To gauge business performance on England’s coast we’ve commissioned a new three-part survey which collects the views from accommodation and attraction providers on their past performance and future prospects to paint a national and regional picture.

1. Coastal Tourism Monitor
A snapshot of performance of tourism
businesses on England’s coast
Results from Wave 3
(September to November 2016)
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2. Introduction
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The Coastal Tourism Monitor has been designed to provide a snapshot of the
performance of tourism businesses on England’s coast. The research collects
feedback on past performance and future prospects to give a national and
regional overview.
The research involves a telephone survey with a core sample of 400 tourism
businesses conducted 3 times per year. Businesses making up the core sample
were recruited to reflect the nature and distribution of tourism businesses
around the English coast. A small sample of destination managers are also
surveyed.
Fieldwork dates are:
➢ 6-17 June 2016, reviewing Easter to the end of May
➢ 5-16 September 2016, reviewing start of June to the end of the school summer holidays
➢ 5-16 December 2016, reviewing mid-September to the end of November
This report presents results from the third survey wave.

3. Business profile
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Business type Number of employees Business region
The core sample involved:
• 383 accommodation establishments including mix by region, establishment size and hotels / guest houses /
B&B / self-catering / caravan and campsites.
• 18 visitor attractions including mix by region, attraction type, and size (measured by annual visitor admissions).

4. Business performance, September to November,
compared to same period last year
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Overall across coastal businesses Performance by business type and across regions
For most businesses, performance was either up or
the same as the same period last year. There were
differences between business type and across the
regions.

5. Reasons for decrease in performance, September
to November, compared to same period last year
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Nearly half of all businesses which saw a fall in trade attributed this to a reduction in the volume of visitors over the
period either to directly with themselves or to the area in general.

6. Reasons for increase in performance, September
to November, compared to same period last year
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Good weather, an increase in staycation due to security fears abroad or the weaker pound, better marketing of
business and a general increase in the appeal of the destination, were identified as top reasons driving growth.

7. Business performance expectation for next 3
months, compared to same period last year
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Overall across coastal businesses Performance by business type and across regions
Looking ahead, a quarter of businesses expect
performance to be better with hotels being
most optimistic

8. Key challenges affecting coastal businesses
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Are there key challenges affecting your
business sector?
What are these challenges?
52% of businesses reported that there are key
challenges facing their business.
Bad or unpredictable weather and poor UK
economic climate are perceived to be the key
challenges

9. Visitor market
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Changes seen in visitor needs/profile? What are these changes?
Our guests have not changed.
They expect more year on year.
It is just a general thing you
come to expect.
We saw a marked increase in
the number of people coming
from overseas.
Comments from businesses
Just over a third of all businesses have experienced changes
in visitor needs/profile with rising expectations being they
key change.
More overseas visitors and shorter trips were also noted
More demand for Wifi and
they expect more from their
room for the same money.
People are coming to stay for a
shorter period of time so for
example they'll come to stay
for 3 days but they'll do that
twice a year instead of just
coming for one week once a
year.
Rising customer expectations/more
demanding
More overseas visitors
Shortening of trip length
More older visitors
Increase in younger customers and
families
Decline in visitors from overseas

10. Growth markets seen for the future
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Looking ahead to next year what do you think will be the key growth markets for your business?
Overseas visitors (perhaps due to a weaker pound), older visitors and families were seen as key growth markets
looking ahead to next year.

11. Initiatives taken to boost business in approaching
off-peak season
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Now the main holiday season is over, what are you doing to attract additional customers and maintain business
performance during the off peak period?
Although 40% are not planning anything in particular, a quarter of all businesses had started reducing prices and
doing special promotions for the off peak period.
Nothing in particular
Lower prices and special offers
Closed during period
Doing more advertising
Investing more on improvements in
the business
No additional activities needed as
busy over winter
Special events

12. Tourism organisations engage with in area
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In this period of the survey, businesses were asked which tourism organisations they engage with in their
area. Nearly half of all businesses did not engage with any tourism organisations.
Other organisations mentioned were local tourist boards, the AA, the Chamber of Commerce and the
Federation of Small Businesses.

13. Comparison with Wave Two Survey
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Generally businesses reported less positive results compared to last year than in
the summer. 34% reported that performance was better compared to 40% in the
summer. Where better performance was reported this was largely due to good
weather or staycation growth due to either security fears abroad or the weaker
pound.
Similarly, businesses were less likely to be bullish about performance in the next
quarter compared to perceptions in the summer.

14. Comparison with Wave Two Survey
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In relation to visitor profile, some businesses noted an increase in overseas visitors
and 17% felt that overseas visitors would be a key growth market looking ahead to
next year.
In terms of challenges, as in the spring and summer waves, poor/ unpredictable
weather continues to be the key one. However a significant 20% of those who had
noted change mentioned the poor UK economic climates with consumer’s having
less money to spend.

15. Destination Managers
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14 destination managers were also surveyed during this period so that their
thoughts could be compared with businesses.
As clear from the next slide most were quite bullish about both performance
during the autumn and expectations for next year.
In terms of key challenges affecting the industry, destination managers cited
competition from other parts of the UK, cost of using online travel agents and high
staff turnover.

16. Coastal Tourism Monitor
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Expectations for next 3 months compared to
same period last year
Destination Managers were
far more positive about
business in the last quarter
with 64% saying they
thought it was better than
last year. Their reasons
were better weather, better
marketing plus an increase
in staycations due to
security fears abroad and a
weaker pound.
Business performance compared to same
period last year
Destination
Managers were also
positive about the
forthcoming winter
period with nearly
two thirds expecting
business to be better
than last year.
In terms of key challenges affecting the industry, Destination Managers cited competition from other parts of
the UK, the cost of using online agents and high staff turnover.

17. Coastal Tourism Monitor
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In this period of the survey, Destination Managers were asked which tourism
organisations they engage with in their area. All except one mentioned
DMOs and local hospitality organisations. A further 9 out of the 14 surveyed
mentioned LEPs, BIDs and CCTs.
Destination Managers felt that key priorities in the coming year were trying
to ‘extend’ the season, encouraging more staying visitors and maximising
visitor value.
Key growth markets identified for the coming year were activity and
wellness breaks, families and the continuing staycation trend.
Comments from Destination Managers
We create and operate themes
throughout the year each aimed
at different segments of the
market.
Continue to develop high quality
events programme in the face of
economic challenges.
Ensure effective messages about
our regeneration get out to the
marketplace.

18. 18
The research will be repeated in
spring 2017 to assess business
performance over the winter and
business confidence for main
season.

19. Connect with the NCTA
Linkedin.com/company/national-coastal-tourism-academy
Facebook.com/nationalcoastaltourismacademy
Twitter: @nctacademy
Website: coastaltourismacademy.co.uk
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For more information about the
Coastal Tourism Monitor please contact:
Jo Edom
Academy Manager
National Coastal Tourism Academy
t: 01202 962572
w: www.coastaltourismacademy.co.uk
e: jo.edom@coastaltourismacademy.co.uk