Domestic GB Tourism Statistics (day trips): 2022 to 2023 (revised)
Data on day trips by British residents to destinations throughout Britain for 2022 to 2023 (revised).
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In this page
Introduction
This is a revised release of the main estimates for the volume and value of domestic day trips taken by British residents in Wales and Great Britain for the period January 2022 to December 2023.
Estimates have been revised following a methodological review, completed in summer 2024. The review was undertaken to address considerable volatility in the data for 2022 and 2023. Following the review, several changes have been made to the methodology of this statistical series. For further information on the review and the changes made to the methodology, please see the statement on the methodological review. Most of the estimates in this release have changed from previously released estimates for 2022 and 2023. Where data in a table or chart has been revised, this is noted in the title of the table or chart.
The report includes estimates and details of day trips taken in Wales, and in Great Britain for comparative purposes. Detailed results for England and Scotland are being published by VisitEngland (Great Britain domestic day visits: latest results) and VisitScotland (latest research).
There are two main measures for day trips reported in this publication.
3 hours or more leisure day trips
These are trips by adults and accompanied children that lasted for 3 or more hours, including travel time, to undertake one or more eligible leisure activities.
Tourism day trips
These are a subset of 3 hours or more leisure day visits and to qualify as a tourism day trip they must meet the additional criteria of being undertaken less often than once a week and must include a visit to a place outside of the local authority where the trip started.
Further information is provided in the section on definitions.
These statistics are used to monitor domestic tourism demand and measure the contribution and impact of domestic tourism on the visitor economy. A key purpose of these statistics is to uncover insights into market trends over time. Revised estimates of domestic overnight trips to Wales for 2022 and 2023 have been published and are comparable with the results in this release. Changes in expenditure should be considered in light of increased costs, as these estimates have not been adjusted for inflation.
The statistics are labelled as ‘official statistics in development’ to enable testing and further modification to meet user needs. Further information on this is available on the Office for National Statistics website. We are keen to check that the new tourism statistics meet user needs and invite you to provide feedback on the information in this output at tourismresearch@gov.wales.
Main points
Wales trips
- In 2022, Great Britain (GB) residents took 178.69 million leisure day trips lasting 3 hours or more in Wales with £5.37 billion spent during these trips.
- 34% of leisure day trips taken in Wales were tourism day trips, with 61.62 million trips taken in 2022, with an associated spend of £2.30 billion.
- In 2023, GB residents took 169.60 million leisure day trips lasting 3 hours or more in Wales with £5.50 billion spent during these trips.
- 36% of leisure day trips taken in Wales were tourism day trips with 60.90 million tourism day trips taken in 2023, with an associated spend of £2.49 billion.
- Approximately 6% of GB leisure day visits of 3 hours or more included a visit in Wales, both in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, the share of GB tourism day trips which included a visit in Wales was 6%, declining slightly in 2023 to 5%.
- In 2022, approximately 6% of expenditure on GB leisure day visits of 3 hours or more was spent in Wales, decreasing slightly to 5% in 2023. The share of total GB spend on tourism day trips in Wales remained stable across 2022 and 2023, at 5%.
- Compared to 2022, the volume of leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in Wales in 2023 was 5% lower, whilst the volume of tourism day trips taken was 1% lower.
- In 2022, the average expenditure on leisure day trips of 3 hours or more was £30 compared to £37 for tourism day trips taken in Wales; average expenditure was higher in 2023, at £32 for leisure day trips of 3 hours or more, and £41 for tourism day trips.
Great Britain trips
- In 2022, Great Britain (GB) residents took 2.79 billion leisure day trips lasting 3 hours or more in GB with £95.45 billion spent during these trips.
- 39% of leisure day trips taken in GB were tourism day trips with 1.10 billion tourism day trips taken in 2022, with an associated spend of £45.74 billion.
- In 2023, Great Britain (GB) residents took 2.97 billion leisure day trips lasting 3 hours or more in GB with £108.88 billion spent during these trips.
- 39% of leisure day trips taken in GB were tourism day trips with 1.17 billion tourism day trips taken in 2023, with an associated spend of £51.98 billion.
- Compared to 2022, the volume of leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in GB in 2023 was 6% higher, whilst the volume of tourism day trips was 7% higher.
