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Coastal Areas: Tourism

Volume 460: debated on Tuesday 22 May 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of visits made to the English coast for the purpose of outdoor recreation in each of the last three years. (138537)

Information on visits to the English coast for the specific purpose of outdoor recreation is not available. However, the tables show (i) the number of domestic overnight trips and (ii) the number of day visits to the English coast for all purposes for the latest years for which data are available. Information on inbound visits to the English coast by overseas residents is not collected.

Domestic overnight trips by UK residents1—English seaside

Million

2003

23.7

2004

28.4

2005

25.7

1 The methodology for the UKTS changed in 2005 meaning that comparisons with previous years should be treated with caution. This change occurred as a result of concerns with the quality of 2004 data, which is thought to be an under-representation of the true position.

Source:

UK Tourism Survey (National Tourist Boards).

Number of day visits by English residents1, 2005

Million

Leisure visits2

Tourism visits3

Seaside town/city

170

47

Seaside coast

70

15

1 It is not possible to provide a time series for this information as the surveys are run intermittently.

2 Defined as a round trip made from home for leisure purposes with no time limit or minimum distance travelled.

3 A subset of leisure visits defined as a round trip made from home which lasts for more than three hours and is not taken regularly.

Source:

England Leisure Visits Survey 2005.