tourism survey 2023

• Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)
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• SUSTAINABLE TOURISM OBSERVATORIES (INSTO)

World Tourism Barometer: November 2023

International Tourism to end 2023 close to 90% of Pre-pandemic levels

World destinations welcomed 22% more international tourists in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year, reflecting a strong Northern Hemisphere summer season (UNWTO Tourism Barometer November 2023 – Press Release) .

An estimated 975 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September 2023, an increase of 38% over the same months of 2022, though 13% fewer than in 2019 (UNWTO Tourism Barometer November 2023-Excerpt) .

Overall, tourism recovered 87% of pre-pandemic levels in January-September 2023. That puts the sector on course to recover almost 90% by the end of the year. And international tourism receipts could reach USD 1.4 trillion in 2023, about 93% of the USD 1.5 trillion earned by destinations in 2019 (UNWTO Tourism Barometer November 2023 – Press Release) .

Asia and the Pacific reached 62% of pre-pandemic levels this period due to slower reopening to international travel. However, performance among subregions is mixed, with South Asia recovering 95% of pre-pandemic levels but North-East Asia only about 50% (UNWTO Tourism Barometer November 2023 – Press Release) .

According to Trip.com, global search results for inbound travel to China have significantly improved in Q3 2023 by nearly 40% compared to Q2. In terms of Chinese outbound travel, hotel and air ticket reservations made have already recovered 80% of pre-pandemic levels in Q3. This show signs of gradual recovery of cross-border traffic further to China’s reopening of borders early this year. On 24 November, China announced a unilateral 15- day visa-free entry policy for holders of ordinary passports from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia, during the period from 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024 (UNWTO Tourism Barometer November 2023-Excerpt) .

International tourism is well on track to fully recover pre-pandemic levels in 2024 despite economic challenges such as high inflation and weaker global output, as well as important geopolitical tensions and conflicts (UNWTO Tourism Barometer November 2023 – Press Release) .

Read more on the UNWTO Tourism Barometer (November 2023 excerpt) here .

About the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer

The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer is a publication of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) that monitors short-term tourism trends regularly to provide global tourism stakeholders with up-to-date analysis of international tourism. The information is updated several times a year and includes an analysis of the latest data on tourism destinations (inbound tourism) and source markets (outbound tourism). The Barometer also includes three times a year Confidence Index based on the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts survey, which provides an evaluation of recent performance and short-term prospects for international tourism.

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UN Tourism Data Dashboard

The UN Tourism Data Dashboard – provides statistics and insights on key indicators for inbound and outbound tourism at the global, regional and national levels. Data covers tourist arrivals, tourism share of exports and contribution to GDP, source markets, seasonality and accommodation (data on number of rooms, guest and nights)

Two special modules present data on the impact of COVID 19 on tourism as well as a Policy Tracker on Measures to Support Tourism

The UN Tourism/IATA Destination Tracker

Un tourism tourism recovery tracker.

UN Tourism Tourism Data Dashboard

• International tourist arrivals and receipts and export revenues
• International tourism expenditure and departures
• Seasonality
• Tourism Flows
• Accommodation
• Tourism GDP and Employment
• Domestic Tourism

International Tourism and COVID-19

• The pandemic generated a loss of 2.6 billion international arrivals in 2020, 2021 and 2022 combined
• Export revenues from international tourism dropped 62% in 2020 and 59% in 2021, versus 2019 (real terms) and then rebounded in 2022, remaining 34% below pre-pandemic levels.
• The total loss in export revenues from tourism amounts to USD 2.6 trillion for that three-year period.
• International tourist arrivals reached 88% of pre-pandemic levels in January-December 2023

COVID-19: Measures to Support Travel and Tourism

Outlook for China tourism 2023: Light at the end of the tunnel

China is now removing travel restrictions rapidly, both domestically and internationally. While the sudden opening may lead to uncertainty and hesitancy to travel in the short term, Chinese tourists still express a strong desire to travel. And the recent removal of quarantine requirements in January 2023 could usher in a renewed demand for trips abroad.

Domestically, there are already signs of strong travel recovery. The recent Chinese New Year holidays saw 308 million domestic trips, generating almost RMB 376 billion in tourism revenue. 1 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This upswing indicates that domestic travel volume has recovered to 90 percent of 2019 figures, and spending has bounced back to around 70 percent of pre-pandemic levels. 2 McKinsey analysis based on China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism data.

This article paints a picture of Chinese travelers and their evolving spending behaviors and preferences—and suggests measures that tourism service providers and destinations could take to prepare for their imminent return. The analyses draw on the findings of McKinsey’s latest Survey of Chinese Tourist Attitudes, and compare the results across six waves of surveys conducted between April 2020 and November 2022, along with consumer sentiment research and recent travel data.

From pandemic to endemic

By January 8, 2023, cross-city travel restrictions, border closures, and quarantine requirements on international arrivals to China had been lifted. 3 “Graphics: China’s 20 new measures for optimizing COVID-19 response,” CGTN, November 15, 2022; “COVID-19 response further optimized with 10 new measures,” China Services Info, December 8, 2022; “China reopens borders in final farewell to zero-COVID,” Reuters, January 8, 2023. This rapid removal of domestic travel restrictions, and an increase in COVID-19 infection rates, likely knocked travel confidence for cross-city and within-city trips. Right after the first easing of measures, in-city transport saw a marked drop as people stayed home—either because they were ill, or to avoid exposure. Subway traffic in ten major cities in mainland China fell and then spiked during Chinese New Year in February. Hotel room bookings also peaked at this time.

Domestic airline seat capacity experienced a minor rebound as each set of restrictions was lifted—suggesting a rise in demand as airlines scheduled more flights. Domestic capacity fluctuated, possibly due to the accelerated COVID-19 infection rate and a temporary labor shortage. International seat capacity, however, continued to climb (Exhibit 1).

