Coastal Business Survey for Visitor Economy - Autumn 2025

Introduction

Welcome to the visitor economy business survey being undertaken by the National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA) in partnership with Coastal Destination Management Organisations across the coast.

This wave focuses on performance over summer 2025, future bookings and challenges . All recorded data will be anonymised and the results used by the NCTA to lobby for further support. Results of previous waves can be found here.

This survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

Please note although some questions are the same as previous waves of the survey, we would appreciate it if you answered all questions so we can understand how your business is changing.

Question Title

* 1. Which Tourism and Hospitality sector does your main business principally operate in?

Serviced accommodation (Hotels, guest houses, B&B)

Non-serviced accommodation (self-catering, caravan and camping)

Restaurant, cafe, takeaway

Bar, public house, night club

Visitor attraction or activity

International Education

Transport

Retail

Marketing and promotion

Events, meetings and conference venue

Arts and Culture

Leisure, Sports and Activity

Travel Agent

Supplier (e.g. linen, catering)

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. Which of the following best describes your business?

Self-employed/sole trader

Micro business (1-10 employees)

Small business (11-50 employees)

Medium sized business (51-250 employees)

Large business (250+ employees)

Question Title

* 3. Is your business

Independently owned

Part of a regional or local chain

Part of a national chain

Part of a charity or not-for-profit organisation

Question Title

* 4. Where is your business located? (Please provide first half of your premises' postcode or nearest town)

Question Title

* 5. Which of these statements best describes your business aspirations at this point?

Establishing a new business

Committed to growing and investing existing business

Maintain current level of performance

Planning to downsize

Planning to sell / retire in next 2 years

Don't know / Not applicable

Question Title

* 6. Reflecting on Summer 2025 compared to 2024, how have the following changed:

	Much higher (10%+)	Higher (up to 10%)	About the same	Lower (up to -10%)	Much lower (-10% or more)	N/A
Turnover	Turnover Much higher (10%+)	Turnover Higher (up to 10%)	Turnover About the same	Turnover Lower (up to -10%)	Turnover Much lower (-10% or more)	Turnover N/A
Costs	Costs Much higher (10%+)	Costs Higher (up to 10%)	Costs About the same	Costs Lower (up to -10%)	Costs Much lower (-10% or more)	Costs N/A
Profitability	Profitability Much higher (10%+)	Profitability Higher (up to 10%)	Profitability About the same	Profitability Lower (up to -10%)	Profitability Much lower (-10% or more)	Profitability N/A
Overall NUMBER of visitors	Overall NUMBER of visitors Much higher (10%+)	Overall NUMBER of visitors Higher (up to 10%)	Overall NUMBER of visitors About the same	Overall NUMBER of visitors Lower (up to -10%)	Overall NUMBER of visitors Much lower (-10% or more)	Overall NUMBER of visitors N/A
Overall SPEND of visitors	Overall SPEND of visitors Much higher (10%+)	Overall SPEND of visitors Higher (up to 10%)	Overall SPEND of visitors About the same	Overall SPEND of visitors Lower (up to -10%)	Overall SPEND of visitors Much lower (-10% or more)	Overall SPEND of visitors N/A

Other or further comments (please specify)

Question Title

* 7. How confident do you feel about your business trading over the next 6 months (to end May 2025)?

Very confident

Somewhat confident

Unsure

Not so confident

Not at all confident

Question Title

* 8. How have your visitor types change in 2025?

	Increase in visitors	No change	Decrease in visitors	N/A
Local residents	Local residents Increase in visitors	Local residents No change	Local residents Decrease in visitors	Local residents N/A
Day visitors (UK)	Day visitors (UK) Increase in visitors	Day visitors (UK) No change	Day visitors (UK) Decrease in visitors	Day visitors (UK) N/A
UK Staying visitors	UK Staying visitors Increase in visitors	UK Staying visitors No change	UK Staying visitors Decrease in visitors	UK Staying visitors N/A
European visitors	European visitors Increase in visitors	European visitors No change	European visitors Decrease in visitors	European visitors N/A
Other international visitors	Other international visitors Increase in visitors	Other international visitors No change	Other international visitors Decrease in visitors	Other international visitors N/A
Business / corporate visitors	Business / corporate visitors Increase in visitors	Business / corporate visitors No change	Business / corporate visitors Decrease in visitors	Business / corporate visitors N/A
Coach and leisure groups	Coach and leisure groups Increase in visitors	Coach and leisure groups No change	Coach and leisure groups Decrease in visitors	Coach and leisure groups N/A
School and education visits	School and education visits Increase in visitors	School and education visits No change	School and education visits Decrease in visitors	School and education visits N/A

Question Title

* 9. What are your current levels of forward bookings?

