Oh where to rest our heads – what visitors really think of the accommodation offer in Kent

Visit Kent is one of 14 partners from France and the UK working together on EXPERIENCE - a €23m project focused on boosting visitor numbers during off peak seasons.?As part of this project, research is conducted at regular stages in order to provide valuable insights into the experiences and expectations of visitors to Kent.

The latest research has uncovered some useful takeaways into the accommodation preferences and trends amongst visitors to the county as follows:

·??????The good news is that visitors appear to like the accommodation options in Kent with over 80% rating it good to excellent and the longer visitors stay, the more positive they are about their experience.?Accommodation providers in Kent need to make use of those all-important positive reviews and recommendations!

·??????Everyone loves a deal with 60% of domestic respondents saying they would stay longer (and spend more on experiences, food and drink) if they had a good holiday deal such as an extra nights’ accommodation for free.?

·??????In our increasingly experience focussed visitor economy, accommodation is seen by travellers as much more than ‘just a bed for the night.’ ?It plays a hugely important role in holiday planning for international and domestic travellers and is often the primary decision influencer (particularly amongst young people).

·??????Accommodation is also a driving force for 1 in 4 visitors from London, who are more likely to stay in a high-end hotel - particularly younger visitors. Those from further away are more likely to seek out mid-range hotels or rented accommodation.

·??????To find accommodation – visitors use a mix of accommodation provider information, reviews, and social media to make their decision - 39% of respondents stated they use review websites such as Booking.com, Expedia and TripAdvisor.

·??????A hang over from the pandemic is the worry over booking a long way in advance. Accommodation providers need to be really clear about their refund policies and support late-booking options.?However, even though a third of visitors book close to their travel date – the planning cycle is typically starting much earlier so it is important to ensure communications still hit at the relevant times.

·??????Short breaks (1-3 nights) are the largest proportion of leisure visits to Kent predominantly taken by couples or those travelling alone. ?Those travelling with younger children are more likely to take longer breaks.??

All in all - visitors to Kent perceive it as beautiful and relaxing with an excellent heritage and all ages appreciate the natural beauty and variety of places to visit in the county.??In our post COVID world - where the great outdoors is more popular than ever – Kent’s outdoor activity offer and the natural environment perform very well amongst visitors - with the intent to visit Kent in the future the highest among those who visited during the pandemic.

To find out more about accommodation preferences and trends amongst visitors to Kent, view and download the full research here: www.visitkentbusiness.co.uk/get-involved/experience-taking-your-ideas-to-market/experience-development-research/