By Chinese new year, China was past its infection peak—and domestic tourism recovered strongly. For instance, Hainan drew 6.4 million visitors over Chinese New Year (up from 5.8 million in 2019) and visits to Shanghai reached 10 million (roughly double 2019 holiday figures). 4 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Overall, revenue per available room (RevPAR) during this period recovered and surpassed pre-pandemic levels, at 120 percent of 2019 figures. 5 STR data. Outbound trips are still limited, but given the pent-up demand for international travel (and the upswing in domestic tourism) the tourism industry may need to prepare to welcome back Chinese tourists.

Tourism players should be ready for this; the time to act is now.

A demand boom is around the corner—Chinese tourists are returning soon

Before the pandemic, Chinese tourists were eager travelers. Mainland China had the largest outbound travel market in the world, both in number of trips and total spend. 6 World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Tourism dashboard, Outbound tourism ranking. In 2019, Mainland Chinese tourists took 155 million outbound trips, totaling $255 billion in travel spending. 7 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. These figures indicate total outbound trips, including to Hong Kong and Macau. China is also an important source market for some major destinations. For instance, Chinese travelers made up 28 percent of inbound tourism in Thailand, 30 percent in Japan, and 16 percent of non-EU visitors to Germany. 8 United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) database.

Leisure travel was the biggest driver of China’s outbound travel, representing 65 percent of travelers in 2019. In the same year, 29 percent of travelers ventured out for business, and 6 percent journeyed to visit friends and relatives. 9 Euromonitor International database.

Our most recent Survey of Chinese Tourist Attitudes, conducted in November 2022, shows that Chinese tourists have retained their keen desire to explore international destinations. About 40 percent of respondents reported that they expect to undertake outbound travel for their next leisure trip.

Where do these travelers want to go?

The results also indicate that the top three overseas travel destinations (beyond Hong Kong and Macau) are Australia/New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Japan. Overall, respondents show less interest in travel to Europe than in previous years, down from 7 percent to 4 percent compared to wave 5 respondents. Desire to embark on long-haul international trips to Australia/New Zealand increased from 5 percent to 7 percent, and North American trips from 3 percent to 4 percent since the last survey. The wealthier segment (monthly household income over RMB 38,000) still shows a high interest in EU destinations (13 percent).

There are stumbling blocks on the road to recovery

While travel sentiment is strong, other factors may deter travelers from taking to the skies: fear of COVID-19; the need for COVID-19 testing which can be expensive; ticket prices; risk appetite of destination countries; and getting a passport or visa.

Chinese travelers may favor domestic trips, even if all outbound travel restrictions are removed, until they feel it is safe to travel internationally. A COVID-19-safe environment in destination countries will likely boost travelers’ confidence and encourage them to book trips again. 10 “Long-haul travel barometer,” European Travel Commission, February 1, 2023.

Travel recovery is also dependent on airline capacity. Some international airlines might be slow to restore capacity as fleets were retired during COVID-19 and airlines face a shortage of crew, particularly pilots. Considering that at the time of writing, in April 2023, international airline seat capacity has only recovered to around 37 percent of pre-pandemic levels, travelers are likely to face elevated ticket prices in the coming months. For instance, ticket prices for travel in the upcoming holidays to popular overseas destinations such as Japan and Thailand are double what they were in 2019. 11 Based on Ctrip prices. Price-sensitive travelers might wait for ticket prices to level out before booking their overseas trips.

Chinese airlines, however, appear more ready to resume full service than their international counterparts —fewer pilots left the industry and aircraft are available. Chinese carriers’ widebody fleets are mostly in service or ready to be redeployed (Exhibit 2).

Moving forward, safety measures in destination countries will affect travel recovery. Most countries have dropped testing requirements on arrivals from mainland China, and Chinese outbound group travel has resumed but is still limited to selected countries.

Many Chinese travelers—maybe 20 percent—have had passports expire during the COVID-19 period, and China has not been renewing these passports. Renewals are now possible, but the backlog will slow travel’s rebound by a few months. 12 Steve Saxon, “ What to expect from China’s travel rebound ,” McKinsey, January 25, 2023. Furthermore, travel visas for destination countries can take some time to be processed and issued.

Taken together, these factors suggest that the returning wave of Chinese travelers may only gather momentum by the Summer of 2023 and that China’s travel recovery will likely lag Hong Kong’s by a few months.

Overall, China is opening up to travel, both inbound and outbound—all types of visas are being issued to foreign visitors, and locals are getting ready to travel abroad. 13 “China to resume issuing all types of visas for foreigners,” China Briefing, March 14, 2023.

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The returning chinese traveler is evolving.

Although Chinese travelers did not have opportunities to travel internationally over the past three years, they continued to travel domestically and explore new offerings. Annual domestic trips remained at around 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels, amounting to 8.7 billion domestic trips over the past three years. 14 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. During this time, the domestic market matured, and travelers became more sophisticated as they tried new leisure experiences such as beach resorts, skiing trips, and “staycations” in home cities. Chinese travelers became more experienced as thanks to periods of low COVID-19 infection rates domestically they explored China’s vast geography and diverse experiences on offer.

