A new study has revealed how much the Forest of Dean makes through the visitor economy with holiday rental revenue.

The study, conducted by La Planque Du Joueur, analysed Office for National Statistics (ONS) housing data and Airbnb data for the last four months of 2024 across the UK.

Key factors included guest nights (the total nights stayed per person, e.g. four guests staying two nights equals eight guest nights), nights sold (the number of nights properties were booked), and stays (the number of separate bookings). Researchers also calculated the total estimated earnings by multiplying the number of nights sold as short-term lets with the median cost for a night on Airbnb to determine the ranking. The Forest takes an estimated total revenue of £1,246.538 with 4070 number of stays.

Jean Morlec of La Planque Du Joueur said: "This data presents a fascinating picture of the holiday rental market. The revenue differences between areas are striking, with coastal areas dominating the top spots.

"What's particularly interesting is how the affordability varies for local residents. In some areas, people would need to work more than a full day to afford just one night in their own town, which raises questions about the impact of tourism on local housing markets."

Affordability for the Forest was perhaps the most striking. The data showed the Forest of Dean offers a median cost per night of £107.09 - and when using the median gross pay data, it would take around six hours to earn enough to afford one night.

When ranked based on estimated total revenue, the Forest of Dean found itself 146th on the list of 355 areas. Topping the list was Westminster with an estimated revenue of £49,530,409, while the Isles of Scilly made the foot with £17,158.