United Kingdom
Profile
Adult Population
- 53.7 million
International Tourist Departures
- 70.4 million (2018)
Ontario Market Performance
Total Visitor Spending $614.1 million (2016)
Overnight Visitors 381,000 (2016)
Market Conditions
- Moderate economic growth in the United Kingdom is a reflection of the ongoing political uncertainty surrounding the Brexit process. The labour market has weakened recently and consumer spending has slowed as well. As a result, consumers are not spending as much on non-essential items and instead are saving more temporarily.
Consumer Insights
- Baby Boomers, with more free time and money for travel, are the most important segment but younger travellers aged 18-34 also indicated increased active planning for trips to Canada in recent studies.
- UK travellers are willing to spend more to get the destination they want and this is, even more, the true for those aged 18-24 and 55-64. Unfortunately for Canada, the cost is viewed as the key barrier to visiting – expensive flights topped the list.
- The chance to sample local cuisine and drink remains the most in-demand vacation experience in Canada. This is followed by seeing natural attractions such as mountains and waterfalls, viewing wildlife, visiting parks, historical sites, and the Northern Lights. The Northern lights and hiking/walking are said to be the most appealing for travellers aged 35-54 while the top activities all hold stronger than an average appeal for travellers aged 55+.
- Travel peak periods are June-August and March-May. In South Eastern Ontario, the UK market tends to peak between June and October, while the late fall, winter, and early spring are spread more evenly.
- UK travellers report consulting a travel agent/tour operator on their most recent long-haul trip for either planning or booking purposes. The next most popular method for booking a vacation was an online travel site or direct with an airline for flights.
Sources: UNWTO, Destination Canada, CIA World Factbook, Statistics Canada