Consequently, the post-COVID-19 Chinese traveler is even more digitally savvy, has high expectations, and seeks novel experiences. These are some of the characteristics of a typical traveler:

• Experience-oriented: Wave 6 of the survey shows that the rebound tourist is planning their trip around experiences. Outdoor and scenic trips remain the most popular travel theme. In survey waves 1 to 3, sightseeing and “foodie” experiences were high on the list of preferences while traveling. From waves 4 to 6, culture and history, beaches and resorts, and health and wellness gained more attention—solidifying the trend for experience-driven travel. Additionally, possibly due to the hype of the Winter Olympics, skiing and snowboarding have become popular activities.
• Hyper-digitized: While digitization is a global trend, Chinese consumers are some of the most digitally savvy in the world; mobile technologies and social media are at the core of daily life. COVID-19 drove people to spend more time online—now short-form videos and livestreaming have become the top online entertainment options in China. In the first half of 2022, Chinese consumers spent 30 percent of their mobile internet time engaging with short videos. 15 “In the first half of the year, the number of mobile netizens increased, and short videos accounted for nearly 30% of the total time spent online,” Chinadaily.com, 27 July 2022.
• Exploration enthusiasts: Chinese travelers are also keen to explore the world and embark on novel experiences in unfamiliar destinations. Survey respondents were looking forward to visiting new attractions, even when travel policies limited their travel radius. Instead of revisiting destinations, 45 percent of respondents picked short trips to new sites as their number one choice, followed by long trips to new sites as their second choice.

Consumers are optimistic, and travel spending remains resilient

McKinsey’s 2022 research on Chinese consumer sentiment shows that although economic optimism is seeing a global decline, 49 percent of Chinese respondents reported that they are optimistic about their country’s economic recovery. Optimism had dropped by 6 percentage points since an earlier iteration of the survey, but Chinese consumers continue to be more optimistic than other surveyed countries, apart from India (80 percent optimistic) and Indonesia (73 percent optimistic) (Exhibit 3). 16 “ Survey: Chinese consumer sentiment during the coronavirus crisis ,” McKinsey, October 13, 2022.

Chinese consumers are still keen to spend on travel, and travel spending is expected to be resilient. Wave 6 of the tourist attitude survey saw 87 percent of respondents claiming that they will spend more or maintain their level of travel spending. Moreover, when consumers were asked “which categories do you intend to splurge/treat yourself to,” travel ranked second, with 29 percent of respondents preferring travel over other categories. 17 “ Survey: Chinese consumer sentiment during the coronavirus crisis ,” McKinsey, October 13, 2022.

Against this context of consumer optimism, the wave 6 tourist attitude survey results shed light on how travelers plan to spend, and which segments are likely to spend more than others:

• The wealthier segment and older age groups (age 45-65) show the most resilience in terms of travel spend. Around 45 to 50 percent of travelers in these two groups will spend more on their next leisure trip.
• The wealthier segment has shown the most interest in beach and resort trips (48 percent). Instead of celebrating Chinese New Year at home with family, 30 percent of Chinese travelers in the senior age group (age 55-65) expect to take their next leisure trip during this holiday—10 percent more than the total average. And the top three trip preferences for senior travelers are culture, sightseeing, and health-themed trips.
• When it comes to where travelers plan to spend their money on their next trip, entertainment activities, food, and shopping are the most popular categories. These are also the most flexible and variable spending categories, and there are opportunities to up-sell—attractions, food and beverage, and retail players are well positioned to create unique and unexpected offerings to stimulate spending in this area (Exhibit 4).

Independent accommodation is gaining popularity

Overall, Chinese consumers have high expectations for products and services. McKinsey’s 2023 consumer report found that local brands are on the rise and consumers are choosing local products for their quality, not just for their cheaper prices. Chinese consumers are becoming savvier, and tap into online resources and social media to educate themselves about the specific details and features of product offerings. 18 Daniel Zipser, Daniel Hui, Jia Zhou, and Cherie Zhang, 2023 McKinsey China Consumer Report , McKinsey, December 2022.

Furthermore, 49 percent of Chinese consumers believe that domestic brands are of “better quality” than foreign brands—only 23 percent believe the converse is true. Functionality extended its lead as the most important criterion influencing Chinese consumers, indicating that consumers are focusing more on the functional aspects of products, and less on emotional factors. Branding thus has less influence on purchasing decisions. 19 Daniel Zipser, Daniel Hui, Jia Zhou, and Cherie Zhang, 2023 McKinsey China Consumer Report , McKinsey, December 2022.

These broader consumer sentiments are echoed in the travel sector. Chinese travelers pay attention to cost, but do not simply seek out the lowest prices. While 17 percent of wave 6 respondents are concerned about low prices, 33 percent are on the hunt for value-for-money offerings, and 30 percent prefer good discounts and worthwhile deals.

And consumer sentiment regarding local brands holds true for travel preferences. Independent travel accommodation continues to be the preferred choice for most respondents, increasing in share against international chain brand hotels (Exhibit 5). Almost 60 percent of respondents prefer independent accommodation such as boutique hotels, B&Bs, and Airbnb—an 8 percentage-point increase since 2020.

Local chain brand hotels remain stable, the favored accommodation for 20 percent of respondents. These hotels are seen as a more standardized option, and as most are located in urban areas, they target the budget traveler segment.

Opting for independent accommodation is not considered a trade down; Chinese travelers expect a high level of service. In particular, respondents in the wealthier segment picked independent options (57 percent) over international premium brands (27 percent).

Premium independent options for the wealthier segment are abundant, specifically in leisure travel. Setting up a premium brand hotel requires long-term construction periods and heavy capital investment. Small-scale boutique hotels or B&Bs, on the other hand, are more agile solutions that can ramp up in the short term. This may explain the abundance of premium independent offerings. For instance, in destinations such as Lijiang and Yangshuo, between seven and nine of the top-ten premium hotels listed on Ctrip are independent boutique hotels.

Premium independent accommodation’s strength lies in quality guest experience with a genuine human touch. The service level at premium independent establishments can even surpass that of chain brand accommodation thanks to the high staff-to-room ratio, which easily reaches 3:1 or even 5:1. 20 “Strategic marketing analysis of boutique hotels,” Travel Daily , June 3, 2015. For hotels in Xiamen, Lijiang, and Yangshou, Ctrip service ratings of premium independent hotels are all above 4.7, outperforming international chain brand hotels.

