Key Takeaways

  • Airbnb is launching a £1 million ‘Best of British’ fund supported by VisitBritain to help communities and local businesses across the UK transform into must-do cultural experiences.
  • Research shows that although British holidaymakers are eager to seek out authentic, local experiences, half have never taken part in a British tradition.
  • With up to £100,000 on offer, the fund will support the growth of the hospitality sector and inspire more Brits to travel beyond the usual hotspots.

From maypole dancing to cheese rolling, the UK is home to some of the world’s best cultural experiences and quirky, local traditions. Yet according to new research from Airbnb, many of these remain off the radar for holidaymakers.

To tackle this and give a vital boost to the UK’s struggling hospitality sector, in which nearly 2,000 businesses failed in January of this year alone1, Airbnb is launching a £1 million ‘Best of British’ fund supported by VisitBritain. The purpose of this fund is to help communities across the UK transform their local traditions into must-do cultural experiences by supporting the hospitality businesses that bring them to life.

Lost inTradition : Spotlighting local hidden gems

Airbnb’s research shows despite British holidaymakers being eager to seek out authentic, local experiences, many of these are unfamiliar, as half of adults (50%) have never taken part in a British tradition. The data also highlights a surprising knowledge gap:

  • Over 6 million UK adults think Morris dancing is a TikTok trend – particularly amongst younger generations, with nearly 20% of 25-34 year olds believing this compared to just 8% of over 55 year olds.
  • 15% of under-25-year-olds think the ‘Cooper Hill Cheese Roll’ race is a special item on Greggs’ menu, whilst only 1 in 8 in this age group have heard of Hogmanay, widely regarded as the most important Scottish holiday
  • Only 1 in 10 Brits (10%) had heard of weighing in the mayor, a centuries-old tradition.
  • Less than a quarter (18%) had heard of nettle eating, which began over 40 years ago in Dorset and now boasts an annual World Championship.

But all is not lost, as the polling reveals 3 in 5 Brits (61%) would be more likely to book an ‘off the beaten track’ staycation in the UK to experience these authentic traditions. Nearly three-quarters (73%)of respondentswished local British traditions were better advertised and 36% expressed the view that greater investment into the UK tourism sector is needed overall.

Beyond the usual suspects

With up to £100,000 on offer to each business or organisation with bold ideas to power local tourism and support the best of the nation’s eclectic, diverse and rich culture, the hope is that this fund will support the growth of the hospitality sector – one of the hardest hit by rising costs. It should also inspire more Brits to travel beyond the usual guidebook or social media hotspots to typically lesser visited areas of the UK, helping communities attract more overnight trips, which dropped 10% year-on-year in 2024

Whether it’s bog snorkelling in Wales or the Highland Games in the Cairngorms, Britain is packed with brilliant traditions that deserve more attention. We want to help communities bolster their local visitor offerings, attracting more overnight guests that can share in authentic local experiences while supporting the businesses and families that depend on tourism to make ends meet. This cash injection is about celebrating what makes our nation’s rural landscape and local communities so special, and helping more people discover it first-hand. Luke Impett, Head of Partnerships and Public Policy for Airbnb UK
Tourism is one of our greatest and most valuable industries and we know people living in tourism areas feel more connected to their communities. It is great to see Airbnb launch this fund to promote and celebrate our fantastic destinations and attractions, our culture, creativity and heritage, boosting domestic breaks and driving growth for local economies. We encourage all eligible tourism businesses and organisations to apply to the fund and to the public, a rallying cry! Please do go out and support our amazing tourism industry this autumn and beyond. Businesses will be very pleased to see you, I know you will have a fantastic time and you’ll be giving our world-class tourism industry a much-needed boost. Patricia Yates, CEO, VisitBritain

Eligible applicants can apply for access to funding for an experience, stay or attraction that represents the ‘Best of British’ across 4 categories:

  1. Nature & Outdoors – submissions that encourage visitors to get outside and explore the very best of the UK’s rich and diverse landscape.
  2. Food & Dining – submissions that showcase the best of UK food culture, from pubs and street food to world-class cuisine.
  3. Music & Arts – submissions that shine a light on the UK’s global creative influence, from local festivals and theatre to iconic cultural stories.
  4. Culture & Heritage – submissions which protect, restore or celebrate the UK’s rich history and traditions.

Applications are open now, with funding to be awarded next year. Apply here before 11:59pm GMT on 23 November 2025.

  1. UHY Hacker Young, “UK Hospitality Sector Faces Rising Insolvencies and Job Losses”, 2025

About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

About Airbnb.org

Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc.'s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org's charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform.

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