New research sheds light on how changing consumer habits are reshaping the UK attraction landscape.
A new research programme called the Experience Economy Index has been launched by Grant Thornton UK in partnership with Experience UK and academics Hang-Yee Chan and Ozlem Tetik from King’s College London. The ongoing initiative aims to track sector trends, economic contributions, and shifting consumer behaviour across the country. According to the inaugural report, the immersion sector has emerged as a rapidly expanding segment where audiences interact, participate or move through specially designed environments.
Economic modelling conducted for the report estimates that immersive attractions across the UK generated £7.4bn in spending over the past twelve months. This figure includes wider economic activity across supply chains and employee spending, contributing £3.9bn in Gross Value Added to the economy and supporting approximately 47,600 full-time equivalent jobs. High-profile examples examined in the modelling include ABBA Voyage, The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience, Monopoly Lifesized, and Frameless.
Regional economies are benefiting directly from this growth. The modelling indicates that immersive experiences contributed £154m in Gross Value Added in the North West, £233m in Scotland, and £510m in Northern Ireland.
Consumer research also reveals that 31 per cent of Britons attended an immersive experience in the last twelve months, equating to 17 million adults. Visitors spent an average of £210 overall on these trips, with many staying overnight. Beyond the ticket price, more than a third of attendees ate or drank at local businesses, nearly a third shopped locally, and a quarter used local taxis or public transport.
Tom Middleton, Economic Consulting Partner at Grant Thornton UK, noted that the value of shared, in-person experiences is rising alongside digital technology. He stated, “We’ve always loved a great experience from Glastonbury and the theatre to visitor attractions and Oasis. But as AI and digital technology become an increasingly important part of how we live, work and do business, the value of shared, in-person experiences is growing too. The impact of the Experience Economy ripples far beyond traditionally experience-led sectors, extending into financial services, travel, hospitality, retail, technology and infrastructure.”
Craving experiences
Broader data analysis of Office for National Statistics figures indicates that consumer spending in experience-related categories reached at least £206bn in 2025, representing 11.7 per cent of total expenditure. Researchers suggest this proportion could climb to 13 per cent by 2031, representing an increase of around £23bn.
Survey findings show that 38 per cent of UK adults prioritise experiences to create lasting memories, 36 per cent to spend quality time with loved ones, and 25 per cent to enjoy time away from routine. Additionally, 40 per cent of respondents reported that digital overload drives them to seek environments where they can feel more present.
Professors Hang-Yee Chan and Ozlem Tetik explained that younger generations are driving this shift. They remarked, “The experience versus material preference gap is likely to widen further as younger, more experience-oriented generations gain spending power. Separately, rising AI adoption may increase, rather than reduce, demand for face-to-face, human-mediated experiences, as live and shared moments gain relative value precisely because they cannot be automated.”
Businesses outside the traditional leisure sector can also adapt these principles. Rob Turner, Consulting Partner at Grant Thornton UK, explained that companies can learn from how the experience economy engages audiences. He said, “There is a lot that businesses can learn from the way the experience economy engages people, from creating more memorable interactions to building stronger loyalty and connecting with customers across the whole journey.
“For businesses, the opportunity is both to participate in the Experience Economy itself and to apply its lessons across the wider business ecosystem, using the principles of experience to create more meaningful and valuable engagement with customers.”
Ian Clappison, Chief Executive at Experience UK, concluded that the findings demonstrate the sector’s long-term economic importance. He stated, “The scale of these findings confirms that the Experience Economy is not a niche or passing trend. It is a major engine of economic growth, supporting thousands of jobs, strengthening destinations and generating valuable additional spending across hospitality, retail, transport and tourism. The UK has an extraordinary ecosystem of creators, operators, designers and technology businesses producing experiences that are admired around the world.
“As people increasingly seek meaningful, shared and memorable moments, the opportunity for this sector will only grow. We now need the Experience Economy to be fully recognised in economic and industrial policy, with the right support for investment, skills, innovation and international growth. Harnessed effectively, it can help revitalise our high streets and communities, attract visitors and investment, and reinforce the UK’s position as a global leader in creating world-class experiences.”
The Experience Economy Index 2026 is available to download here.