- In 2022, the average expenditure on leisure day trips of 3 hours or more was £34 compared to £42 for tourism day trips taken in GB; average expenditure was higher in 2023, at £37 for leisure day trips of 3 hours or more, and £44 for tourism day trips.
Trips and spend to GB nations
| 3 hours or more leisure day trips | Great Britain | England | Scotland | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trips (millions) | 2792.50 | 2354.39 | 294.74 | 178.69 |
| % Great Britain trips | 100% | 84% | 11% | 6% |
| Spend (£ millions) | £95,452 | £80,995 | £9,089 | £5,367 |
| % Great Britain spend | 100% | 85% | 10% | 6% |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022
[Note 1] Percentages do not sum to 100% as some leisure day trips included visits to more than one nation.
| 3 hours or more leisure day trips | Great Britain | England | Scotland | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trips (millions) | 2966.29 | 2537.59 | 288.60 | 169.60 |
| % Great Britain trips | 100% | 86% | 10% | 6% |
| Spend (£ millions) | £108,878 | £93,952 | £9,422 | £5,504 |
| % Great Britain spend | 100% | 86% | 9% | 5% |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2023
[Note 1] Percentages do not sum to 100% as some leisure day trips included visits to more than one nation.
In 2022, there were 2.79 billion leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in GB by British residents with a total expenditure of £95.45 billion. During the same period there were 178.69 million leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in Wales with a total expenditure of £5.37 billion.
There were 2.97 billion leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in GB by British residents in 2023, with a total expenditure of £108.88 billion. During the same period there were 169.60 million leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in Wales with a spend of £5.50 billion. Domestic trip-taking was similarly distributed across the GB nations in 2022 and 2023, with approximately 6% of all leisure day trips of 3 hours or more being taken in Wales in both years. The share of total spend in Wales decreased slightly from 6% in 2022 to 5% in 2023. Similar trends were seen for Scotland. England received a higher proportion of trips and spend in 2023, compared to 2022.
| Tourism day trips | Great Britain | England | Scotland | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trips (millions) | 1095.41 | 950.98 | 96.17 | 61.62 |
| % Great Britain trips | 100% | 87% | 9% | 6% |
| Spend (£ millions) | £45,744 | £39,523 | £3,924 | £2,296 |
| % Great Britain spend | 100% | 86% | 9% | 5% |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022
[Note 1] Percentages do not sum to 100% as some tourism day trips included visits to more than one nation.
| Tourism day trips | Great Britain | England | Scotland | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trips (millions) | 1171.43 | 1030.04 | 90.75 | 60.90 |
| % Great Britain trips | 100% | 88% | 8% | 5% |
| Spend (£ millions) | £51,985 | £45,579 | £3,921 | £2,485 |
| % Great Britain spend | 100% | 88% | 8% | 5% |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2023
[Note 1] Percentages do not sum to 100% as some tourism day trips included visits to more than one nation.
In 2022, there were 1.10 billion tourism day trips taken in GB by British residents with a total expenditure of £45.74 billion. During the same period there were 61.62 million tourism day trips taken in Wales with a total expenditure of £2.30 billion. Tourism day trips accounted for 34% of leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in Wales and 43% of expenditure on leisure day trips of 3 hours or more.
There were 1.17 billion tourism day trips taken in GB by British residents in 2023, with a total expenditure of £51.98 billion. During the same period there were 60.90 million tourism day trips taken in Wales with a spend of £2.49 billion. Tourism day trips accounted for 36% of leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in Wales and 45% of expenditure. Wales received a slightly lower share of tourism day trips in 2023 at 5%, compared to 2022 at 6%. The share of total spend in Wales was stable across 2022 and 2023 at 5%. England’s share of tourism day trips and spend increased slightly from 2022 to 2023, in line with changes in its share of leisure day trips of three hours or more (see tables 1 and 2).
| Measure | Great Britain | Wales |
|---|---|---|
| 3 hours or more leisure day trips | £34 | £30 |
| Tourism day trips | £42 | £37 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022
| Measure | Great Britain | Wales |
|---|---|---|
| 3 hours or more leisure day trips | £37 | £32 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2023
In 2022, the average expenditure on leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in Wales was £30, compared to £34 across GB. Average expenditure on tourism day trips taken in Wales was higher at £37, compared to £42 across GB.
