Visit Leeds tourism survey reveals the top reasons why people are planning a Leeds staycation post-lockdown

Visit Leeds the tourism management organisation run by Leeds City Council, polled more than 2,900 adults on their travel plans once restrictions have begun to ease.

The results found that 37.9 per cent of people hope to travel in the UK as soon as lockdown restrictions have eased, while 40.7 per cent plan on travelling one to three months post-lockdown,

When asked about the activities at the top of the agenda for those planning a visit to Leeds, 41 per cent said they wanted to visit Leeds’ shopping districts, from high street stores to the luxury brands in the Victorian arcades.

More than a quarter of respondents said they planned to visit the city’s theatres, museums and galleries, while 25 per cent are eager to drink and dine in the city’s restaurants, cafes and bars.

Belinda Eldrige of Visit Leeds said: “The results of our survey show that there is plenty of pent-up demand from potential visitors to the city, many of whom can’t wait to get back to the shops and restaurants they’ve sorely missed.

"It’s been five months since the city’s hospitality venues welcomed customers and three since non-essential retailers last opened their doors, so naturally, people are excited to make up for lost time.

“The survey has formed part of our drive to lead Leeds’ tourism recovery by enabling us to fully understand the plans and preferences of those planning to visit the city over the coming weeks and months.

"At the same time, we’ve published a raft of content on our website which aims to make planning a visit as easy as possible

“Ultimately, we want to help visitors, retailers, hospitality providers and those managing the city’s plethora of cultural attractions to embrace what is set to be an exciting spring and summer ahead.”

The survey also revealed the activities people are most looking forward to doing when restrictions ease. Seeing friends and family, going for a meal and taking a city break were the three most popular choices.

Most respondents aimed to travel soon after restrictions ease, but some remain more cautious, with 6.3 per cent saying they do not plan to travel until restrictions have completely lifted.

Belinda added: “While we know there will be plenty of people who want their lives to go back to normal as quickly as possible, others will understandably be much more cautious in their approach.

"Our priority is ensuring that visitors and locals continue to feel safe when visiting Leeds, which is why we have published a detailed guide to how visitors can plan a safe and enjoyable trip to the city, as well as an A-Z guide which details the extra safety measures in place.

"The city’s businesses have worked extremely hard to install these measures in order to create Covid-safe environments and ultimately ensure visitors can enjoy everything the city has to offer in confidence.”

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