8.1v How should the concepts of "tourism" and the "visitor economy" be defined and measured in official statistics and data collection?

Background

We have a vision to put the UK among the world’s most dynamic, inclusive, and regenerative visitor economies - one that delivers regional growth, opportunity, and community pride across the country. To achieve this, DCMS needs to better understand drivers and influences of tourism, ‘what works’ in growing and improving the visitor offer, and therefore visitor number and spend across the whole of the UK, whilst considering the social and environmental impact of tourism. Gaining a more detailed understanding of the sector workforce and businesses, as well as making more intelligent use of data are also important research priorities. DCMS is keen to ground this understanding in place-based approaches, for example those focused on coastal and rural locations, and how issues of seasonality impact the sector. Place-based approaches cover a range of perspectives, for example visitor economy assets and services and experiences as part of wider local social, cultural and economic infrastructure.

Next steps

Get in touch with [email protected]

Related UKRI funded projects


  • The sectoral economic impacts of COVID-19 on the tourism economy: a regional analysis focussed on Scotland

    The broad patterns of changes in tourism induced by Covid-19 and the resulting containment measures - a sharp and sudden fall in international arrivals and lower international travel to the UK, plus reduced intra-UK dome...

    Funded by: COVID

    Lead research organisation: University of Strathclyde

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project specifically focuses on the economic impacts of tourism, which aligns with the question's emphasis on understanding drivers and influences of tourism.

  • University of Brighton and Swim Trek Limited KTP 23_24 R4

    To develop a novel environmental, social and economic impact framework for identifying and capturing adventure tourism data and implementing novel methodologies for mitigating (offsetting, insetting) against and taking r...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project addresses environmental impact and methodologies for adventure tourism, which is related to the broader context of understanding the social and environmental impact of tourism.

  • Climate change and the tourism sector: impacts and adaptations at visitor attractions

    Tourism is a vital to UK economy, society and culture. Described by government in its Tourism Recovery Plan (June 2021) as a 'national asset', prior to the Coronavirus pandemic the tourism sector accounted for around 10%...

    Funded by: SPF

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF EXETER

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on climate change impacts on the tourism sector, which is relevant to understanding the social and environmental impact of tourism mentioned in the question.

  • Safe Access Booking for Recreation (SABRe)

    Social distancing, travel restrictions and the closure of many business and countryside sites and attractions has been an essential part of the management of Coronavirus. However, these restrictions have severely disrupt...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: EXEGESIS SPATIAL DATA MANAGEMENT LTD.

  • JUST-TOUR Tourism (In)justice: Rendering a Spatial Justice Framework for Tourism

    Europe is experiencing a tourism crisis. Fixated on capitalist ideals of continued sector growth, informed through elite interests and unequal power relations, tourism development is rendering unprecedented social and en...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: University of Glasgow

  • COVID-19: TOURISM RECOVERY, RISK AND UNCERTAINTY

    Tourism has been severely affected by Covid-19, and it is anticipated that it will be one of the last sectors to recover fully from the effects of the pandemic. It faces enduring tourist unwillingness to take risks when ...

    Funded by: COVID

    Lead research organisation: University of Surrey

  • Promotion of wellbeing as a destination resource

    This proposal offers the opportunity for connecting different destination stakeholders, with the specific aim of facilitating innovation in healthy lifestyle products while contributing to a competitive local tourism eco...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: Bournemouth University

  • WatPop: understanding seasonal population change

    Population fluctuations driven by tourism are not captured by traditional population statistics, yet in some localities tourism is responsible for huge population fluctuations during the peak summer tourist season. Touri...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Plymouth

  • Digital Destinations: Exchanging Digital Technology Knowledge in Local Tourism Economies

    This proposal offers the opportunity to capture change in the adoption and use of digital technologies and to develop a strong, competitive local tourism economy. Through their increased understanding and use of emerging...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: Bournemouth University

  • DMOcracy- Inclusive, Dynamic and Empowering Destination Governance across European Cities

    Democracy is a Living Lab collaborative project about democratic citizen participation, empowerment, and new modes of governance in tourism. The project is relevant to any destination that wishes to empower its local com...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: University of Surrey