Tourism statisticsRegion2026

Dorset Tourism Statistics: 22.8M Visitors in 2024

Q: How many tourists visit Dorset?

Dorset had 22.8 million visitors in 2024, according to Dorset Local Visitor Economy Partnership (Visit Dorset). AirROI estimates 109,625 Airbnb stays in Dorset in the 12 months to October 2026, which is a separate count of bookings.

Q: What is the quietest month in Dorset?

January was the quietest Airbnb month in Dorset in the 12 months to October 2026, ranking 12th of 12, and February ranked 11th. Stays in January were booked about 45 days ahead, against 88 days for July.

Q: How long is a typical Airbnb stay in Dorset?

A typical Airbnb stay in Dorset lasted 4.6 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 64 days ahead. By month, stays ran from 3.8 nights in September to 5.6 nights in January.

Dorset, in England, United Kingdom, recorded 22.8 million visitors in 2024, Dorset Local Visitor Economy Partnership (Visit Dorset) reports. AirROI estimates 109,625 Airbnb stays in Dorset in the 12 months to October 2026, with Bournemouth the most booked town. The busiest month was August.

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou, Founder @ AirROI Updated November 4, 2026

Airbnb figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026. Read the method

Estimated Airbnb nights: 503,978
Typical Airbnb stay: 4.6 nights
Busiest Airbnb month: August
From within the United Kingdom, among guests who left a review: 87%

Key facts

Dorset Tourism Facts

Each sentence names its place, period and source, so it can be quoted alone.

Official

Dorset Local Visitor Economy Partnership (Visit Dorset) puts Dorset at 22.8 million visitors in 2024.

Airbnb stays

AirROI puts Airbnb stays in Dorset at 109,625 in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Airbnb stays in Dorset added up to 503,978 nights in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates a typical Airbnb stay in Dorset lasted 4.6 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 64 days ahead.

Busiest months

AirROI ranks August the busiest Airbnb month in Dorset in the 12 months to October 2026, followed by July and September, with January the quietest.
AirROI estimates the six busiest Airbnb months in Dorset ran unbroken from May to October in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Airbnb stays in Dorset in July were booked furthest ahead, about 88 days, against 42 days for February, in the 12 months to October 2026.

Guests

AirROI estimates 87% of Dorset Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026 were from within the United Kingdom, and the United States at 2.2% and Germany at 1.9% were the top countries abroad.
Among Dorset Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, London was the top origin city at 12%, ahead of Bristol at 2%, AirROI estimates.

By place

AirROI estimates Bournemouth had the most Airbnb stays of Dorset's 17 towns in the 12 months to October 2026, at 27,921, ahead of Poole and Weymouth.

Official numbers

How Many Tourists Visit Dorset?

Dorset Local Visitor Economy Partnership (Visit Dorset) counted 22.8 million visitors in 2024.

Official tourism figures for Dorset: what each counts, its year and its publisher
Figure	What it counts	Year	Publisher
22.8 millionVisitors	Total visitors to Dorset	2024	Dorset Local Visitor Economy Partnership (Visit Dorset)

Airbnb stays

Airbnb Stays in Dorset

Dorset had 4,336 Airbnb homes in the 12 months to October 2026. They took an estimated 109,625 stays and 503,978 nights. A typical stay lasted 4.6 nights and was booked about 64 days ahead. AirROI's figures cover the 17 towns it tracks in Dorset and Elsewhere in Dorset; places it does not track are not counted, so every total is a floor.

Airbnb homes: 4,336
Airbnb stays, estimate: 109,625
Airbnb nights, estimate: 503,978
Typical stay: 4.6 nights
Booked ahead: 64 days

Busiest months

When Is the Busiest Time in Dorset?

On Airbnb, August was the busiest month in Dorset in the 12 months to October 2026, then July and September. January was the quietest. The six busiest months run unbroken from May to October.

August ranks first, January last

Airbnb months in calendar order, 12 months to October 2026. The number is the month's rank, and 1 is the busiest. The bar shows its part of Airbnb nights.

Three busiest months
Other months

From busiest to quietest: August, July, September, June, May, October, April, December, March, November, February, January.

Month by month: rank, typical stay and days booked ahead

Airbnb months in Dorset by rank, with share of nights, typical stay and days booked ahead, 12 months to October 2026
Rank	Month	Share of nights	Typical stay	Booked ahead
1	August	12.9%	4.4 nights	87 days
2	July	10.9%	4.9 nights	88 days
3	September	9.8%	3.8 nights	64 days
4	June	9.4%	4.1 nights	76 days
5	May	9.2%	4.0 nights	68 days
6	October	8.1%	3.8 nights	52 days
7	April	7.5%	4.1 nights	51 days
8	December	7.0%	4.1 nights	60 days
9	March	6.8%	4.2 nights	42 days
10	November	6.5%	4.1 nights	46 days
11	February	6.2%	5.1 nights	42 days
12	January	5.8%	5.6 nights	45 days

Share is each month's part of the year's Airbnb nights. Typical stay and days booked ahead are AirROI estimates for stays in each month.

