It’s no secret that the foundations of Brighton’s commercial infrastructure are largely built on its tourism trade. However, with far-flung, exotic locations increasingly more accessible to British travellers, and examples of degradation in previously thriving seaside towns, one would be forgiven for assuming the popularity of UK holiday destinations – like Brighton – are on the decline. However, several recent studies suggest otherwise.
Life’s a beach
The classic British beach resort, with its nostalgic sights, sounds, and smells, is woven into the country’s cultural fabric, with reminders of bustling coastal towns and cities – such as Brighton, Worthing, Bognor Regis, and other Sussex locations – frequently presented in everyday contexts.
In the gambling industry, we see slot developers regularly utilising coastal themes, with images of tempting ice creams, golden beaches, and picturesque promenades regularly deployed as reel icons or featured in background scenery. Indeed, when using the Betfair gaming application, you’ll be able to play the following casino slots: Beach Life, Hainan Ice (admittedly, the setting for this title is a little more tropical than a typical British coastline!), and Reelin’ Hot Hot Hot.
Television producers have based a variety of shows and series in seaside environments, with the likes of Broadchurch, Scarborough, and Doc Martin all fitting neatly into this category. Brighton Belles, which was inspired by the hugely-successful American sitcom The Golden Girls, provides a local example of this trend but unfortunately failed to excite British audiences in the same way as its transatlantic cousin.
Source: Pixabay
Data-driven conclusions
Although the entertainment sector’s consistent referencing of the British seaside suggests the coast still plays an influential role in the way the UK population perceives its national identity, what do the stats tell us about the actual popularity of these traditional tourist hubs?
According to a recent study conducted by BlueHealth, a research organization focused on analysing conditions in urban blue spaces, UK residents are still heading to seaside resorts in their droves. The survey, which was coordinated in partnership with the University of Exeter and published in the journal Marine Policy, found that approximately 171.7m recreational visits to English beaches alone are made by each year, and almost a further 100m to the country’s ‘other coastline’ areas (cliff paths, viewing points etc.)
However, it’s not just the natives who engage in the familiar practices of building sandcastles, riding donkeys, and playing the amusement arcades, with 10% of all international visitors to the country travelling to the coast at some stage during their stay.
Although it’s clear a vast number of British seaside locations are continuing to witness substantial levels of footfall, it’s worth noting that Brighton Beach is a particular favourite amongst day-trippers and holidaymakers. At the beginning of the summer, it was revealed that the southern coast’s most-famous sandy stretch had generated more than 79m cumulative views on the social media platform TikTok, whilst Parkdean Resorts – the UK’s largest holiday park firm – ranked it sixth in its ‘most relaxing beaches’ index.
A quick heads-up…
So, whether you’re planning a trip to Blackpool, Bournemouth, Birchington-on-Sea, or indeed just popping through to Brighton, you might be joining a queue at the fish & chip shop.
