New figures reveal record holiday let bookings in Northumberland

Research commissioned by Sykes Holiday Cottages also reveals that Alnwick, Amble and Bamburgh were the county’s most popular places to visit.

Looking ahead, bookings to Northumberland this year have risen 24% on the same period in 2019, or in other words, compared to the last full season before the pandemic.

Graham Donoghue, chief executive of Sykes Holiday Cottages, said: “With the popularity of staycations not expected to subside anytime soon, there’s every reason to believe that the positive economic impact of short-term lets within Northumberland will remain equally strong in the years to come.

“Our recent report with Oxford Economics is the most in-depth study that’s ever been conducted on the impact of the sector and really demonstrates the importance of short-term lets to regional economies across the country – with record bookings in 2022 likely to have made this even more so the case last year.

“The industry supports local jobs and pours in millions of pounds of guest spend annually, with visitors opting to eat at local independent pubs and restaurants, explore little-known tourist attractions, and spend their money on holiday souvenirs.

“We’ve made it our mission to ensure the sustainable growth of the sector. This includes working closely with stakeholders, including holiday-homeowners, to ensure properties are let in a responsible way that benefits local communities, instead of second homes laying empty.”

Meanwhile, bookings to the North East increased by 41% last year versus pre-pandemic and were up 6% in 2021 compared to 2019.

Further analysis, conducted by Oxford Economics on behalf of Sykes Holiday Cottages and The Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA), also revealed the amount of money spent by those visiting short-term holiday lets in the North East reached a record £850 million in 2021, with tourists typically spending nearly five million nights in short-term accommodation.

As a result, the short-stay tourism industry injected £1.1 billion into the North East’s economies in 2021 alone, including via spending with local companies, job creation and tax revenues.

More than 21,300 people throughout the North East are now employed in jobs linked to the short-term let industry – whether that’s directly as hosts or in restaurants or tourist attractions.