B&B bookings up 19% year-on-year

Bed & Breakfast bookings are up 19.2% on this time last year according to new figures.

Analysis of booking data from more than 5,000 Bed and Breakfasts carried out by eviivo, the online booking specialist for independent hotels and B&Bs, suggested a combination of a low pound, the Brexit vote and the triggering of Article 50 had delivered a surge in bookings.

Thomas Messett, chief marketing officer of eviivo, said: “There’s no doubt that the Brexit vote and subsequent invoking of Article 50 have had a measurable positive impact on bookings at Britain’s B&Bs. There is no gloom at the Inn. Our B&B customers are seeing two benefits from a lower pound. First, more bookings from U.K. consumers concerned about their reduced spending power abroad. Second, an increase in bookings from international customers, keen to take the opportunity to enjoy a British break at a favourable exchange rate.”

A poll of eviivo’s 5,000 Bed and Breakfast found 62.4% expected to see an increase in foreign guests this year, reflecting the attractive exchange rate conditions.

Regional performance

Areas of the country benefiting the most from the upswing in bookings are Central England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Messett said: “It’s great to see such a strong performance from Central England, dispelling the myth that the B&B is all about the seaside. Country pursuits are a huge part of British leisure time and this performance demonstrates that. It’s also encouraging to see Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales doing so well. The strong performance is a truly national trend.”

The Seaside’s special sauce

Seaside B&B bookings in towns like Torquay, Bognor, Brighton, Penzance, Scarborough, Blackpool and Great Yarmouth have been especially buoyant since the Brexit vote.