growth in interest.

“Whilst staycations are on the rise, the rise in shoppers from emerging markets such as Brazil and South Korea show how Expedia’s hotel partners are able to reach far flung international markets."

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