Scarborough and Whitby See December Footfall Declines

New figures indicate that Scarborough and Whitby experienced a fall in town centre footfall in December, contrasting with the overall trend in North Yorkshire.

While most areas saw an increase in footfall compared to December 2023, Scarborough and Whitby's figures indicate declines of 2.8% and 0.8% respectively.

The data was included in North Yorkshire Council's latest Executive Performance Report, it shows that in October and November 2024, most towns across North Yorkshire showed a fall in footfall compared to the same period in 2023. Thirsk was an exception, with a 20.8% increase in footfall in October and an 8.9% increase in November. Authorities are currently examining the factors behind Thirsk's increase "to better understand what conditions or events may have occurred to generate such a change".

The report states that in December:

"footfall increased across the county with a small increase across the board compared to December 2023. he exceptions here were Scarborough and Whitby where figures indicate they experienced a 2.8% and 0.8% fall when comparing December 2023 to December 2024" 

However Whitby faired better in the dwell time data. The report states that dwell time in high streets and town centres across the county,

"increased in December, following a dip in October and November. Dwell times varied significantly, ranging from 40 minutes in Northallerton to 82 minutes in Whitby."

North Yorkshire Council says work is underway to improve the understanding of tourism across the county. Two new measures have been developed for use in the council's future reports: 

• hotel occupancy and average revenue per room, 
• and short-term letting occupancy and average daily rate. 

The council says that these indicators will help shape knowledge around the visitor economy.

The details in the performance report state that County wide Hotel Occupancy and Average Revenue per Room data showed that overall occupancy declined in the last three months of the year with room rates also declining.

Short-term Letting Occupancy and Average Daily Rate data shows a slight decline in occupancy but an increase in room rates.

North Yorkshire Council says additional analysis of this information will be conducted over time to understand trends, seasonal variation, and possible opportunities to support wider economic growth priorities.

Visit North Yorkshire also published data on hotel occupancy and room rates in January. Their figures for hotel occupancy in December showed a year on year increase for the Yorkshire Coast suggesting that the increase may be down to events such as Scarborough Lights and Whitby
Krampus Run.

Councillor Mark Crane - says the year on year hotel numbers are encouraging.

Meanwhile data from VisitEngland Research's "England Occupancy Survey December 2024" shows that Yorkshire & Humberside's hotel sector  outperformed several other regions in England with a 3% increase in room occupancy for Yorkshire & Humberside compared to December 2023.

National Overview

Across England, the hotel industry saw a slight uptick in occupancy, with December 2024 reaching 75%, compared to 74% in December 2023. The average occupancy rate for the entire year of 2024 was 79%. Room demand was also up, showing a 3.1% year-on-year increase for December 2024.

Regional Variances

While the majority of regions experienced growth in room occupancy, there were disparities. The East of England and Yorkshire & Humberside led the way with the largest gains, while the East Midlands, Northeast England, and the West Midlands faced slight declines.

Yorkshire & Humberside's Key Metrics:

• Occupancy: Increased to 76% in December 2024 from 73% in December 2023.
• ADR (Average Daily Rate): Remained consistent at £97.
• RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room): Grew from £71 to £73.

National ADR and RevPAR

• ADR: Increased by 0.6% from £176 in December 2023 to £177 in December 2024.
• RevPAR: Saw a more significant increase, rising by 2% over the same period.

Weekend and Weekday Performance

The survey also highlights the difference in occupancy rates between weekends and weekdays. In December 2024, England's weekend occupancy was 81%, while weekday occupancy was 73%. Weekend RevPAR was £144, compared to a weekday RevPAR of £128.