As London stirs back to life, a new wave of job cuts at hotels indicates that many of the city’s accommodation businesses continue to reel from the fallout of the coronavirus.
According to the World Hotel Index by SiteMinder, the guest acquisition platform, booking momentum within the United Kingdom as a whole is currently at 64% of its 2019 levels, almost 11% above the global average, while momentum within London remains at just 33% YoY.
Explaining the data, SiteMinder’s senior director of global demand partnerships, James Bishop, says the findings reflect the behaviours and preferences of the new traveller.
“The reality is that after locking down for some time earlier in the year, the call of the countryside or a coastal staycation has been strong for locals since accommodation businesses reopened on 4 July. Our recent research tells us that travellers today in many cases are seeking a return to nature, away from large crowds, and as a result, a location’s remoteness is now a key factor as they choose their accommodation,” says James.
This trend is further emphasised by data from Pitchup.com, a leading outdoor accommodation agency, which has seen strong bookings growth in regional UK locations since restrictions were lifted. The company recorded a 67% increase in annual growth when comparing July 2019 and July 2020, for sites outside of London.
According to the World Hotel Index, more than 9-in-10 people staying at UK properties in August are UK locals.
