A new study by Bókun, a Tripadvisor company and a global leader in travel tech booking management, reveals demand for local tours is set to boom as travellers look to rediscover the wonders on their own doorstep.
*All details correct at time of publish (02 March 2026)
A new nationally representative survey of 2,000 UK adults by Bókun found that, on average, only 43% of the UK population have explored the top five attractions in their own city.
However, with airfares on the rise, the appetite to explore locally has never been greater. In fact. Google searches for “local tours near me” worldwide have reached an all-time high, increasing by 2,238% in the last year alone.
In light of these findings, Bókun has delved into the UK tourism market to identify the cities set to benefit most, as well as the types of experiences Brits are wanting to experience most in their own cities.
(Data accurate as of 02.02.26)
91% of Brits said they’re likely to play tourist in their own city if airfares continue to rise
Earlier this year, Ryanair predicted that ticket prices could rise by as much as 9% in the year through March, due to strong demand. However, with airfares on the rise and a growing appetite to explore local tours already prevalent worldwide, domestic travel is no doubt set to benefit.
In fact, Bókun’s new survey confirmed that if airfares continue to climb, 91% of Brits are likely to consider trips in their own city, leaving a unique opportunity for local tour operators to capture and capitalise on an audience much closer to home. But what kind of trips are Brits looking for?
Brits want to rediscover the local history on their doorstep
When asked which types of tour locals would like to experience most in their own city, history, cultural, and museum tours topped the list, appealing to nearly two-fifths of respondents (38%).
Walking and sightseeing tours (33%) followed closely behind in second place while local food experiences (25%) rounded out the top three.
The UK’s cities with the biggest appetite for local tourism
To identify which UK cities have both the biggest appetite for local tours and the most untapped potential, Bókun surveyed 2,000 nationally representative respondents across 17 UK cities.
The analysis looked to identify how many locals had visited the top five tourist attractions in their own city to reveal the most and least explored cities by locals.
Nottingham named the city with the most untapped potential
Nottingham emerged as the least explored UK city, with just 27% of residents visiting its top five attractions. Southampton followed second, with just 30% of its residents having visited the top five attractions, while Manchester rounded out the top three, with 34% of locals having explored the city’s main attractions.
Cardiff and Brighton found to be the hungriest cities for local tourism
Cardiff and Brighton, however, already have a greater appetite for local tourism. In both cities, 58% of locals had visited their top five attractions, officially making them the UK’s most explored cities by locals. This was closely followed by Edinburgh with 57% of locals having explored its main attractions.
| The UK’s least to most explored cities by locals | ||
| #Rank | City | % of locals who’ve visited the top 5 tourist attractions |
| 1 | Nottingham | 27.0% |
| 2 | Southampton | 30% |
| 3 | Manchester | 34% |
| 4 | Birmingham | 34% |
| 5 | Norwich | 37% |
| 6 | Newcastle | 37% |
| 7 | Liverpool | 38% |
| 8 | Sheffield | 40% |
| 9 | Leeds | 41% |
| 10 | Glasgow | 42% |
| 11 | Bristol | 42% |
| 12 | Belfast | 44% |
| 13 | Plymouth | 51% |
| 14 | London | 53% |
| 15 | Edinburgh | 57% |
| 16 | Brighton | 58% |
| 17 | Cardiff | 58% |
Samuel Jefferies, Senior Growth Marketing Manager at Bókun, comments:
“It’s clear from the data that demand for local tours has never been higher. People are becoming more curious of their immediate surroundings, and this creates a really exciting opportunity for the experience industry.
“Tour operators have the unique ability to bring back a sense of wanderlust into the otherwise mundane for locals. And for many, rising airfares may be a barrier to worldwide travel, especially if they continue to rise.
“By tailoring offerings to local demands and ensuring they don’t neglect the audience right in front of them, TOs are in a privileged position to bring that sense of adventure back to everyone’s doorstep for a fraction of the cost – harnessing the true power of the tours and experiences sector for everyone.”
Visit www.bokun.io for more information.
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