	Up to 25%	25-49%	50-74%	75%+	N/A
Winter (Nov-Feb) 2025/26	Winter (Nov-Feb) 2025/26 Up to 25%	Winter (Nov-Feb) 2025/26 25-49%	Winter (Nov-Feb) 2025/26 50-74%	Winter (Nov-Feb) 2025/26 75%+	Winter (Nov-Feb) 2025/26 N/A
Spring (Mar-May) 2026	Spring (Mar-May) 2026 Up to 25%	Spring (Mar-May) 2026 25-49%	Spring (Mar-May) 2026 50-74%	Spring (Mar-May) 2026 75%+	Spring (Mar-May) 2026 N/A
Summer (Jun-Aug) 2026	Summer (Jun-Aug) 2026 Up to 25%	Summer (Jun-Aug) 2026 25-49%	Summer (Jun-Aug) 2026 50-74%	Summer (Jun-Aug) 2026 75%+	Summer (Jun-Aug) 2026 N/A
Autumn (Sep-Oct) 2026	Autumn (Sep-Oct) 2026 Up to 25%	Autumn (Sep-Oct) 2026 25-49%	Autumn (Sep-Oct) 2026 50-74%	Autumn (Sep-Oct) 2026 75%+	Autumn (Sep-Oct) 2026 N/A

Question Title

* 10. Which of the following external factors, if any, are affecting your business
Tick all that apply

Competition from other parts of the UK

Attracting and retaining customers

Increase in storms and extreme weather events

None of the above

Cost and Access to finance

Lack of training and business support

High staff turnover

Poor UK economic climate / less money in consumer's pockets

VAT threshold

Increasing costs

Competition from overseas holidays

Availability of staff to fill vacancies

Increase in water bills

Supplier issues (lack of stock, delays)

Seasonality of the destination

Water quality issues (e.g. storm overflows into sea)

Skills gaps - lack of suitably qualified /experienced staff

Impact of recent heath fires (e.g. Fylingdales, Holt)

Competition from other local businesses

Poor / unpredictable weather

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 11. Is your business planning to cut costs or change your operating model through any of the following measures in the next 6 months? Tick all that apply

Reducing number of staff

Delaying investment, building or maintenance works

Closing certain days of the week

Reducing the service(s) available (e.g. stop serving lunch, closing swimming pool)

Opening later / closing earlier each day

Completely closing for a short fixed period of time (up to one month)

Completely closing for 1-3 months

Completely closing for more than 3 months

None of above

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 12. If you are planning to close on certain days of the week - what are your current plans or considerations?
We are / are considering closing on...

Mondays

Tuesdays

Wednesdays

Thursdays

Fridays

Saturdays

Sundays

N/A

Question Title

* 13. What level of investment are you planning to invest in your business in 2025-26?

Note: Investment such as upgrading facilities, expansion, new openings, business transformation rather than day to day operational costs

Zero / no investment

Up to £10,000

£10,000 - £24,999

£25,000 - £49,999

£50,000 - £74,999

£75,000 - £99,999

£100,000 - £149,000

£150,000 - £199,999

£200,000 +

Question Title

* 14. Ahead of the upcoming UK Government Budget, which of the following interventions would you most like to see to help your business?
Tick all that apply

Greater investment in destination marketing

Business support to improve the efficiency / reduce costs in your business

Business support to maximise sales opportunities and revenue

Introduce a scheme for low skilled workers to enter the UK

Improvements in water quality

Reduction in storm overflows at local beaches

Reduction in Business Rates

Reduction in Employers NI

Reduction in VAT for hospitality and tourism

Support to recover from Fylingdales Fire (please provide details of support needed in "other" below)

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 15. How important are the following to your business at the present time:

