Experience Oxfordshire report reveals Oxfordshire’s visitor economy contribution worth almost £2.5 billion

21 October 2026 – Visitor numbers, overnight stays and overall visitor value increased in Oxfordshire in 2025, although shorter stays and lower spend per night continue to present challenges for the sector.

Figures released this week by Experience Oxfordshire, the county’s Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) and destination management organisation (DMO), show continued resilience across Oxfordshire’s visitor economy, with increases in day trips, overnight visits, visitor spend and overall visit value against a challenging economic backdrop.

The annual Economic Impact of Tourism in Oxfordshire report, commissioned by Experience Oxfordshire, shows that the number of visits to Oxfordshire increased by 3% in 2025 to 26 million, generating £2.47 billion for the local economy and supporting 42,557 jobs, which is equivalent to 11% of the county’s workforce.

Domestic day visits reflected the wider national picture, increasing by 3% compared with 2024. The number of overnight visits made to Oxfordshire by UK residents also increased by 3%, compared with a 2% decline nationally. The volume of nights spent in the county by domestic visitors did, however, fall by 1%, although this remained ahead of the South-East regional average, where domestic visitor nights declined by 7%.

International tourism provided a further positive contribution. Overnight visits to Oxfordshire by international visitors increased by 5%, while the number of nights they spent in the county rose by 2% and their expenditure increased by 3%.

The majority of overnight stays in Oxfordshire were for holidays, accounting for 57% of visits. A further 19% were to visit friends and relatives, while 19% were business trips. Of all overnight stays, 54% were in paid accommodation, with the remaining 46% staying with friends or relatives or in second homes.

Food and drink accounted for the largest proportion of visitor expenditure at 32%, followed by shopping at 23%, accommodation at 22%, travel at 13% and entertainment at 10%.

Across Oxfordshire’s districts, Cherwell received the largest proportion of trips to the county in 2025, accounting for 26%, closely followed by Oxford City at 25%. Oxford City, however, accounted for the greatest proportion of visitor expenditure, at 41%.

The visitor economy continued to operate against a challenging backdrop during 2025. Inflation, energy prices and statutory changes affecting employment and staffing costs placed significant pressure on businesses. International visitors were also affected by a strong pound and the final phase of the introduction of charges for Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). In the domestic market, continuing cost-of-living pressures influenced visitor behaviour, including greater price sensitivity, last-minute booking and a shift towards lower-cost leisure experiences, including free and outdoor events.

Speaking about the 2025 figures and the Economic Impact of Tourism in Oxfordshire report, Hayley Beer-Gamage, CEO of Experience Oxfordshire, said: “Tourism operates within a complex visitor economy ecosystem and this annual report provides an essential overview of our sector’s performance. It has delivered well, which is a tribute to the effort and commitment of Oxfordshire’s visitor economy businesses. The report highlights, however, how sensitive visitors and businesses are to external circumstances and, with a sector contributing nearly £2.5 billion to the county and supporting 11% of employment, how vigilant we need to be to changes in the market. As the official LVEP for the county, we aim to keep local visitor economy businesses informed, sharing our insights and creating opportunities. We are working hard to keep Oxfordshire front of mind, showcasing the county’s outstanding products and experiences to key travel trade buyers, influencers and potential visitors, both in the UK and in targeted international markets.”

Councillor Lesley McLean, Leader of Cherwell District Council and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Growth, said: “The visitor economy in Cherwell was valued at £496 million in 2025, generating significant income for local businesses and sustaining 10% of jobs. We are pleased to see that, despite difficult economic times, Cherwell continues to draw the largest proportion of trips to the county, with growth in the number of day and overnight visits, and visitor spend outperforming many other areas. With visitors adopting a value driven approach to their leisure spending, we appreciate Experience Oxfordshire’s important contribution in promoting the district and all it offers to residents and domestic and international visitors.  In addition, we are currently working with Experience Oxfordshire to explore how value from a sustainable visitor economy can be kept local.”

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, said: “It is really good news to see the evidence in this report that Oxford continues to attract both international and domestic visitors, who are an important part of our local economy. Tourism contributes nearly £1 billion a year to Oxford and now supports 14% of local employment. We welcome the work that we have done with Experience Oxfordshire on projects such as this to ensure tourism continues to benefit our communities and local businesses, supported by our ongoing efforts to increase hotel accommodation so more visitors can stay longer and contribute more to the city.”

More information on the work that Experience Oxfordshire undertakes can be found in the Experience Oxfordshire Impact Report 2025/26 here which showcases the impact and reach of the work that Experience Oxfordshire undertakes.

Headline figures and infographics from the Economic Impact Report 2025 can be found here: experienceoxfordshire.org/partner/partner-benefits/research-and-insights/

 

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NOTES TO EDITORS

Images available via the following link.

Experience Oxfordshire is the official Destination Management Organisation (DMO) and Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) for Oxfordshire. It is the trading arm of the parent charity, Experience Oxfordshire Charitable Trust, and is a not-for-profit partnership organisation that is committed to the promotion, management, and development of Oxfordshire as a great destination to live, work, visit and do business. The DMO seeks to improve growth and productivity across Oxfordshire’s visitor economy through the provision of essential business advice and support.

Experience Oxfordshire was one of the first destinations in England to gain LVEP status from national tourist board, VisitEngland. As an LVEP, Experience Oxfordshire is recognised as a high-performing organisation, supporting collaborative working both locally, through its network of partners and those with interest in the visitor economy, and nationally on shared priorities.

For more information on Experience Oxfordshire see our latest Impact Report and go to experienceoxfordshire.org/partner or contact [email protected]

To work with Experience Oxfordshire on marketing campaigns, contact [email protected]

To find out more about Experience Oxfordshire organised events go to the 2026 events calendar Experience Oxfordshire Events

Media contact: Lesley Wright at [email protected] Tel: 01865 686433

You can keep up to date with Experience Oxfordshire’s activity by following

LinkedIn – Experience Oxfordshire
X – @ExperienceOxBiz / @ExOxVenues / @ExperienceOx
Instagram – @experienceoxfordshire
Facebook – Experience Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire’s Visitor Economy
Value: £2.475 billion
Trips: 26 million
Employment: 42,557 (11% of employment)
Visit our research and insights page for the Economic Impact Report 2025