Average expenditure on leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in Wales in 2023 was higher than during the same period in 2022, which saw an average spend of £32 per trip for leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in Wales. Similarly, average expenditure on tourism day trips taken in Wales was higher in 2023, compared to 2022, when the average spend per trip for tourism day trips taken in Wales was £41. Changes in expenditure should be considered in light of increased costs, as these estimates have not been adjusted for inflation.
Across 2022 and 2023, average expenditure on both leisure day trips of 3 hours or more and tourism day trips taken in Wales was lower than GB. Notably, there was a higher average spend on tourism day trips than leisure day trips of 3 hours or more taken in GB and in Wales, in both 2022 and 2023.
Activities undertaken
| Main activity undertaken | Great Britain trips | Wales trips |
|---|---|---|
| Visited friends or relatives | 316.38 | 16.64 |
| Went to a visitor attraction | 176.15 | 10.58 |
| Food and drink, a night out or speciality shopping | 151.76 | 8.64 |
| Went sightseeing and exploring areas | 84.14 | 6.07 |
| Attended an organised public event | 93.23 | 4.48 |
| Took part in sports or outdoor leisure activities | 71.75 | 4.41 |
| Attended a special event or celebration | 83.34 | 4.35 |
| Took part in hobbies and interests | 54.87 | 3.11 |
| Went to an arts, cultural or entertainment experience | 29.02 | 1.21 |
| Took part in a health or wellbeing experience | 12.58 | 0.78 |
| Took part in leisure activities not mentioned above | 22.19 | 1.35 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022
[Note 1] Low base sizes for 'Took part in a health or wellbeing experience', 'Went to an arts, cultural or entertainment experience', and 'Took part in leisure activities not mentioned above' - data should be treated with caution.
Figure 1: Proportion of tourism day trips in Great Britain and Wales by main activity undertaken (2022, revised)
Description of Figure 1: A clustered bar chart showing that, in 2022, visiting friends or relatives was the most frequent main activity undertaken on tourism day trips in GB and Wales.
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022
In 2022, visiting friends and relatives comprised 27% of trips taken in Wales and 29% of trips taken in GB. Going to a visitor attraction was the second most popular main activity undertaken on tourism day trips in GB and Wales, with 17% of trips taken in Wales featuring this as their main activity. Food and drink, a night out or speciality shopping was the next most popular main activity, both for trips taken in Wales and in GB.
| Main activity undertaken | Great Britain trips | Wales trips |
|---|---|---|
| Visited friends or relatives | 311.86 | 12.85 |
| Went to a visitor attraction | 195.23 | 8.97 |
| Went sightseeing and exploring areas | 90.52 | 7.70 |
| Food and drink, a night out or speciality shopping | 155.01 | 6.81 |
| Attended an organised public event | 109.23 | 6.72 |
| Took part in sports or outdoor leisure activities | 71.09 | 5.62 |
| Attended a special event or celebration | 95.42 | 5.11 |
| Took part in hobbies and interests | 66.98 | 3.30 |
| Went to an arts, cultural or entertainment experience | 38.07 | 1.87 |
| Took part in a health or wellbeing experience | 10.71 | 0.57 |
| Took part in leisure activities not mentioned above | 27.32 | 1.39 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2023
[Note 1] Low base sizes for 'Took part in a health or wellbeing experience' and 'Took part in leisure activities not mentioned above' - data should be treated with caution.
Figure 2: Proportion of tourism day trips in Great Britain and Wales by main activity undertaken (2023, revised)
Description of Figure 2: A clustered bar chart showing that, in 2023, visiting friends or relatives was the most frequent main activity undertaken on tourism day trips in GB and Wales.
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2023
In 2023, visits to friends and relatives remained the most popular main activity undertaken on tourism day trips, both in Wales and in GB, at 21% and 27% respectively. Likewise, the second most popular activity in 2023 was going to a visitor attraction, which was the main activity undertaken on 15% of tourism day trips in Wales, and 17% of tourism day trips in GB. Food and drink, a night out or speciality shopping remained the third most popular activity undertaken on day trips in GB in 2023, at 13%. However, for day trips taken in Wales, going sightseeing and exploring areas was the third most popular activity in 2023, making up 13% of trips.