Travelers are becoming smarter and more realistic during hotel selection, focusing on fundamental offerings such as local features and value for money. Across all types of hotels, local features are one of the most important factors influencing hotel selection—even for chain brand hotels which have a reputation for mastering the standardized offering. On average, 34 percent of respondents report that local features and cultural elements are the key considerations affecting their choice of hotel.

Outbound Chinese tourists are evolving rapidly, becoming increasingly diverse in their travel preferences, behaviors, and spending patterns. Chinese travelers are not homogeneous, and their needs and preferences continue to evolve. Therefore, serving each group of tourists may require different product offerings, sales channels, or marketing techniques.

The path toward eco-friendly travel in China

How international travel and tourism can attract outbound chinese travelers.

China’s lifting of travel restrictions may cause some uncertainty in the short term, but a promising recovery lies ahead. Chinese tourists have maintained a strong desire to travel internationally and are willing to pay for this experience. They are also discerning and looking for high-quality accommodation, offerings, and service. As boutique hotels are becoming more popular, international hotel brands hotels could, for example, aim to stand out by leveraging their experience in service excellence.

With renewed travel demand, now may be the time for international travel and tourism businesses to invest in polishing product offerings—on an infrastructural and service level. Tourism, food and beverage, retail, and entertainment providers can start preparing for the rebound by providing unique and innovative experiences that entice the adventurous Chinese traveler.

Craft an authentically local offering that appeals to experience-driven Chinese travelers

Chinese travelers have suspended overseas trips for three years, and are now looking to enjoy high-quality experiences in destinations they have been to before. They also want to do more than shopping and sightseeing, and have expressed willingness to spend on offerings geared towards entertainment and experience. This includes activities like theme parks, snow sports, water sports, shows, and cultural activities. Authentic experiences can satisfy their desire for an immersive foreign experience, but they often want the experience to be familiar and accessible.

Designing the right product means tapping into deep customer insights to craft offerings that are accessible for Chinese travelers, within a comfortable and familiar setting, yet are still authentic and exciting.

Travel and tourism providers may also have opportunities to up-sell or cross-sell experiences and entertainment offerings.

Social media is essential

Social media is emerging as one of the most important sources of inspiration for travel. Short video now is a major influence channel across all age groups and types of consumers.

Tourist destinations have begun to leverage social media, and short video campaigns, to maximize exposure. For example, Tourism Australia recently launched a video campaign with a kangaroo character on TikTok, and overall views soon reached around 1.67 billion.

The story of Ding Zhen, a young herder from a village in Sichuan province, illustrates the power of online video in China. In 2020, a seven-second video of Ding Zhen turned him into an overnight media sensation. Soon after, he was approached to become a tourism ambassador for Litang county in Sichuan—and local tourism flourished. 21 “Tibetan herder goes viral, draws attention to his hometown in SW China,” Xinhuanet, December 11, 2020. Another Sichuan local, the director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau in Ganzi, has drawn visitors to the region through his popular cosplay videos that generated 7 million reviews. Building on the strength of these influential celebrities, visitor numbers to the region were said to reach 35 million, more than two-and-a-half times 2016 volumes. 22 “Local official promoting Sichuan tourism goes viral on internet,” China Daily, June 17, 2022; “The Director of Culture and Tourism disguises himself as a “Swordsman” knight to promote Ganzi tourism,” Travel Daily , June 17, 2022.

Online travel companies are also using social media to reach consumers. Early in the pandemic, Trip.com took advantage of the upward trend in livestreaming. The company’s co-founder and chairman of the board, James Liang, hosted weekly livestreams where he dressed up in costume or chatted to guests at various destinations. Between March and October 2020, Liang’s livestreams sold around $294 million’s worth of travel packages and hotel room reservations. 23 “Travel companies adapt to a livestreaming trend that may outlast the pandemic,” Skift, October 26, 2020.

Livestreaming is being used by tourism boards, too. For instance, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) collaborated with Trip.com to launch a new campaign to attract Chinese tourists to Thailand as cross-border travel resumed. The broadcast, joined by TAT Governor Mr Yuthasak Supasorn, recorded sales of more than 20,000 room nights amounting to a gross merchandise value of over RMB 40 million. 24 “Trip.com Group sees border reopening surge in travel bookings boosted by Lunar New Year demand,” Trip.com, January 13, 2023.

International tourism providers looking to engage Chinese travelers should keep an eye on social media channels and fully leverage key opinion leaders.

Scale with the right channel partners

Travel distribution in China has evolved into a complex, fragmented, and Chinese-dominated ecosystem, making scaling an increasingly difficult task. Travel companies need to understand the key characteristics of each channel type, including online travel agencies (OTAs), online travel portals (OTPs), and traditional travel agencies as each target different customer segments, and offer different levels of control to brands. It also takes different sets of capabilities to manage each type of distribution channel.

Travel companies can prioritize the channels they wish to use and set clear roles for each. One challenge when choosing the right channel partner is to avoid ultra-low prices that may encourage volume, but could ultimately damage a brand.

Meanwhile, given the evolution of the postCOVID-19 industry landscape and rapid shifts in consumer demand, travel companies should consider direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels. The first step would be selecting the appropriate D2C positioning and strategy, according to the company’s needs. In China, D2C is a complicated market involving both public domains (such as social media and OTA platforms) and private domains (such as official brand platforms). To make the most of D2C, travel companies need a clear value proposition for their D2C strategy, whether it be focused on branding or on commercial/sales.

