Oxfordshire has a strong base of returning visitors, but new research suggests the county faces a less obvious challenge: persuading people who have never visited that there is more to discover beyond its best-known destinations.
A national survey commissioned by Experience Oxfordshire found that 68% of visitors questioned had visited the county multiple times during the previous three years. More than one in five said they visited several times a year.
The research, conducted by Destination Research among UK residents, examined perceptions and behaviour among both visitors and non-visitors to Oxfordshire.
The results point to a visitor economy with considerable loyalty. Some 83% of visitors surveyed said they were likely to return to Oxfordshire, including 34% who said they definitely would.
History and heritage was the most frequently cited reason for visiting, mentioned by 34% of respondents, followed by the range of attractions at 30%. Experiences accounted for 26% and culture for 25%.
Food and hospitality were also a significant part of the visitor experience. During their most recent trip, 39% of respondents had visited a café, pub or restaurant, while 25% had visited an attraction such as a heritage property or museum.
Oxford remained the most frequently visited destination in the county. But the survey also recorded substantial levels of visitation to towns and destinations including Bicester, Henley, Banbury, Chipping Norton, Burford, Woodstock, Abingdon, Witney and Thame.
That breadth matters to a county whose visitor economy extends well beyond the city. Experience Oxfordshire estimates the sector is worth £2.4 billion and supports 41,000 jobs.
The research suggests there is still considerable scope to convert people who are aware of Oxfordshire into visitors. Among those who had not visited, 38% said they did not know enough about the county to form an opinion. A further 15% held a negative view despite never having visited.
That gap between perception and experience is one of the clearest findings in the research. People who have visited Oxfordshire appear considerably more positive about the destination, while those who have not may have a limited understanding of what lies beyond its most familiar image.
The survey also points to changes in the way people plan trips. Almost a third of respondents who booked accommodation did so within a week of travelling, including 9% who waited until they had arrived.
The largest group, 29%, booked accommodation between two weeks and one month before their trip. Yet advance planning of activities was considerably less common. Among those who booked accommodation online, 39% did not book any activities or experiences before travelling, while fewer than a quarter pre-booked restaurants, events or attractions.
For tourism businesses, that suggests an opportunity to turn spontaneous visits into more planned spending, particularly among people already inclined to travel to the county.
The survey also found signs of resilience despite continuing pressure on household finances. Forty-three per cent of respondents said they had experienced no financial impact, while 40% said they were being more careful about their spending and 12% said they were cutting back.
Overall, 64% expected to spend the same amount or more on leisure activities during the year, although 29% expected to spend less or nothing.
The most significant potential growth markets identified by the research are relatively close to Oxfordshire. Respondents were most strongly represented in the South East, followed by the South West, London and the West Midlands.
Experience Oxfordshire said the findings would inform its marketing and strategic planning as it seeks to attract new audiences and encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more across the county.
Hayley Beer-Gamage, chief executive of Experience Oxfordshire, said the research showed both the strength of the existing visitor base and the opportunity to reach people with limited awareness of the county.
The organisation said nearly 90% of visitors to Oxfordshire are domestic, making the nearby UK markets particularly important to its future strategy.
For a county already benefiting from repeat visitors, the challenge may therefore be less about persuading people to come back than convincing a new audience to come for the first time — and encouraging those visitors to look beyond Oxford itself.
