The Isle of Wight Passenger Survey Results show a mixed bag for the all-important summer season between 01 July and 30 September 2025 with an overall decrease in total visitors of 3.7% compared to the same period in 2024
Overnight stays saw a slight increase of 0.2% of those coming for holidays compared to the same period in 2024.
A 2% increase of total bednights in commercial accommodation and an increase in the length of stay from 4.6 to 4.9 nights was also recorded in the results.
However, day visits for leisure saw a larger drop of 12.4% when compared to 2024.
The summer season recorded 62% of all overnight trips using cross-Solent transport providers were for overnight holiday and leisure purposes, while 63% of all day trips were for leisure purposes.
The total visitor spend for Quarter 3 remained static when compared to 2024, at an estimated £115m.
The Isle of Wight Passenger Survey Results combined data for Quarter 1, 2 and 3, bringing together the data for 2025 between January and September, shows an overall decrease of 4.6% for total visitors to the Isle of Wight compared to 2024.
In the same period, 50% of all day trips were for leisure purposes, while 59% of overnight trips were for leisure or holiday.
The most recent statistics from VisitEngland, covering the period April to June, shows a national decline in domestic tourism of 18% for overnight stays and a decrease of 1% for day visits – the national VisitEngland report for Quarter 3 is expected to be released in mid- December.
VisitEngland’s Domestic Sentiment Tracker is a survey of UK residents are likely to take short breaks and holidays, both within the UK and abroad, to understand the impact of major events, such as the cost of living crisis, on the UK public’s intent to take overnight trips.
The survey addresses areas, such as current attitude to travel, intentions of UK residents to travel for day trips, short breaks and holidays, when they plan to book and when they plan to go on their trip and is based on a UK nationally representative sample of 1,500 adults aged 16+.
The latest findings of the Domestic Sentiment Tracker shows that the percentage of UK adults stating ‘worst is yet to come’ regarding the cost-of-living crisis has increased from 51% to 55% over the last month, resulting in a drop of 6% in those intending to take a UK day or overnight trips.
ENDS:
Isle of Wight Passenger Survey Results – Quarter 3 (01 July-30 Sept 2025): https://visitwightpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Isle-of-Wight-Q3-2025-Results-Dashboard-2.pdf
Isle of Wight Passenger Survey Results – Quarters 1, 2 and 3 (01 Jan-30 Sept 2025): https://visitwightpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Isle-of-Wight-Q1-Q2-Q3-2025-Results-Dashboard-v2-2-1-1.pdf
VisitEngland Q2 results: https://www.visitbritain.org/research-insights/domestic-tourism-latest-results
VisitEngland Domestic Sentiment Tracker (updated regularly, using data released 21 Oct 2025: https://www.visitbritain.org/research-insights/domestic-sentiment-tracker )