Seductive TV shows such as Rivals sees surge in visitors to Cotswolds
By Laura Enfield | 29th January 2025
Glamorous depictions of the Cotswolds in shows such as Rivals and Bridgerton have seduced a surge of visitors into visiting the region.

Holiday home rentals business StayCotswold said it is on track for a record financial year with bookings income reaching £11million- an increase of 36% for the 12 months to March 31.
It has credited the uplift to characters such as Jilly Copper's Rupert Campbell-Black romping through the countryside on the silver screen.
The Stow-on-the-Wold based firm also said real-life celebrities who live here such as the Beckhams and Kate Moss have also driven the upward trend.
January has been its best-ever month with bookings up 34% on a year-on-year basis.
As a result of demand it has expanded its portfolio of properties by 15% compared with this time last year and now has 245 locations.

They include cottages, houses, luxury converted barns, manor houses, farmhouses and shepherd's huts, catering for two people all the way up to groups of 28.

The average annual income per property in the portfolio is £50,000 and the average annual number of bookings per property is 51, with many seeing over 70 guest bookings.
The average length of booking for a StayCotswold property is four days. More than 100 properties are already booked for the August bank holiday period and Christmas 2025.
Tracy Archer, director of StayCotswold, credits programmes, such as Poldark, Father Brown, Slow Horses, Bridgerton, Downton Abbey and Rivals, for showcasing the beauty of the Cotswolds and driving visitor numbers.
Celebrities who have homes here have also boosted its popularity as a destination for short breaks, she said.
"The Cotswolds' stunning landscape, beautiful towns and villages and wonderful attractions have always been a magnet for visitors," said Tracy.
"However, a recent surge in the number of TV programmes being filmed here has brought to the area many new people who are keen to experience the real-life settings of their favourite dramas.
"The Cotswolds has also become a haven for celebrities who are making their homes here. They are attracted by its blend of perfect countryside, tranquillity, privacy, proximity to London and a variety of exclusive members' clubs, such as Soho Farmhouse and Estelle Manor."

Tracey said the independent holiday letting agent has increased its market share at a time when the furnished holiday let market is "shrinking in the wake of legislative and tax changes."
She said it was down to the personal service and local knowledge it provided, investment in technology to increase website traffic and improve the booking experience and guest deals for local venues and attractions.
Tracy said the company saw "excellent potential" for further expansion.
StayCotswold has also added to its staff ranks over recent months in line with its expansion, welcoming Zoe Carnegie as its owner services team leader, Julie Rhodes in the same department and Lilly Arthurs, George Anderson and Imogen Chown in the guest services team. The company now has 19 staff.
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