Create a seamless travel experience for the digitally savvy Chinese tourist

China has one of the most digitally advanced lifestyles on the planet. Chinese travelers are mobile-driven, wallet-less, and impatient—and frequently feel “digitally homesick” while abroad. Overseas destinations and tourism service providers could “spoil” tech-savvy Chinese travelers with digitally enhanced service.

China’s internet giants can provide a shortcut to getting digital services off the ground. Rather than building digital capabilities from scratch, foreign tourism providers could engage Chinese travelers through a platform that is already being used daily. For example, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport provides a WeChat Mini Program with four modules: duty-free shopping, flight inquiry, information transfer, and travel planning. This contains information about all aspects of the airport, including ground transportation and tax refund procedures.

Alibaba’s Alipay, a third-party mobile and online payment platform, is also innovating in this space. The service provider has cooperated with various tax refund agencies, such as Global Blue, to enable a seamless digitized tax refund experience. Travelers scan completed tax refund forms at automated kiosks in the airport, and within a few hours, the refunded amount is transferred directly to their Alipay accounts. 25 “Alipay and Global Blue to make tax refunds easy for Chinese tourists,” Alizila, June 23, 2014.

Such digital applications are likely to be the norm going forward, not a differentiator, so travel companies that do not invest in this area may be left behind.

Chinese travelers are on the cusp of returning in full force, and tourism providers can start preparing now

With China’s quarantine requirements falling away at the start of 2023, travelers are planning trips, renewing passports and visas, and readying themselves for a comeback. Chinese tourists have not lost their appetite for travel, and a boom in travel demand can be expected soon. Though airlines are slow to restore capacity, and some destination countries are more risk averse when welcoming Chinese travelers, there are still options for Chinese tourists to explore destinations abroad.

Tourism providers can expect to welcome travelers with diverse interests who are willing to spend money on travel, who are seeking out exciting experiences, and who are choosing high-quality products and services. The returning Chinese traveler is digitally savvy and favors functionality over branding—trends suggest that providers who can craft authentic, seamless, and unique offerings could be well positioned to capture this market.

Guang Chen and Jackey Yu are partners in McKinsey’s Hong Kong office, Zi Chen is a capabilities and insights specialist in the Shanghai office, and Steve Saxon is a partner in the Shenzhen office.

The authors wish to thank Cherie Zhang, Glenn Leibowitz, Na Lei, and Monique Wu for their contributions to this article.

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Scotland Visitor Survey 2023 summary

Survey findings | phase one.

Today (Thursday 25 April), we published the phase one results of our latest Scotland Visitor Survey 2023.

This is an extensive piece of research which ran from March – October last year. Over 11,500 face to face interviews were conducted and a further 3,000 online surveys were submitted. 

The survey aims to understand why visitors take a holiday or a short break in Scotland and what their experience is while they are here. It covers the whole visitor journey from inspiration to planning, booking, and their overall satisfaction, advocacy, and likelihood to return.

The findings will help us build a better picture of what is particularly important to our visitors and will help inform and drive our activities as a tourism industry going forward. 

Knowing what our visitors think and what they want is crucial in ensuring Scotland is kept front of mind in a competitive marketplace.

We’ve summarised each of the three areas the survey explored in this initial phase.

In this article:

• visitor and trip profile
• motivation and inspiration
• highlights of the visitor experience

Visitor and trip profile

This research gives a comprehensive visitor and trip profile allowing us to see who visits Scotland and their knowledge of our country . It covers everything from where our visitors come from, key demographics, party composition, if they are repeat visitors and more.

Highlights:

• 25% were repeat visitors to Scotland (higher for the UK market)
• Europeans had the youngest visitor profile compared to UK and long haul visitors
• 10% were on the "trip of a lifetime" (29% of long haul travellers)
• 30% were travelling as a family group
• 10% were solo travellers
• Visitors spent on average 7.3 nights in Scotland

The survey delves into each of our visitor markets – taking a deep dive into the findings.

Motivation and inspiration

It comes as no surprise that our scenery and landscape (70%) and our history and culture (48%) remain the top motivators for all our visitors choosing Scotland.

Key motivators for what "calls people to Scotland" within each of our markets:

• visiting friends and family was a strong motivator from our UK visitors while our Scotland residents highly valued being “close to home”
• our European visitors also stated “Scotland’s people” as a reason for choosing Scotland
• across the pond Scotland’s people and food and drink are stronger drivers for our US audience compared to other markets
• ancestral ties are much more important to our Canadian visitors while our Australian visitors have strong family connections, stating visiting friends and family as a key driver

When it comes to inspiration, personal recommendations came out top. Film, TV and literature were also a source of inspiration for one in five visitors and was particularly strong with our European and long-haul visitors. It tends to have a lasting influence which goes well beyond the film or TV release year or premier.

Some top reasons to choose Scotland

Scenery & landscape

History & culture

Friends & family

Attractions

Food & drink

Event or festival

Highlights of the visitor experience

This area of the survey looked specifically at the visitor’s experience. It asked if visitors are likely to recommend Scotland to friends and family and the likelihood of visiting again.

Generally, visitors to Scotland were very positive about their holiday or short-break experience in Scotland.

Here is a snapshot of the results:

• 82% of visitors are likely to recommend Scotland (rating 9 or 10 out of 10)
• 80% of visitors are quite or very likely to return
• 59% of long haul visitors stated this was the best holiday they had ever taken (rating 9 or 10 out of 10)
• 71% of visitors rated their experience in Scotland as 9 or 10 out of 10
• 52% stated personal recommendations were the most influential source of inspiration

Read the full Visitor Survey 2023

Take a look at the full findings from phase one, coming soon....

The remaining phases of the survey findings will include regional breakdowns, planning and booking, transport and food and drink.

