This month the team at Day Out In England surveyed 980 people online through their website (which receives on avg. 165,000 page views a month) to collect the latest data on the country’s changing behaviours and attitudes towards days out and holidays. 

From how people are travelling amid the cost-of-living crisis, to how many people consider the environment when planning days out, here are the surprising findings.

When asked to think about how often they go on days out in England, most people (42%) said they currently go on one day out a month. However, 41% said they may have fewer days out in 2023 due to the cost of living, and 31% said they definitely will.

When it comes to those long-awaited holidays, 39% of people said they plan to stay in England for their main holiday in 2023, while 50% will be going abroad. 11% won’t be holidaying at all.

As the cost-of-living crisis eats away at disposable income, the average person expects to spend £20-30 (approx.USD 24.49 – 36.74 ) per person per day out, including transport, food and attraction costs, so finding affordable activities could be big in 2023.

Presents are so last year; 82% of people would rather have a day out than a big gift for their birthday or for Christmas. Refund the bath bombs and take your loved one out for the day instead.

The capital continues to draw people for days out, with 37% of people saying they plan to visit London in 2023.  The South West is also a firm favourite, with 26% of people saying Cornwall was on their list for next year, and 25% saying Devon was their top choice.

The Midlands aren’t looking too attractive to staycationers in 2023, with only 4.8% of people saying they will visit Herefordshire, closely followed by Northamptonshire (4.7% of people) and Rutland (2.9% of people).  Day trippers love a city, with 28% of people choosing this as their favourite type of day out, followed by beach days (23%) and days out involving animals (18%).

As the world continues to wake up to the environmental impact travel has on the planet, a surprising 67% of people say they don’t look for eco-friendly activities when planning days out. The people have spoken! The 3 most popular days out and activities in England for 2023 are Alton Towers, the Lake District and the Tower of London.

We are thrilled to share the results of the Day Out In England survey far and wide to encourage more people to explore the country. CEO of DayOutInEngland.com, Victoria Philpott, says: “As the cost of living crisis bites and we consider the cost of holidaying abroad, many of us will be changing the way we travel in 2023. Days out in England haven’t been this popular since before budget airlines began, and I always love finding out which English counties are the most popular on our site, as it can be so different for everyone. Whether you want to see the cities, have an adventure in the countryside or find some photo-worthy towns and villages, England has it.”