Industry News

The year opened with strong destination-led searches, with ‘Durham’ and ‘Things to do in Durham’ leading the way as people planned winter days out and short breaks. Accommodation searches were also strong at the start of the year. The top query ‘Durham accommodation’ generated over 18,000 searches, highlighting strong interest in overnight stays. More specific searches revealed the types of breaks visitors were planning, including ‘Dog friendly accommodation Durham’ and ‘Durham self-catering accommodation’. There was also strong interest in distinctive places to stay, with ‘Durham Castle accommodation’ attracting more than 4,000 searches, reflecting curiosity around the unique opportunity to stay within one of the city’s most historic buildings. Dining experiences featured prominently during Durham Restaurant Week, highlighting continued demand for good-value food and drink experiences.

As we headed into spring, search behaviour moved towards outdoor exploration and future trip planning. Natural landmarks and scenic locations gained attention as visitors looked for opportunities to reconnect with nature as the weather started to improve. March also saw increased engagement with rail heritage content following the launch of the S&DR200 content hub, highlighting itineraries and visitor experiences linked to the bicentenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. This prompted additional searches connected to rail heritage attractions and travel experiences across the county. Overall, March searches reflected a shift toward longer-stay inspiration, combining heritage, landscapes and early spring days out.

Destination-led searches remained consistent throughout May, while interest in events and experiences began to increase as the summer season approached. Searches such as ‘What’s on Durham’ and ‘What’s on near me’ reflected a growing appetite for festivals and events, while food-related searches highlighted interest in local producers, dining experiences and seasonal food markets. Accommodation searches also broadened during this period. In addition to general accommodation searches, there was increasing interest in dog-friendly stays and countryside accommodation, reinforcing the role of the county’s landscapes and outdoor experiences in attracting overnight visitors.

July marked the height of summer planning, with cultural festivals and large-scale visitor experiences attracting significant search interest. Alongside this, visitors were actively researching places to stay, multi-day itineraries and attractions close to accommodation. The Summer Staycation content hub, which promoted longer itineraries and inspiration for holidays in the county, helped support searches around short breaks and holiday planning. Food festivals and restaurant searches also increased, suggesting visitors were building their own itineraries combining attractions, dining and overnight stays.

As summer drew to a close, searches began to reflect the transition toward autumn experiences. Food, heritage and cultural events featured strongly, alongside rural shows and seasonal celebrations. At the same time, visitors were increasingly searching for countryside escapes, autumn walks and short breaks, showing that the county’s landscapes and heritage attractions continue to attract visitors beyond the peak holiday period. Accommodation and dining searches also remained steady during September, indicating continued demand for overnight visits and weekend breaks.

Search behaviour in November began to transition toward the festive season. Early interest in Christmas markets and festive experiences started to appear in search trends, alongside continued planning for winter days out. Bonfire Night also drove strong search activity, with fireworks displays across the county featuring prominently. Alongside seasonal experiences, there was growing interest in festive dining and winter short breaks, suggesting visitors were planning both day trips and festive stays.