	Very important	Somewhat important	Not sure	Not important
Improving sustainability (reducing environmental impact)	Improving sustainability (reducing environmental impact) Very important	Improving sustainability (reducing environmental impact) Somewhat important	Improving sustainability (reducing environmental impact) Not sure	Improving sustainability (reducing environmental impact) Not important
Improving accessibility and inclusivity	Improving accessibility and inclusivity Very important	Improving accessibility and inclusivity Somewhat important	Improving accessibility and inclusivity Not sure	Improving accessibility and inclusivity Not important
Increasing year round business	Increasing year round business Very important	Increasing year round business Somewhat important	Increasing year round business Not sure	Increasing year round business Not important
Improving skills of your staff / self	Improving skills of your staff / self Very important	Improving skills of your staff / self Somewhat important	Improving skills of your staff / self Not sure	Improving skills of your staff / self Not important
Reducing costs	Reducing costs Very important	Reducing costs Somewhat important	Reducing costs Not sure	Reducing costs Not important
Lobbying for improvements in water quality in your destination	Lobbying for improvements in water quality in your destination Very important	Lobbying for improvements in water quality in your destination Somewhat important	Lobbying for improvements in water quality in your destination Not sure	Lobbying for improvements in water quality in your destination Not important

Question Title

* 16. Which of the following visitor markets / products would you be interested in attracting or creating new products for in 2026? Tick all that apply

Walkers

Cyclists

Activities and watersports

Nature and Wildlife

Wellness and spa

Eco, green and sustainable

Heritage

Accessible

Arts and Culture

Business: meetings, incentive, conference and events

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 17. Which (if any) of the following business support, training or webinars would you be interested in?
Tick all that apply

Digital marketing

Research and latest trends

Management

Customer service

Innovation to lower costs

Accessibility

Using AI in your business

Product or experience development

Sustainability

Increasing sales

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 18. Any other thoughts or considerations about the current trading environment, opportunities or issues you feel we should be aware of:

Please click 'done' below to submit your survey response. Please ignore the SurveyMonkey advert on the final page. Many thanks for your support.

Coastal Business Survey for Visitor Economy - Autumn 2025

Introduction

Question Title

* 1. Which Tourism and Hospitality sector does your main business principally operate in?

Question Title

* 2. Which of the following best describes your business?

Question Title

* 3. Is your business

Question Title

* 4. Where is your business located? (Please provide first half of your premises' postcode or nearest town)

Question Title

* 5. Which of these statements best describes your business aspirations at this point?

Question Title

* 6. Reflecting on Summer 2025 compared to 2024, how have the following changed:

Question Title

* 7. How confident do you feel about your business trading over the next 6 months (to end May 2025)?

Question Title

* 8. How have your visitor types change in 2025?

Question Title

* 9. What are your current levels of forward bookings?

Question Title

* 10. Which of the following external factors, if any, are affecting your business Tick all that apply

Question Title

* 11. Is your business planning to cut costs or change your operating model through any of the following measures in the next 6 months? Tick all that apply

Question Title

* 12. If you are planning to close on certain days of the week - what are your current plans or considerations? We are / are considering closing on...

Question Title

* 13. What level of investment are you planning to invest in your business in 2025-26?Note: Investment such as upgrading facilities, expansion, new openings, business transformation rather than day to day operational costs

Question Title

* 14. Ahead of the upcoming UK Government Budget, which of the following interventions would you most like to see to help your business?Tick all that apply

Question Title

* 15. How important are the following to your business at the present time:

Question Title

* 16. Which of the following visitor markets / products would you be interested in attracting or creating new products for in 2026? Tick all that apply

Question Title

* 17. Which (if any) of the following business support, training or webinars would you be interested in?Tick all that apply

Question Title

* 18. Any other thoughts or considerations about the current trading environment, opportunities or issues you feel we should be aware of:

* 10. Which of the following external factors, if any, are affecting your business
Tick all that apply

* 12. If you are planning to close on certain days of the week - what are your current plans or considerations?
We are / are considering closing on...

* 13. What level of investment are you planning to invest in your business in 2025-26?

Note: Investment such as upgrading facilities, expansion, new openings, business transformation rather than day to day operational costs

* 14. Ahead of the upcoming UK Government Budget, which of the following interventions would you most like to see to help your business?
Tick all that apply

* 17. Which (if any) of the following business support, training or webinars would you be interested in?
Tick all that apply