The Core Idea
UK tourism suffers from fragmented evidence:
- Accommodation data without behaviour
- Footfall without people
- Economic models without real spend
The solution is an integrated, three-layer data model that connects: Movement → Stay → Spend
Layer 1: Mobility Data
Who Visits and How they Behave
- Local vs Tourist
- Origin Markets
- Dwell and Movement Patterns
Layer 2: Short Term Let Data
Where visitors stay & for how long
- Non-hotel accommodation
- Occupancy & length of stay
- Spatial & seasonal pressure
Layer 3: Spend Data
Economic Value & Visitor Impact
- Retail, F&B, Attractions
- Location of Spend
- Value Index and Volume Index
When combined, these layers turn fragmented tourism metrics into a complete, people and value-based view of visitor activity.
What Each Layer Solves
Layer 1: Mobility Data
Separates tourists from locals in complex UK places
UK challenge:
- Dense cities
- High commuter flows
- Tourism mixed with everyday activity
What this layer delivers:
- Clear visitor identification
- Domestic vs international origin markets
- Day visitors finally counted
- Behaviour tracked over time
Layer 2: Short-Term Let Data
Fixes the UK’s accommodation blind spot
UK challenge:
- Rapid growth of Airbnbs and holiday lets
- Poor visibility outside hotel stock
- Increasing housing and community pressure
What this layer delivers:
- True scale of non-hotel tourism
- Evidence for licensing, planning and de-regulation
- Accurate length-of-stay insight
Layer 3: Spend Data
Moves beyond estimated economic impact
UK challenge:
- Scrutiny from Treasury and audit bodies
- Outdated tourism multipliers
- Funding bids requiring proof, not promotion
What this layer delivers:
- Actual visitor spend
- Category-level insight
- High-value vs high-volume tourism evidence
Persona-Specific Versions
DMO & Destination Leaders
Their problem
“We know tourism matters — but proving it is getting harder.”
How the model helps
- STL shows who stayed
- Mobility shows who visited and behaved
- Spend shows what tourism actually delivered
This model gives DMOs defensible evidence of visitor impact — not just activity.
From visitor numbers to visitor value.