In 2023, the volume of day trips taken to visit friends and relatives was lower compared to 2022, both for trips taken in Wales and in GB. However, the decrease was much greater for the volume of trips taken in Wales, which was 23% lower in 2023, compared to 1% lower for trips taken in GB. There was also a decrease in the volume of trips taken for a health or wellbeing experience in 2023, both for trips taken in Wales (by 27%) and in GB (by 15%), compared to 2022. For most activities, trips volumes were higher in 2023 compared to 2022, across both Wales and GB. However, the volume of trips taken in GB to take part in sports or outdoor leisure activities in 2023 decreased by 1%. Additionally, the volume of trips taken in Wales to go to a visitor attraction and for food and drink, a night out or speciality shopping decreased in 2023, by 15% and 21% respectively.
Detailed characteristics of GB and Wales tourism day trips
| Nation of residence | Trips (millions) | Spend (£ millions) | % of Wales trips |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 24.35 | £917 | 40% |
| Scotland | 1.03 | £53 | 2% |
| Wales | 35.87 | £1,313 | 58% |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022
[Note 1] Percentages do not sum to 100%, as some respondents stated that they lived in a National Park.
[Note 2] Low base size for Scotland, data should be treated with caution.
| Nation of residence | Trips (millions) | Spend (£ millions) | % of Wales trips |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 23.97 | £1,005 | 39% |
| Scotland | 0.83 | £43 | 1% |
| Wales | 35.71 | £1,417 | 59% |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2023
[Note 1] Percentages do not sum to 100%, as some respondents stated that they lived in a National Park.
[Note 2] Low base size for Scotland, data should be treated with caution.
Residents of Wales generated nearly 6 in 10 of all tourism day trips taken in Wales, both in 2022 and 2023. Most of the remaining trips to Wales were generated by residents of England. Proportions of trips to Wales from each of the GB nations has remained stable in 2023, compared to 2022. Of the residents of England who visited Wales in 2022 and 2023, the majority resided in North West England, the West Midlands or South West England. The proportions of expenditure generated by residents of Wales in 2022 and 2023 were closely aligned to the proportion of trips taken, with 57% of the total expenditure on tourism day trips generated by residents of Wales across both years.
Trip trends for GB and Wales
| Quarter of visit | Great Britain trips (millions) | Great Britain spend (£ millions) |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 617.33 | £19,334 |
| April to June | 677.85 | £23,686 |
| July to September | 746.69 | £25,410 |
| October to December | 750.63 | £27,022 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022
| Quarter of visit | Great Britain trips (millions) | Great Britain spend (£ millions) |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 692.97 | £24,452 |
| April to June | 742.02 | £25,305 |
| July to September | 785.27 | £27,624 |
| October to December | 746.03 | £31,496 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2023
Figure 3: Volume of 3 hours or more leisure day trips to Great Britain by quarter of visit in millions (2022 to 2023, revised)
Description of Figure 3: A column chart showing that the volume of leisure day visits of 3 hours or more taken in GB was higher during the first three quarters of 2023, compared to the same period in 2022. In contrast, trip volumes were lower in the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to 2022.
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022 to 2023
The volume of leisure day visits lasting 3 hours or more taken in GB during 2023 was 6% higher compared to 2022, while expenditure was 14% higher. In 2022, both trip volumes and expenditure were highest in the fourth quarter. Expenditure in 2023 was also highest during the fourth quarter, but trip volumes were highest in the third quarter.
| Quarter of visit | Wales trips (millions) | Wales spend (£ millions) |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 39.56 | £1,074 |
| April to June | 45.02 | £1,199 |
| July to September | 50.79 | £1,544 |
| October to December | 43.32 | £1,550 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022
| Quarter of visit | Wales trips (millions) | Wales spend (£ millions) |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 44.10 | £1,298 |
| April to June | 41.74 | £1,516 |
| July to September | 43.78 | £1,231 |
| October to December | 39.99 | £1,460 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2023
Figure 4: Volume of 3 hours or more leisure day trips to Wales by quarter of visit in millions (2022 to 2023, revised)
Description of Figure 4: A column chart showing that apart from during the first quarter, quarterly volumes of leisure day visits of 3 hours or more taken in Wales were lower in 2023 compared to 2022.
