Ripon is Yorkshire and the Humber's domestic tourism capital, according to new research.
Across Yorkshire and the Humber, Ripon has received the most searches per capita for domestic tourism.
According to data collected by Visit Britain, domestic travel has grown in popularity over the past year. Day visits across the UK increased by around 12% between the third quarter (Q3) of 2024 and the third quarter (Q3) of 2025. This rise aligns with an 11% increase in domestic spending, totalling approximately £25.2 billion during the same period.
The increase in domestic travel appears to stem from changing attitudes towards holidays and spending habits. 2-3 day breaks have become more popular. It reduces the need to book extended time off and still allows you to have a great time. This shift makes staying local and holidaying within the UK more appealing. People can find experiences without the cost and effort associated with travelling abroad, which traditionally involves a two‑week stay.
Award‑winning boat trip company Broads Tours analysed the data to determine which areas in the UK contributed most to the growth in domestic tourism.
In 2025, they found that across England there were approximately 3.32 million monthly searches using terms related to domestic tourism and day trips. Some areas recorded a much higher concentration of searches than others, including Ripon, in Harrogate. Their analysis showed that around 1 in 2 people in Ripon searched for keywords linked to domestic tourism.
|
Location |
Searches |
Population |
per capita |
|
Ripon |
9,850 |
17,070 |
0.58 |
|
Doncaster |
17,550 |
87,455 |
0.20 |
|
Wakefield |
18,840 |
97,870 |
0.19 |
Other popular domestic tourism hotspots in Yorkshire and the Humber were Doncaster and Wakefield.
Executive Chairman of Broads Tours, Greg Munford said:
“Over the past few years, the way people spend both their money and their leisure time has started to shift.
“Brits are looking for experiences, and we know from current trends that they’ve moved towards 2 or 3 shorter holidays per year, rather than the more traditional 2-week block.
“The result of this means that people are often looking to find something closer to home, spending on multiple day trips or an overnight stay in order to take a break without having to go too far from home.
“Although the top 3 areas may not have had the highest overall number of searches, we can see there’s a clear difference in the ratio of searches to population, and it’s interesting that all 3 areas have been described as tourist towns
“This could indicate that a wider local awareness of the things their own area can offer, may well drive people to explore elsewhere within England rather than looking to other shores.”
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