Renowned as a “City of Spires” and for its historic university, Oxford has never suffered for profile, notably as a daytrip delight for visitors from London. And in recent years, the city has attracted a new cohort of Harry Potter fans intent on seeing sites used in the smash film series – namely Christ Church college and the Bodleian Library.

But since the pandemic, experiential-seeking visitors are increasingly staying in the city – only an hour northwest of London by rail and connected directly by bus from both London Heathrow and Gatwick – and also using the destination as a gateway to Oxfordshire and the scenic Cotswolds,” says Experience Oxfordshire CEO Hayley Beer-Gamage.

“People see Oxfordshire as the quintessential English experience,” she says. “We don’t want to be seen as a stop-off or drive- through destination anymore period.”

To that end, Experience Oxfordshire has been making a concerted effort in recent years to raise the destination’s profile, not least with the travel trade.

In late January, a group of a dozen Canadian tour operators (and Travel Industry Today) visited Oxford on a four-day FAM – the first in 15 years – following the Showcase Britain travel trade event in London.

“Canada is a very important market for us,” Beer-Gamage told Travel Industry Today. “We know you come back!”

VisitBritain’s director for Canada Cathy Stapells adds, “We know Oxfordshire is really popular with Canadians. They love Oxford with all its spires and the colleges – and dipping into the Cotswolds’ beautiful countryside filled with charming market towns that people really love to explore.”

Oxford is also close to other iconic destinations such as Bath and Stratford-upon-Avon, the UNESCO World Heritage site Blenheim Palace, and the centre of rowing, Henley-on-Thames.

“You genuinely could stay a whole week here,” observes Beer-Gamage.

And being only an hour from London (options also include the Oxford Tube bus, which is about half the price of a rail ticket), visitors can also easily stay in Oxford and daytrip to London – a flip of the usual script.

Beer-Gamage says there is loads to do beyond the requisite college tours and Potter pilgrimages – plus plenty of new product – in the city and surrounding area, ranging from “punting” on the Thames with Oxford River Cruises, which offers a variety of commissionable excursions (from basic to afternoon tea, picnic, and cocktail cruises), to official walking tours (four public tours daily plus themed and private walks, such as “C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien” and “Oxfordshire on Screen”) that can be booked directly by agents through Experience Oxfordshire. (https://www.oxfordofficialwalkingtours.org/; trade contact: officialtours@experienceoxfordshire.org)

Additionally, there are great new hotels like the recently launched The Store in downtown Oxford, located in the former historic Boswell’s department store and featuring a rooftop bar with spectacular views over the city; nearby Malmaison, a former prison now converted into a boutique hotel; the refurbished and re-opened The Feathers in Woodstock (beside Blenheim Palace); and TreeDwellers, a unique luxury glamping experience set in elaborate “treehouses” near Finbury.

“We’ve never seen so much new product coming through and that makes it really exciting for the trade,” says Beer-Gamage.

The Experience Oxfordshire CEO also touts the “Oxfordshire Welcome” commitment from local businesses – over 200 are now accredited – vowing to meet the highest standards of welcome, experience, and sustainability for visitors.

In sum, she says, “I can’t think of a county in England that has as much as Oxfordshire!”

7 can’t-miss Oxfordshire attractions

1. Blenheim Palace: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the former home of the 12th Duke of Marlborough (who was gifted the estate for defeating France’s Louis XIV in battle) and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, the palace has a diverse 300-year-long history. Today it is a world-class visitor attraction with a variety of cultural and sporting events, and serves as a unique filming location, including such films/TV shows as Bridgerton, Harry Potter and James Bond’s Spectre.
2. Hook Norton Brewery: One of only 32 family-owned breweries in Britain, Hook Norton Brewery is considered the finest example of a Victorian Tower Brewery in the country. Visitors can tour the historic facility (tours last two hours and cost £25 p.p.) to learn about the brewing process from malting to distribution and visiting the tower of the 175-year-old facility and the original 125-year-old steam engine. A visit to the famed stables and a tasting of the brewery’s beers concludes the tour. Entrance to a small museum and shop is free.
3. Bicester: Best described as a luxury outdoor outlet shopping centre, Bicester Village is adjacent to Bicester station on the London-Oxford rail route. One of nine around the world, the standalone shopping destination has 160 standalone boutique shops, ranging from Dior and Gucci to Prada, 12 food and beverage outlets, and much more, including activations for kids. It welcomes more than 7 million visitors a year.
4. SkyWay Gin: Located in Bicester (town, not the shopping outlet “village”), the distillery tour explores the production of gin, which regional director of sales Joanna Whiley describes as a “truly British experience.” Moreover, SkyWay – housed in an old RAF WW2 site – was named the best gin in the world at the World Gin Awards in 2020. Visitors will learn the history of gin and the boutique distillery, and, of course, enjoy a tasting. Tours are £25 p.p. and best booked in advance at www.Skywavegin.com.
5. BMW Mini Plant: Just outside the Ring Road in Oxford, BMW Group’s Mini Plant is “the real thing” as visitors take a journey through the experience of a working factory that makes classic Mini Cooper automobiles. Not just for car buffs, weekday tours cost £21 and can be booked online at www.visit-bmwgroup.com/en.
6. Waddeston Manor: A unique French Renaissance-style château that was built in the 1870s by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild to house his art treasures and entertain fashionable society. Today visitors can enjoy the astonishing collection as it would have been originally displayed within the opulent interiors of the Manor. Outside, formal Victorian gardens and rolling parkland are open year-round with spectacular seasonal displays and sweeping landscapes.
7. River & Rowing Museum: Set in a beautiful riverside location in Henley-on-Thames, the museum’s award-winning David Chipperfield-designed building brings to life the art and stories of the river, including the history of Henley, the landscape and wildlife, and the international sport of rowing. Galleries include interactive displays and objects of international significance, while the museum’s Rowing Room Café terrace overlooks Mill Meadows and its shop celebrates local suppliers and artists.

For more information on the region, the online edition of the 2025 Oxfordshire Visitor Guide includes itineraries, walks, great places to shop and dine, top picks for accommodation, and other travel information. To receive a copy, click HERE.

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