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022 to 2023
In 2023, the volume of leisure day visits lasting 3 hours or more taken in Wales was 5% lower compared to 2022, while expenditure was 3% higher. The decrease in trip volume was driven by lower volumes from April to December, particularly during the third quarter. In 2022, trip volume was highest during the third quarter, while expenditure was highest in the fourth quarter. The seasonal distribution was unusual in 2023, with trip volume highest in the first quarter, and expenditure highest during the second quarter.
| Quarter of visit | Great Britain trips (millions) | Great Britain spend (£ millions) |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 205.98 | £8,524 |
| April to June | 267.82 | £11,495 |
| July to September | 310.82 | £12,485 |
| October to December | 310.79 | £13,240 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022
| Quarter of visit | Great Britain trips (millions) | Great Britain spend (£ millions) |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 248.65 | £10,703 |
| April to June | 291.00 | £12,142 |
| July to September | 317.39 | £13,705 |
| October to December | 314.38 | £15,435 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2023
Figure 5: Volume of tourism day trips to Great Britain by quarter of visit in millions (2022 to 2023, revised)
Description of Figure 5: A column chart showing that, compared to 2022, quarterly volumes of tourism day trips taken in GB were higher in 2023, although volumes began to level off during the second half of 2023.
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022 to 2023
The volume of tourism day trips taken in GB during 2023 was 7% higher compared to 2022, while expenditure was 14% higher. In both 2022 and 2023, trip volumes were highest during the third quarter, while expenditure was highest during in the fourth quarter.
| Quarter of visit | Wales trips (millions) | Wales spend (£ millions) |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 11.71 | £419 |
| April to June | 16.85 | £644 |
| July to September | 17.16 | £617 |
| October to December | 15.91 | £616 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022
| Quarter of visit | Wales trips (millions) | Wales spend (£ millions) |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 11.32 | £459 |
| April to June | 18.51 | £839 |
| July to September | 15.86 | £540 |
| October to December | 15.21 | £647 |
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2023
Figure 6: Volume of tourism day trips to Wales by quarter of visit in millions (2022 to 2023, revised)
Description of Figure 6: A column chart showing that quarterly volumes of tourism day trips taken in Wales were lower in 2023 compared to 2022, except for during the second quarter, in which they were higher.
Source: Great Britain Day Visits Survey (GBDVS), 2022 and 2023
In 2023, the volume of tourism day trips taken in Wales was 1% lower compared to 2022, while expenditure was 8% higher. Trip volumes in 2022 were highest during the third quarter, whereas expenditure was highest during the second quarter. In 2023, trip volumes and expenditure were highest during the second quarter.
Quality and methodology information
Definitions
There are two main measures for day trips used in this report.
3 hours or more leisure day trips
Trips by adults and accompanied children that lasted for 3 or more hours, including travel time, to undertake one or more eligible leisure activities. All overnight trips are excluded as are day trips from a holiday accommodation base.
Tourism day trips
These are a subset of 3 hours or more leisure day visits and to qualify as tourism day trips, they must meet the additional criteria of being undertaken less often than once a week and they must include a visit to a place outside of the local authority where the trip started. The requirement to travel to a different local authority covers most activities with the exception of trips where the main activity is watching live sports events, going to visitor attractions or going to public events, which qualify as tourism day visits even if they are undertaken within the same local authority.
Eligible leisure activities
- Visited friends or relatives
- Went to a visitor attraction, such as a historic house, theme park, or museum
- Took part in sports or outdoor leisure activities
- Went sightseeing and exploring areas
- Took part in hobbies and interests
- Took part in a health or wellbeing experience
- Attended a special event or celebration (such as a wedding or birthday)
- Attended an organised public event (such as an exhibition or live sport)
- Went to an arts, cultural or entertainment experience (such as a museum)
- Food and drink, a night out or speciality shopping
- Took part in leisure activities not mentioned above
Other definitions used in this publication
Volume
An estimate of what the grossed-up number of day trips undertaken by the population would be if the survey sample is representative of the whole GB population. The reported volume of trips is an estimate of trips by individuals, so that a travel party of two people would count as two individual trips.
