Schools will soon be out for summer and the peak holiday season will be in full swing but while temperatures have been soaring Bristol hoteliers say they hope summer will be brighter still.
The city’s famous Harbour Festival is just a week away, but the Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) says bookings are at about the same level as last year – which means there is still a good selection of accommodation available for those last-minute travellers.
The Harbour Festival runs between July 18th and 20th and will be followed by the world-renowned Bristol International Balloon Fiesta between 8th and 10th August.
BHA Chair Adam Flint said: “We would, of course, have preferred occupancy rates to be higher for the Harbour Festival – but there is still time to book!
“In a few weeks’ time, the Balloon Fiesta offers the ideal opportunity to enjoy a city break, enabling visitors to not only take in the spectacular sight of balloons of all shapes and sizes take to the skies, but to also sample many of the other attractions that Bristol has to offer.”
While business may not be booming as much as hoteliers had hoped, Adam said 2025 has already enjoyed a boost thanks to the first two ‘comeback concerts’ from legendary 90s Britpop band Oasis, in Cardiff.
He said: “We saw increased occupancy of between 10% and 15% over the same weekend last year, which was very welcome; the two concerts turned out to be very successful for our hotels. On both the concert days, we saw people going out in our city during the day before heading over to Cardiff, which was a very welcome boost to Bristol’s hospitality businesses.
“We are hoping for more of the same in September, when Bristol’s Ashton Gate stadium hosts two quarter finals and both semi-finals of the women’s rugby World Cup. This offers another opportunity to showcase our city to visitors who perhaps have not been here before – but who will hopefully find themselves determined to make a return trip. And, of course, in between the rugby, they can sample many of the city’s other delights.”
Adam added: “We are hoping that, once the summer holidays are underway, families will think about booking a Bristol break so that they can track down and the 50-plus sculptures which make up the fund-raising Gromit Unleashed 3 trail. There are more than 50 sculptures of the popular Aardman Animations characters spread all over the city, all bearing unique, creative colour schemes designed by famous faces, brands and artists. This offers the chance for some quality family fun as everyone can go sculpture spotting – and discover many places in and around Bristol they may not have been aware of before“.
“Bristol has a huge amount to offer tourists and visitors of all types, whether it’s families looking for something to do during the long break from school, friends wanting a city break, or couples looking to share a little romance. We’ve had some wonderful weather and the icing on the cake will be for our hotels to be full of people wanting to experience summer in our vibrant city.”
To find out more about the BHA, visit: www.bristol-hoteliers.co.uk.
