17 August 2023 , 09:33
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A beautiful city with a fascinating history and access to stunning countryside is the UK's worst sufferer when it comes to tourist-pressure, according to one study.
While residents of Bath in Somerset likely love the grand Georgian architecture and Roman baths that have put it on the map, its considerable reputation has a downside. Six million people visit the 94,000 resident city each year, meaning each local is outnumbered 63 to one.
In a bid to make the most of the tourist pound 1,544 holiday rental properties are operating, putting pressure on a housing market that has become notoriously expensive. In the past ten years, house prices have increased by 78%.
Compare My Move data has seen a 50.5% increase in people moving to Bath between 2020 - 2022 and in that time the house prices have risen by 13% to £585,629, which is £210,687 more than the average house price of the South West.
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Everyone wants a bit of Bath's incredible architecture (James Beck/SomersetLive)"The ancient city of Bath took the top spot, with a total tourist-pressure score of 8.35/10. Bath ranked in the top 15 locations for all but one category, and it seems the problem will keep growing as there was a 108% rise in the number of searches about holidaying in Bath in peak summer last year, which we can only expect to be on the increase in 2023," wrote Hey Discount, which conducted the study.
Millions of tourists flock to the city every year to see sights such as Bath Abbey and the Roman baths, which were recently named one of the UK’s best places to visit by TripAdvisor."
The Lake District ranked in second place, thanks to the pull of its stunning lakes and peaks that are the most visited tourist attraction in the country. Unfortunately, this tourism greatly impacts the locals, with soaring house prices damaging the livelihoods of Cumbrians.
In peak times, the national park’s winding, narrow roads can overcrowd and cause lengthy delays for tourists and locals alike. House prices have shot up 66% in the past decade, with just shy of 8,000 holiday homes across the area increasing pressure on the market.
Bournemouth Beach gets popular during the summer months (PA)One of the most popular staycation destinations in the UK, Newquay has been regarded in the past as a party town for well-heeled young people, and finds itself at third on the tourist pressure list.
After working hard to shed this reputation, the town is perhaps attracting a different crowd, but still sees incredible tourist demand, especially during the Covid years. The total number of visitors to Newquay in 2021 was 5,958,759, which was 47.7% up on the previous year.
So important are tourists to the town's economy, investments are being made in a bid to make the location a year-round holiday destination. There are currently slightly over 1,200 holiday homes in Newquay, where house prices have shot up 65% in ten years.
Although it doesn't make it into the tourist pressure rankings top ten, the Welsh town of Conwy had the biggest percentage of property price increases in the last ten years. The average house price cost £137,969 back in 2012, however, this increased to a whopping £300,547 in 2022.
The town highlights the struggle many living in picturesque, often remote parts of the country face when it comes to balancing their tourist-centred economies against keeping the standard of living for locals high.
Top 10 cities where locals being pushed out
- Bath
- Lake District
- Newquay
- London
- York
- Cambridge
- Bournemouth
- Whitby
- Brighton/Oxford
- Edinburgh
You can find out more about the research on heydiscount.co.uk.
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