Where guests come from

Where Do Dorset Airbnb Guests Come From?

About nine in ten Dorset Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026 were from within the United Kingdom (87%), and the top countries abroad were the United States at 2.2% and Germany at 1.9%, AirROI estimates. Among the same guests, London was the top origin city at 12%, ahead of Bristol at 2%. The figures rest on 318,010 reviews, written over many years.

87% from within the United Kingdom

Among guests who left a review, as of October 2026

Top countries abroad

Among guests who left a review

United States 2.2%
Germany 1.9%
France 1.4%
Australia 1%

Top origin cities

Among guests who left a review

London 12%
Bristol 2%

By town

Most Booked Towns in Dorset

Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth took 47% of Airbnb stays in Dorset in the 12 months to October 2026. August is the busiest Airbnb month in all 17 towns. Among guests who left a review, the share from abroad across these towns runs from 7% in Highcliffe-on-Sea to 16% in West Lulworth.

Most Booked Towns in Dorset: Airbnb stays, nights and typical stay, 12 months to October 2026; with origin among guests who left a review
#
1	Bournemouth	27,921	138,336	5.0 nights	14%	Germany
2	Poole	11,954	58,035	4.9 nights	13%	France
3	Weymouth	11,584	49,029	4.2 nights	14%	Germany
4	Swanage	8,225	39,794	4.8 nights	9.5%	US
5	Lyme Regis	8,054	32,739	4.1 nights	13%	US
6	"Bournemouth	4,058	21,047	5.2 nights	14%	Germany
7	Christchurch	3,976	18,233	4.6 nights	7.7%	US
8	Bridport	3,278	14,914	4.5 nights	10%	Germany
9	West Lulworth	3,235	13,215	4.1 nights	16%	US
10	Corfe Castle	2,235	9,740	4.4 nights	11%	US
11	Fortuneswell	2,198	9,645	4.4 nights	15%	Germany
12	Charmouth	2,170	9,633	4.4 nights	14%	Germany
13	Wareham	1,666	6,837	4.1 nights	9.6%	US
14	Easton	1,557	7,348	4.7 nights	15%	Germany
15	Highcliffe-on-Sea	1,355	7,656	5.7 nights	7%	US
16	Worth Matravers	1,158	5,034	4.3 nights	14%	Australia
17	Burton Bradstock	1,003	4,686	4.7 nights	12%	US
	Elsewhere in Dorset	13,998	58,057	4.1 nights	13%	US

* Among guests who left a review. Stays, nights and other figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, and cover Airbnb only. UK is the top origin in every town, among guests who left a review, so this column names the top country abroad. A town with no tourism page of its own links to its Airbnb market page. Figures add up these 17 towns and Elsewhere in Dorset, homes filed under a wider area, which take no rank.

FAQ

Questions About Tourism in Dorset

How many tourists visit Dorset?

Dorset had 22.8 million visitors in 2024, according to Dorset Local Visitor Economy Partnership (Visit Dorset). AirROI estimates 109,625 Airbnb stays in Dorset in the 12 months to October 2026, which is a separate count of bookings.

When is high season in Dorset?

The busiest Airbnb month in Dorset in the 12 months to October 2026 was August, then July and September. The six busiest months run from May to October.

What is the quietest month in Dorset?

January was the quietest Airbnb month in Dorset in the 12 months to October 2026, ranking 12th of 12, and February ranked 11th. Stays in January were booked about 45 days ahead, against 88 days for July.

How long is a typical Airbnb stay in Dorset?

A typical Airbnb stay in Dorset lasted 4.6 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 64 days ahead. By month, stays ran from 3.8 nights in September to 5.6 nights in January.

Where do Airbnb guests in Dorset come from?

Of Dorset Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, 87% were from within the United Kingdom, AirROI estimates. The top countries abroad were the United States at 2.2% and Germany at 1.9%. Among the same guests, the top origin city was London at 12%, ahead of Bristol at 2%.

What is the most booked town in Dorset on Airbnb?

Bournemouth was the most booked town in Dorset on Airbnb, with an estimated 27,921 stays in the 12 months to October 2026, ahead of Poole and Weymouth.

Are Airbnb stays the same as tourists?

No. Dorset Local Visitor Economy Partnership (Visit Dorset) counts visitors (22.8 million in 2024). An Airbnb stay is one booking on one platform, however many guests it holds. AirROI's 109,625 stays are estimates for the 12 months to October 2026.

Method

How These Numbers Are Made

Official figures come from their publishers, linked above, and were last checked in November 2026. Stays and nights are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, built from Airbnb listing data, and cover Airbnb only. Nights add up each town's stays times its typical stay, across 17 towns and Elsewhere in Dorset. Month ranks compare each month's part of Airbnb nights. Origin rests on 318,010 reviews and describes guests who left a review, not everyone who stayed. Read the method page.