The British make more than five billion leisure day visits a year, spending some £71 billion, according to new research from the national agencies responsible for recreation and tourism.
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THE BRITISH LOVE DAYS OUT - 14 June 2004

The British make more than five billion leisure day visits* a year, spending some £71 billion, according to new research from the national agencies responsible for recreation and tourism.


Going out for a meal or drink (18%), walking, hill walking and rambling (15%), visiting friends and relatives (14%) and shopping (11%) are our favourite activities on a day out.  Seven in ten visits were to a town or city, nearly a quarter to the countryside and 5% to the British seaside. Average spend was £13.70 per day visit, more than doubling on longer, non-regular trips².

Pam Warhurst, chair of the Countryside Agency (responsible for leading the joint research) said: “This survey shows how much the day trips we all enjoy to our cities, towns, countryside and coast, generate much-needed jobs and income throughout Britain.

“They play a particularly vital part in rural communities, where nearly £10 billion was spent during the year in England’s rural areas.   The countryside is part of our national heritage - it remains a popular destination, where people can go to enjoy themselves, with a simple walk, a good pub lunch, some shopping in country towns or simply to sit and enjoy the view.   It’s particularly pleasing to see that walking (15%), with all its benefits for the nation’s health, was more popular with the British than going out to shop (11%).  

“With the increasing focus on encouraging people to get more active, the countryside can offer something for everyone – from a long distance trail, a historic house and gardens to shopping at a farmers’ market or a bite to eat or drink.”                                                                                                                                

GB Day Visits Survey 2002-3  findings include:                                                                           

  • 5.2 billion day trips (down 14% from the 1998 high of 5.9bn, back to 1994 levels)
  • Of these, tourism leisure day visits** (21%) maintain their popularity –  with more than one billion trips (down 15% from the 1998 high of 1.3bn).
  • Total expenditure in Great Britain was £71 billion (England £61.9bn, 
  • Scotland £6.2bn and Wales £3.1bn) - down from£78bn in 1998,  £63bn in 1996, and £53bn in 1994 (all figures converted to 2002 prices).
  • Average spend nationally £13.70 per visit (+5%), rising to £27.70 on a tourism day visit².
  • In the English countryside - people spend nearly £10 billion a year, making more than a billion day trips (average spend £8.60 rising to£20.60 on a tourism day out²)
  • Day visits are an all-year round activity, not surprisingly peaking in July on days out to the countryside and seaside.     

Most popular activities on a day out:               

  • going out for a meal or drink (18%)                                                              
  • walking, hill walking & rambling (15%)                                                                                             
  • visiting friends and relatives (14%)                                                                                         
  • shopping (not food & not regular) (11%)                                                                                                
  • taking part in sports (9%) 
  • hobbies or special interest (8%)                                                                             

The full report 2002-2003 Leisure Day Visit Survey for England, Wales and Scotland,  plus a summary leaflet can be downloaded as a pdf from:
 www.countryside.gov.uk/WhoWeAreAndWhatWeDo/dayvisits.asp  

A full printed report (CAX 14) with data tables on CD ROM is available, priced £15, from Countryside Agency Publications, PO Box 125, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS2 7EP. Tel: 0870 120 6466.
E-mail: countryside@twoten.press.net.

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Note to editors:

* Leisure day visits are defined as round trips made from home for leisure purposes to locations anywhere in Great Britain.   Visits to overseas destinations are excluded.   People must start from and return to their home within the same day.   Leisure visits from a work address (eg the gym after work) are included if the person started out from and returned home that day.   Shopping activity included is only that which is not regular and not for food.    Expenditure figures are expressed in 2002 prices.

** Tourism leisure day trips are a subset of all leisure day visits but are defined as lasting three hours or more, not made on a regular basis, and undertaken by people visiting places outside their usual environment.

The GB Day Visits Survey  was carried out by TNS Travel & Tourism during the 12 months to March 2003, on behalf of the Countryside Agency, the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, the Forestry Commission, British Waterways, Environment Agency, Countryside Council for Wales, Scottish Natural Heritage, Visit Britain, Visit Scotland and the Wales Tourist Board.