Growing international travel drives up UK hotel bookings for Christmas

The top five source markets behind this growth are France, Italy, Germany, Ireland and Spain

Hotel bookings at UK properties for the days leading up to Christmas - 21-25 December - are up 24% from last year, as shown by new data from SiteMinder, the world’s leading hotel distribution and revenue platform. 

International bookings are driving the surge, rising by 10% annually to 34% of total bookings at UK hotels this year, compared to 31% during the same period in 2023. 

The top five source markets behind this growth are France, Italy, Germany, Ireland and Spain.

The rise complements a year-on-year increase in both length of stay and booking lead time during the Christmas week. 

The average length of booked stays at UK hotels for the period is set to increase by 6%, from 1.98 days to 2.10 days, while the average lead on bookings will increase 6.5%, from 73.26 days to 77.97 days. 

For its part, London is set to experience a New Year’s booking boom, with reservations up 18% year-year for the period 28-31 December. 

The average length of stay at London’s hotels is up 8% during this period, from 2.45 days last to to 2.66 days this year, while average lead times have increased 2%, from 73.30 days to 74.79 days.

British travellers are also among those most on the move globally, and are set to feature within the top five source markets for the week 21-25 December for all major tourist destinations, from Australia and Thailand to the US and Spain.

James Bishop, vice president of ecosystem and strategic partnerships, said: “As Christmas approaches, UK hoteliers will have an added reason to celebrate this year. These latest figures underscore the UK’s status as a leading global destination, while London remains one of the world’s cities of choice for travellers looking for an exceptional New Years’ experience.”

Bishop added: “Our data on length of stay and lead times suggests that, whether visiting family or getting away for the holidays, guests at UK hotels increasingly seek engaging local experiences this festive season, and are planning ahead to get the most from their stay. 

"To reap the full rewards of this positive development, UK hoteliers must ensure they are offering their guests personalised, seamless experiences. 

"This will allow hotels to maximise revenue as 2024 draws to a close, and benefit from both lasting loyalty and positive reviews as we head into 2025.”

SiteMinder’s data is based on UK-wide hotel bookings for the period December 21-25, and bookings at London hotels for the period December 28-31, as measured on December 3, 2024. 

SiteMinder’s Changing Traveller Report 2025 shows two-thirds (65%) of travellers globally are now more likely to travel for an event, with family reunions/celebrations topping the list.

While almost half (46%) plan to book a standard (basic quality) room, the majority will splurge ‘where it matters’, with 87% willing to spend on extras like breakfast (47%), room size (30%) and views (28%). Four-in-five also intend to seek out experiences on site at their accommodation.