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Domestic GB tourism statistics (overnight trips): April to September 2023 (revised)

Data on overnight trips by British residents to destinations throughout Britain for April to September 2023.

This file may not be fully accessible.

In this page

Introduction.

This is a revised release of the main estimates for the volume and value of domestic overnight tourism trips taken by British residents in Wales and Great Britain for the period April to June 2023. This is also the first release of estimates for the period July to September 2023, and the report includes estimates covering the period January to September 2023. 

Figures for April to June 2023 have been revised, after an error was identified in the data. This error meant that a number of respondents were mistakenly excluded from estimates. Revised estimates in this release include these respondents. Where data in a table or chart has been revised, this is noted in the title of the table or chart.

This report includes estimates for the main purpose of overnight trips; holidays, visits to friends and relatives (VFR) and business trips, with the definitions for each of these provided in the relevant section of this report.

The report includes estimates and details of overnight trips taken in Wales, and in Great Britain for comparative purposes. Detailed results for England and Scotland are being published by  VisitEngland and  VisitScotland .

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.  Changes in survey methodology introduced in 2021, together with the interruption in data collection due to COVID-19, mean that results published in this release are not directly comparable with data published for 2019 and previous years.  Estimates of domestic overnight trips to Wales for 2021 ,  2022 and  January to March 2023 have been published and are comparable with the results in this release. Please refer to the section on comparability and coherence . 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 ‘experimental’ 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  [email protected] .

Main points

Wales trips.

• Between April and June 2023, Great Britain (GB) residents took 2.10 million overnight trips in Wales with 5.58 million nights and £493 million spent during these trips.
• Between July and September 2023, GB residents took 2.95 million overnight trips in Wales with 8.83 million nights and £723 million spent during these trips.
• From January to September 2023, GB residents took 6.79 million overnight trips in Wales with 19.46 million nights and £1.56 billion spent during these trips.
• 40% of overnight trips taken in Wales during the first nine months of 2023 were holidays. 32% were visits to friends and relatives, 5% were for business purposes and 23% were for miscellaneous purposes.
• Approximately 8% of all GB trips included an overnight stay in Wales, whilst the share of total GB nights and spend were lower at 7%.
• The average duration of Wales trips from January to September 2023 was 2.9 nights with an average spend of £229 per trip.
• Compared to the same period in 2022, the volume of trips taken in Wales from January to September 2023 was 4% higher, whilst expenditure was 20% higher. 

Great Britain trips 

• Between April and June 2023, GB residents took 29.72 million overnight trips in GB with 84.08 million nights and £8.01 billion spent during these trips.
• Between July and September 2023, GB residents took 35.66 million overnight trips in GB with 112.24 million nights and £9.56 billion spent during these trips.
• From January to September 2023, GB residents took 89.16 million overnight trips in GB with 264.66 million nights and £23.89 billion spent during these trips.
• 32% of overnight trips taken in GB during this period were holidays, 36% were visits to friends and relatives (VFR), 5% were for business purposes and 27% were for miscellaneous purposes.
• 85% of trips taken in GB included an overnight stay in England, 10% included an overnight stay in Scotland and 8% included an overnight stay in Wales.
• The average duration of GB trips from January to September 2023 was 3.0 nights with an average spend of £268 per trip.
• Compared to the same period in 2022, the volume of trips taken in GB from January to September 2023 was 1% lower, whilst expenditure was 2% higher.

Trips, nights and spend to GB nations, April to September 2023

Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey (GBTS), January to September 2023

[Note 1] Percentages do not sum to 100% as some trips included visits to more than one nation.

In the period from the start of January to the end of September 2023, there were 89.16 million overnight trips taken in GB by British residents with a total of 264.66 million nights and a total expenditure of £23.89 billion. During the same period there were 6.79 million overnight trips taken in Wales with a total of 19.46 million nights and a total expenditure of £1.56 billion. 

Approximately 8% of all domestic overnight trips by British residents were taken in Wales, compared to 85% taken in England and 10% taken in Scotland, similar to the share of trips reported for the same period in 2022. The share of both total GB nights and total GB spend in Wales was 7%. These figures are similar to the shares reported for the same period in 2022 (7% of total GB nights and 6% of total GB expenditure).

[Note 1] Low base sizes for business trips to Wales – data should be treated with caution.

Compared to the same period in 2022, the volume of overnight trips taken in Wales between January and September 2023 has increased. There were also increases in the volumes of trips to visit relatives and friends and trips for miscellaneous/other purposes, although the volumes of holiday and business trips taken were lower, compared to the first nine months of 2022. Additionally, the number of nights spent in Wales from January to September 2023 for all purposes decreased slightly, compared to the same period in 2022. This decrease is driven by a lower number of nights spent in Wales on holiday trips. Expenditure on trips taken in Wales during the first nine months of 2023 has increased compared to expenditure during the same period in 2022, across all trip purposes.

Figure 1: Proportion of trips, nights and spend in Wales by main purpose of trip (January to September 2023, revised)

Description of Figure 1: A stacked bar chart showing that, from January to September 2023, holidays were the most common type of trip taken to Wales by GB residents, followed by visits to friends and relatives.

During the first nine months of 2023, holiday trips were the most common type of trip taken in Wales (40%), followed by visits to friends and relatives (32%). Trips for miscellaneous and business purposes accounted for 23% and 5% of trips taken, respectively. The volume of trips taken for all purposes in Wales between January and September 2023 is 4% higher than during the same period in 2022.

