2025 Accommodation Barometer: UK Sector Resilient, Yet Pressed on Talent and Digital Fronts

AMSTERDAM -  A new set of reports from Statista, produced in partnership with Booking.com, sheds light on key developments shaping Europe's accommodation sector — from evolving skills requirements and investment patterns to diverging national outlooks and the uneven pace of digital transformation.

UK hoteliers report a stable and optimistic outlook for 2025, with just over half experiencing positive economic development in recent months. Only 4% feel pessimistic about the upcoming six months. UK accommodations' hiring appetite is low compared to neighbours in Europe, with salary expectations seen as a key recruitment challenge.

While AI's potential is recognised, barriers like costs and integration difficulties persist. As tourism-related levy proposals crop up across the UK, most accommodations anticipate little impact on occupancy, but one in five expect a negative effect. Chain accommodation providers tend to report greater optimism and investment intent than independent businesses.

This year's data from the UK points to two pressing challenges: a widening skills gap and uneven digital progress. Nearly half of respondents cite difficulties hiring qualified staff. Meanwhile, while AI is making inroads in some areas, broader adoption remains limited — often due to cost or technical hurdles. Thomas Hinton, Data Journalist at Statista

About the Barometer

The European Accommodation Barometer 2025 — in its fifth edition — draws on survey responses from more than 1,000 hoteliers across the continent. It combines a comprehensive Europe-wide report in English with 14 country-specific editions, available in local languages, for Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Nordics, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.

All reports are available for free download from the Statista website.