Cornwall's tourism sector is on course for a bumper year after shaking off a washout season last year. All indicators seem to be on the promising side for the hospitality industry with bookings ahead of the summer months on the up.

Jon Hyatt, chairman of Visit Cornwall, which represents the tourism industry in the county, said a corner had been turned compared with last year's terrible results. Earlier this year Mr Hyatt said visitor numbers in the region had plummeted in 2024 and were down by 10 to 12 per cent.

He said that last year's poor tourism performance could be explained by the cost of living crisis which had dampened visitors' confidence and reduced their spending power. Mr Hyatt said the weather had also not helped as the summer and bank holiday weekends were complete wash outs.

He said: "2024 was very tough. We were cautiously optimistic at the beginning of [this] year but Cornwall enjoyed a strong Easter and May half term."

The tourism boss said that the impact of the cost of living crisis had lessened, meaning people have more money in their pocket and despite the increase in the living wage and employment costs, the industry is looking forward to successful summer trade. "I think we are heading towards a strong summer. All the indicators are there for a good season."

According to Visit Cornwall’s latest Domestic Sentiment Tracker (May 2025 wave), public perception around the cost-of-living crisis is showing signs of easing. Only 52 per cent now believe “the worst is still to come”, down significantly from last month.

The number of people describing themselves as ‘cautious’ has also dropped from 49 per cent to 46 per cent. The industry is hoping this improved confidence will translating into travel behaviour. Seventy-eight per cent of UK adults now say they’re planning an overnight domestic trip in the next 12 months, up from 76 per cent this time last year.

Some of Cornwall's tourist hotspots also shared the sentiment after enjoying a surge in visitor numbers both at Easter and during the recent May half term holidays. Mark Warren, manager of Newquay Business Improvement District (BID), said Newquay had seen plenty of visitors so far this year with traders on the high street enjoying strong footfall figures at Easter.

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He said: "We had a busy early Easter with clear signs of increased footfall around the town and in its businesses, which is always encouraging to see. This continued into the May Bank Holiday weekend which saw the town buzzing with footfall. While we are aware that spend is generally down across the board, the high visitor numbers show there’s still a strong appetite for staycations.

"Additionally, the weather has been fantastic during May which has clearly helped boost visitor figures. What we're also noticing this year is a trend for last-minute bookings, which we expect to carry on through the summer, although hotel occupancy is already looking positive for the high season.

"Our focus is on making sure the town centre remains an attractive, vibrant place full of events and experiences that give people a reason to visit, linger longer, and keep coming back. That’s what we’re working really hard to deliver."

His counterpart in Truro agreed. Alun Jones, Truro BID manager said that while footfall numbers may not necessarily translate into hard sales, the number of people coming into the city centre was certainly on the up with Truro's high street doing much better than others around the UK.

He said: "From January to the end of May, footfall numbers are up by 5.5 per cent which is very good. Nationally footfall on high streets is only up by 1.1 per cent.

"Truro is attracting people for the different personal services you can't find online, for its large selection of independent retailers and national brands and cafes and bars which all require personal attendance."

St Ives harbour
St Ives harbour

He added: "Online shopping is still a major threat but face-to-face services mean people come to the high street. High street trading continues to be a tough place. It's been a very demanding environment since Covid. But Truro is enjoying very healthy footfall.

"There is always a dip after holidays like Easter or May half term but we look forward to the summer holidays and attracting more people into the city."

Cornwall seaside town is looking to make a full recovery after last year's dip.

They said: "So far, the picture is looking positive. Visitor numbers appear to be slightly up compared with the same time last year, with strong footfall and accommodation bookings noted across Cornwall over both holiday periods. This aligns with broader regional trends, where the South West has now overtaken the North West as the UK's most popular destination for recent domestic overnight trips – a notable shift from 2024.

"Intentions for domestic travel remain broadly stable, while overseas trip intentions have dipped slightly after several months of growth. Interestingly, although more people say they’re very committed to taking an overseas trip in June (76 per cent), the UK still edges ahead in of destination preference, with 35 per cent opting for a UK break compared to 28 per cent choosing an overseas trip."

Truro has also enjoyed good footfall numbers so far in 2025
Truro has also enjoyed good footfall numbers so far in 2025

They said that while the cost of living is still the top barrier to travel, concerns around specific costs like accommodation and eating out have dropped notably in the past month. Tourism bosses believe this may suggest that domestic travellers are becoming more confident in the value offered by UK destinations — and Cornwall, in particular, stands to benefit from that shift.

The St Ives Tourism Association and St Ives BID added: "The top motivations for travel remain familiar and well aligned with what St Ives offers: a desire to 'get away from it all', enjoy quality time with loved ones, try local food and drink, and explore through walking and hiking.

"All signs point to 2025 being a stronger season than last year for Cornwall, with St Ives well positioned to take advantage. Improved consumer sentiment, early good weather and increased visibility of the South West as a preferred destination all a positive outlook."

Duncan Murdoch, head of operations at St Michael’s Mount, also said that Easter had been significantly busier than last year when Cornwall suffered from a run of really bad weather. He said: "While May has been a bit quiet - we've seen an increase in visitor numbers year-to-date compared to the previous year.

"The cafe and shops are busier than last year, and afternoon tea at the Harbour Loft is getting more known about and people are enjoying it. So, 2025 is looking good so far."

Cornwall's fellow iconic attraction Eden Project also enjoyed a "vibrant start of the year". CEO Andy Jasper said: "It’s been a vibrant start to the year here at the Eden Project. The gardens are looking spectacular, full of colour and energy, and the spring sunshine has encouraged people to get out and about and enjoy everything we have to offer.

“Against a challenging economic backdrop, we’re pleased to say that the first half of 2025 has been strong for us. Visitor numbers during February half-term, Easter and May half-term all exceeded expectations and were up on last year, which is a clear sign that people are still prioritising inspiring, nature-rich days out."

Looking ahead to the summer months, he added: "We’re looking ahead with quiet confidence as we open another exciting (almost sold-out) Eden Sessions season. Summer is shaping up to be something special with the amazing Enchanted Earth experience - it’s an immersive journey into the unseen wonders of the natural world. It’s something Cornwall has never seen before and we know our visitors will really love.

"The warm weather certainly helps, making it a perfect time to explore the outdoor gardens in full technicolour bloom. And, of course, when the weather changes, our Biomes, the Core, and the restaurants offer a world of discovery whatever the weather."

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