In contrast to Wales, the volume of overnight trips taken in GB from January to September 2023 was slightly lower, compared to the same period in 2022. While the volumes of visits to friends and relatives and miscellaneous/other trips were higher in the first nine months of 2023, the volumes of holiday and business trips were lower, compared to the first nine months of 2022. Similar to Wales, the number of nights spent in GB from January to September 2023 was lower compared to the same period in 2022. Nights spent in GB were lower for all trip purposes, except miscellaneous/other trips. Expenditure on trips taken in GB during the first nine months of 2023 has increased compared to expenditure during the same period in 2022, across all trip purposes except holiday trips, which saw a decline in expenditure.

Characteristics of GB and Wales trips

[Note 1] Low base size for business trips to Wales – data should be treated with caution.

The average duration of trips taken in Wales from January to September 2023 was 2.9 nights, slightly below the average for GB of 3.0 nights. The spend per trip and spend per night on trips taken in Wales are lower than for GB as a whole, consistent with the findings for 2022. Between January and September 2023, the average spend per night is highest for holiday trips taken in Wales, whereas it is highest for business trips for GB as a whole. 

The average spend per trip for Wales in the first nine months of 2023 is well above the level for the same period in 2022, continuing the overall trend of increasing spend on trips taken. This is consistent for trips taken in Wales and trips taken in GB as a whole, and across all types of trips. Changes in expenditure should be considered in light of increased costs, as these estimates have not been adjusted for inflation. The average length of trips taken for all purposes during the period January to September 2023 has decreased, compared to the same period in 2022, for both trips taken in Wales and trips taken in GB as a whole. The average length of holiday trips taken during the first nine months of 2023 has decreased compared to the same period in 2022, for both trips taken in Wales and in GB, by 12% and 4% respectively.

Trip trends for Wales and GB

Figure 2: volume of trips to wales in millions by quarter of visit (january 2022 to september 2023, revised).

Description of Figure 2: A clustered column chart showing the volume of trips taken in Wales for each quarter, with trip levels during the first nine months of 2023 increasing compared to trip levels for the same period in 2022.

Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey (GBTS), January 2022 to September 2023

There was an increase of 1% in the volume of trips to Wales from April to June 2023, with 2.10 million trips taken in Wales, compared to 2.08 million during the same period in 2022. The volume of trips taken in Wales from July to September 2023 was 6% higher than during the same period in 2022, with 2.95 million trips taken in Wales. From January to September 2023, 6.79 million trips were taken in Wales, an increase of 4% compared to the same period in 2022.

Figure 3: Total expenditure on trips taken in Wales in millions of pounds by quarter of visit (January 2022 to September 2023, revised)

Description of Figure 3: A clustered column chart showing the expenditure on trips taken in Wales for each quarter, with spend higher for the first three quarters of 2023, compared to the same period in 2022.

There was an increase of 20% in spend on overnight trips taken in Wales between April to June 2023, with £493 million spent, compared to £413 million during the same period in 2022. From July to September 2023, expenditure on trips taken in Wales was 13% higher than during the same period in 2022, with £723 million spent during these trips. Expenditure on trips taken in Wales from January to September 2023 was 20% higher compared to the same period in 2022, at £1.56 billion. Changes in expenditure should be considered in light of increased costs, as these estimates have not been adjusted for inflation.

Figure 4: Volume of overnight trips taken in Great Britain in millions by quarter of visit (January 2022 to September 2023, revised)

Description of Figure 4: A clustered column chart showing the volume of trips taken in GB for each quarter, with trips higher for the second quarter of 2023, but lower in the first and third quarters of 2023, compared to 2022.

There was an increase of 7% in the volume of trips taken in GB from April to June 2023, with 29.72 million trips taken in GB compared to 27.67 million during the same period in 2022. However, the volume of trips taken in GB during the period July to September 2023 was 4% lower, compared to the same period in 2022, with 35.66 million overnight trips taken during the third quarter of 2023. From January to September 2023, the volume of trips taken in GB was 1% lower compared to the same period in 2022, with 89.16 million trips taken during the first nine months of 2023.

Figure 5: Total expenditure on trips taken in Great Britain in millions of pounds by quarter of visit (January 2022 to September 2023, revised)

Description of Figure 5: A clustered column chart showing the expenditure on trips taken in GB for each quarter, with spend higher for the first six months of 2023, but lower in the third quarter of 2023, compared to 2022.

There was an increase of 12% in spend on overnight trips taken in GB between April to June 2023, with £8.01 billion spent, compared to £7.18 billion during the same period in 2022. However, expenditure for trips taken in GB between July and September 2023 was 7% lower compared to the same period in 2022, with £9.56 billion spent during these trips. From January to September 2023, expenditure for trips taken in GB was 2% higher compared to the same period in 2022, with £23.89 billion spent during the first nine months of 2023. Changes in expenditure should be considered in light of increased costs, as these estimates have not been adjusted for inflation.

Profile of trips taken in Wales and GB

Figure 6: volume and proportion of trips taken in great britain and wales by main location visited (january to september 2023, revised) [note 1].

Description of Figure 6: A stacked column chart showing that while trips to Wales were evenly distributed across different types of locations, trips to large cities/large towns made up the largest proportion of trips taken in GB during the first nine months of 2023.

[Note 1] The numbers within the coloured segments are the number of trips taken to each main location in millions. For instance, from January to September 2023, there were 1.80 million trips to a countryside/village location taken in Wales.

Just under half of trips (49%) taken in Wales from January to September 2023 were to a city, large town or small town. In comparison, trips to these urban destinations made up 66% of trips taken across GB as a whole. Trips to the countryside or a village made up 26% of trips taken in Wales, whilst 23% were taken to the seaside. Compared to the same period in 2022, the proportion of trips taken from January to September 2023 in Wales to urban and countryside destinations has remained stable. The proportion of trips taken to the seaside in Wales has increased slightly, from 22% during the period January to September 2022.

Quality and methodology information

Definitions.

