Could Dogs Be The Boost British Tourism Needs?

Photo Credit: Kennel Club Picture Library

• UK tourism could benefit from an extra £5.8bn annually if more businesses opened their doors to dogs
• 77% of the UK’s highest earning dog-owners said they would holiday in the UK more frequently if there were more options for their dog
• The Kennel Club and Dog Friendly launch the annual Be Dog Friendly Awards to celebrate the businesses getting it right
• Be Dog Friendly week begins today (Monday July 27th)

The UK tourism industry is losing out on wealthy holiday makers, as more than three quarter of the UK’s highest earning dog-owners say they holiday abroad because there are not enough dog friendly options[1].

New research from the Kennel Club has revealed that a whopping 72 per cent of dog owners said that they would take more holidays in the UK if we had a better attitude towards dogs[2], and this figure rises to 77 per cent when looking at the UK’s biggest earners (with salaries at £40,000 or more)[3].

With over 9 million dogs in the UK, and around one in four households owning a dog, the Kennel Club is urging more businesses to recognise the opportunities in being dog friendly, this Be Dog Friendly Week.

With 26.2% of the population planning on taking a holiday abroad this year and spending on average £2,000[4], the new research suggests that 2.9m dog owners[5] may swap overseas plans for a dog friendly UK option, injecting a potential £5.8bn boost in to the economy, if more dog friendly options were available.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said: “The research suggests that local tourism could lure holiday makers away from extravagant holidays simply with the promise of a dog friendly getaway, so this could be a real boost to the British economy.

“There are a number of trailblazers already reaping the benefits of opening their doors to dogs and being creative with what they offer, such as the Beach Café in Wells-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk, which last year won the Be Dog Friendly Awards Café/Restaurant category.

“This entrepreneurial café now boasts 1,600 members in their K-9 Club, they have a free self-service ‘Wash n’ Wag’ dog wash facility which allows customers to wash down their pet in a specially enclosed booth, removing the sand and seawater from their coats, and their dogs are also offered fresh water and biscuits.”

Despite Britain being traditionally labelled as a country of dog lovers, we are surprisingly unaccommodating to man’s best friend, with many businesses refusing to allow dogs in. An increasing number of local authorities are also slapping Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) on spaces such as parks and beaches, meaning that dogs and their owners are marginalised. So far this year, six PSPOs have been implemented in England and Wales and eight more are in the pipeline, with many more expected to be announced.

Caroline continued: “We really need to listen to the public – the vast majority of dog owners are responsible and crying out for places they can go with their dogs without feeling victimised, offering a real financial incentive for businesses opening their doors to dogs and their owners.”

The Be Dog Friendly Awards are returning again this year and the Kennel Club is on the lookout for more dog friendly businesses to enter the competition. The competition, now in its ninth year, is part of the Be Dog Friendly campaign which aims to break down barriers for man’s best friend by encouraging more businesses and public spaces to welcome dogs through their doors.

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Posted by chesliepickett on Jul 27 2015. Filed under World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.