The 2012 August Bank Holiday has seen around 43 percent of the UK’s population exploring more local destinations, says VisitEngland’s Bank Holiday Trip Tracker.
Around 3.6 million British holidaymakers have taken an overnight holiday trip in the UK during the ongoing August Bank Holiday weekend, with around 2.8 million of those visiting places in England.
Holidays within the UK are likely to generate around £800 million in tourism expenditure for the home economy, with around £600 million being spent in England. This is in comparison to around 1.8 million British travellers who headed overseas for the August Bank Holiday weekend, from August 24 to 27, as reported by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), a UK-based trade association.
Around 43 percent of British travellers commented that 2012’s super events, including the Diamond Jubilee, the Torch Relay, the Olympic games, and the approaching Paralympic Games, have rekindled their interest in exploring the UK.
James Berresford, the chief executive officer of VisitEngland, said, ‘It’s great news that almost 3 million people will be taking an overnight break in England over the August Bank Holiday; many of them having been inspired to get out and explore this beautiful country by the exciting events of this year.
Those waiting on the weather should remember that England is a fantastic all-weather destination, with a wealth of world-class attractions including many free galleries and museums across the country. This weekend is a huge opportunity for the industry to make the most of this surge of national pride, and encourage even more Brits to take the home advantage and take a holiday or day trip in England – whatever the weather.’