Value
An estimate of what the total expenditure on day trips by the population would be if the survey sample is representative of the whole GB population.
These definitions and the associated qualifying criteria have been revised as part of the new combined GBTS/GBDVS survey to align with agreed international standards. These changes impact comparability between the published domestic day trips estimates for 2023 with those published for 2019 and previous years.
Methodology
Since 2021, data on both domestic overnight trips and domestic day trips has been collected through an online survey. The sample for this online survey is a non-probability-based design sourced from 4 ESOMAR accredited online panel providers and includes quotas for key demographic variables to make the overall sample as representative as possible of GB population. The target annual sample size for the survey of day visitors is 35,000 completed interviews. Not every person who is interviewed will have taken an eligible overnight trip and so the base sizes used for trip estimation are lower than the number of interviews.
A weighting scheme is used to make the results as representative as possible of the GB population. However, the use of a non-probability online sample limits the extent to which the survey responses are truly representative of the full GB population, a limitation of similar online sample surveys. The new weighting scheme uses the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC) mapped to approximate social grade for population statistics, for the purpose of quotas and weighting to the GB population. The change to using NS-SEC as the population statistics source will impact the estimation and reporting of trips compared to the previous reporting of social grade used for GBDVS in 2019 and previous years.
In 2024, a review of the methodology was undertaken to address volatility in the data. As a result of the review, a range of changes were applied to the methodology, and estimates for 2022 and 2023 were revised. For further details on the changes made to the methodology in 2024, please see the statement on the methodological review. For a comprehensive guide to the survey methodology in 2022 and 2023, please see the GBDVS background quality report 2022 and the GBDVS background quality report 2023, respectively.
Comparability and coherence
Statistics for domestic overnight tourism have been collected in a broadly similar way since 1989. However, the changes in survey methodology introduced in 2021 means that results published from April 2021 onwards are not directly comparable with data published for 2019 and previous years. Results from April 2021 onwards are available, and are comparable with the results in this report.
Accuracy
The statistics produced from the Great Britain Day Visits Survey in 2019 and previous years have been designated as official statistics, which provides reassurance to users that the statistics are produced to the very highest professional standards of trustworthiness, quality and value, set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics (UK Statistics Authority). Due to the changes in methodology and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey results for 2021 have been labelled as ‘official statistics in development’ (Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR)). The new survey and statistics have undergone a comprehensive programme of quality assurance including piloting of the survey, analysis of changes to the trip definitions, testing the impact of the new weighting scheme and a review of caps and imputation rules. Changes to the survey methodology and estimation have taken account of a review and advice provided by the Methodology Advisory Service of the Office for National Statistics (ONS). A further review of the methodology was undertaken in 2024 to address volatility in the data and estimates for 2022 and 2023 were revised following the review. For further information on the review undertaken in 2024, please see the statement on the methodological review.
Relevance
These statistics are used both within and outside the Welsh Government to monitor domestic tourism demand and measure the contribution and impact of domestic tourism on the visitor economy. A key purpose of these statistics is to uncover insights into market trends over time.
As far as possible, the new combined GBTS and GBDVS survey provides consistency with previous information collected, but new questions capture enhanced information on activities undertaken, booking methods and responder profiles including protected characteristics. It is envisaged that this additional information will be of value for the various users of the survey. The questionnaires for 2022 and 2023 are included in the GBDVS background quality report 2022 and the GBDVS background quality report 2023, respectively.
The survey sponsors are planning to engage with the priority users of the statistics to check the new survey information meets their needs and we encourage users of the statistics to provide feedback on the data and this output at tourismresearch@gov.wales.
Timeliness and punctuality
All outputs adhere to the Code of Practice by pre-announcing the date of publication through the upcoming calendar. Furthermore, should the need arise to postpone an output this would follow the statement on revisions, errors and postponements. We aim to publish data as soon as possible after the relevant research time period. It is anticipated that future results for Wales will be published on a quarterly basis, to ensure estimates are supported by robust trip base sizes. Specific publication timings will be notified on the WG website, but the aim is to publish quarterly statistics for Wales approximately 9 to 10 weeks after the end of each quarter based on the 4 week survey trip taking reference period and to allow for quality assurance and reporting timescales.