Only a small proportion of UK residents turned away from air travel to holidaying at home, after the events of 11 September, new research suggests.

According to research from the English Tourism Council, 88% of UK residents said they did not change their travel plans, as a result of the terror attacks.

How did your plans change following September 11

Made no difference to my plans at all: 88% Changed from taking a trip abroad to taking a trip in the UK: 5% Took fewer trips: 4% Changed to a different destination abroad: 4% Changed from taking a trip in the UK to taking a trip abroad: 2% Changed from visiting a city in the UK to going elsewhere in the UK: 2% Don't know: 1% Source: English Tourism Council

Spending by UK residents on domestic tourism increased in the first half of this year, which was good news for the beleaguered industry which has suffered since the foot-and-mouth crisis and the US terror attacks.

But the industry is "still fragile", the council warned, with an increasing number of businesses becoming less optimistic about its prospects during the second quarter of 2002.

The council's figures show that between January and May 2002, more UK residents took tourism trips in England - up by 15% to 52.4 million - compared with the same time last year.

Spending was also up - by 21% to �7.7bn.

But, while the council says this was encouraging, the increases are still only in line with 2000 levels, and the industry still faces a huge task to regain lost growth.

Business gloom

According to the survey, 68% of businesses say they have now recovered from both 11 September and the foot-and-mouth crisis, but the number who do not expect it to recover until 2003 has increased from 10% to 23%.

It's clear that people living in the UK hold the key to further recovery

Mary Lynch, English Tourism Council

Mary Lynch, chief executive of the English Tourism Council, said more needed to be done to encourage UK residents to holiday at home.

"It's clear that people living in the UK hold the key to further recovery and there are signs that people's appetite for tourism trips is much greater than last year.

"But we do need to make sure that UK residents are encouraged to take more short breaks, day trips and holidays at home. If not, the British economy will continue to lose money to our overseas competitors."