To qualify as an eligible GB Domestic Overnight Trip the following criteria must be met:

• The trip involved a stay of at least one night in one or more of the GB nations; England, Scotland or Wales.
• The trip is not taken on a frequent basis (less often than once a week).
• For GB Domestic Overnight Holiday Trips; the main purpose of the trip was for holiday, pleasure or leisure.
• For GB Domestic Overnight VFR Trips (VFR); the main purpose of the trip was for visiting friends and relatives, including VFR trips that were combined with a holiday.
• For GB Domestic Overnight Business Trips; the main purpose of the trip was for business.
• For GB Domestic Overnight Miscellaneous/Other Trips; the main purpose of the trip was for another type of trip taken not covered by the above classifications including personal events, public events, or for study, medical, religious purposes, or any overnight stay in GB as part of an overseas trip.

Other definitions used in this publication

An estimate of what the grossed-up number of overnight 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.

An estimate of what the total expenditure relating to the volume of overnight visits undertaken by the population would be if the survey sample is representative of the whole GB population.

An estimate of what the grossed-up number of nights spent on overnight trips undertaken 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 the comparability of the published domestic overnight tourism estimates for 2021, 2022 and 2023 with 2019 and previous years.

Methodology

In 2019, Visit Wales, VisitScotland and VisitEngland, undertook a review of the requirements and methods for producing the official GB domestic tourist statistics, to future-proof the data collection methods, whilst maintaining the reliability and robustness of the information reported. As a result, substantial changes were introduced as part of a new combined online survey collecting data on both domestic overnight trips as well as domestic day trips. This represents a fundamental change in the way data is collected for overnight visits including moving from the previous in-home face to face survey method to a new combined online survey covering both domestic overnight trips and day trips.

The sample for the new combined 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 overnight visitors is 60,000 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.

As part of the survey changes, a revised weighting scheme has been introduced to improve efficiency, whilst making 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 GBTS in 2019 and previous years. We are planning to introduce a new question in the survey during 2023 that captures household income that will be used to analyse and report on trips taken by different household income bands from 2023 onwards.

Further details of the changes to survey method, sample design, estimation approaches and the effects of applied caps and recalibration are available in the GBTS Background Quality Report 2022 .

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, together with the interruption in data collection due to COVID-19, means that results published from April 2021 onwards are not directly comparable with data published for 2019 and previous years. Results for 2021 , 2022 and January to March 2023 are available, and are comparable with the results in this report.

As part of the survey, respondents are asked about any overnight trips they have taken in the 4 full weeks prior to their date of interview (reference period). Trip and expenditure estimates are reported for individual calendar months as well as for quarterly and annual periods. As the interview reference periods do not exactly correspond with calendar months an adjustment is made using a ‘seasonal smoothing factor’ to improve monthly comparisons within and between years. The monthly estimates are subject to limitations on sample size and seasonal fluctuations in trip taking across the year.

The statistics produced from the Great Britain Tourism 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 (Office for National Statistics) . Due to the changes in methodology and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey results for 2021 have been labelled as  ‘experimental statistics’ (Office for National Statistics) . 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.

As the statistics are produced using a non-probability online survey method, they are subject to the limitations and potential sources of bias and error associated with such surveys. These include:

• coverage error: due to part of the GB population not having online access
• sampling error: using a sample to measure the behaviour of the full GB population
• sample bias: including differences between people with online access and who are online panel members compared to those who are not
• measurement error: due to respondents entering incorrect values
• non-response error: including survey refusals and drop-outs and the availability of ‘don’t know’ and ‘prefer not to say’ options

The GBTS data are weighted to correct for any imperfections in the achieved sample that might lead to bias and to rectify any differences between the sample and the target GB population. The survey uses a mix of accredited online panels to mitigate for possible panel specific biases, and the mix of panels is kept consistent over time. Demographic quotas are used to align the sample with the GB population. The survey script and data processing include bespoke checks to verify the accuracy of responses. Imputation is used to cover missing data and caps are used to minimise the impact of extreme values that are entered. It is not possible to measure standard sample errors due to the non-probability sample being used, but base sizes are reported for eligible trip takers and users are advised to consider and be cautious of small base sizes, particularly for monthly data and lower-level geographies, when drawing inferences from the statistics.

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 current questionnaire is included in the GBTS Background Quality Report 2022 .

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  [email protected] .

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.

Further information

GBTS Background Quality Report 2022

Estimates for domestic overnight tourism in England are available from VisitEngland

Estimates for domestic overnight tourism in Scotland are available from VisitScotland

Contact details

Statistician: Siân Hughes Email:  [email protected]

Media: 0300 025 8099

SFR 18/2024

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Great Britain Tourism Survey (GBTS) March 2023 report

This publication will provide the volume and value of domestic overnight tourism trips taken by residents in Great Britain to England and Great Britain during January, February and March 2023

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Tourism Web Portal

About the portal.

A technological tool for effective communication between the leading players in the Moscow tourism market and representatives of the foreign/regional tourism industry through online events. OBJECTIVES: • Building long-term cooperation with foreign/regional representatives • Raising awareness among foreign/regional representatives of the tourism industry of the tourism opportunities, measures and attractiveness of the city of Moscow in the field of tourist infrastructure development

Moscow City Tourism Committee

The Tourism Committee, or Mostourism, is the executive body of the Moscow City Government that oversees tourist activities in the capital. The Committee is responsible for legislative initiatives, congress and exhibition activities, and event and image projects. As the brand manager for an attractive tourism image for Moscow, Mostourism constantly analyses global trends, offers Russian and foreign tourists what they want, and also uncovers new opportunities for the capital in terms of interesting and rewarding leisure activities.

ANO «Project Office for the Development of Tourism and Hospitality of Moscow»

Syundyukova Yulia [email protected] Mezhiev Magomed [email protected]

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