As we reflect on the summer 2025 season, it’s clear this year presented unique challenges that many in our industry will recognise. At Hosts International, working with around 30 English language school partners who contribute to 75% of our business, we’ve witnessed first-hand how broader industry trends directly impact homestay accommodation demand.

A season of change

This summer felt markedly different from previous years. July was notably short-lived, starting later in June and finishing earlier than usual, with August proving much quieter across the board. Many seasonal clients who typically book summer-only programmes either reduced their offerings or didn’t run summer centres at all, reflecting the broader downturn in student numbers. We’ve experienced approximately a 17% decrease in student weeks compared to summer 2024, accommodating just under 19K student weeks versus over 22K the previous year. Our monthly figures tell the story: June saw nearly 2000 students in bed, July peaked at just over 3000 and August dropped to around 2,200. For our host families, this meant a highly concentrated July peak, where flexibility and readiness were critical to ensuring every student was placed as best as we could.

Shifting demographics and resilient markets

Interestingly, the junior and young learner markets have shown remarkable resilience, continuing to represent a strong segment. There have been significant shifts in student demographics, with Arabic students leading our nationality breakdown, followed by Chinese and Italian students. We’ve also welcomed learners from diverse markets including Belarus, Bulgaria, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, Thailand and beyond. Despite industry volatility, we’ve invested in strengthening our network, adding over 250 new host families to our database this year. This expansion ensures we can continue offering partners the reassurance that students will be placed safely and efficiently, maintaining our commitment to quality service. Our top locations and destinations throughout this summer have been London, Oxford and Edinburgh.

Moving forward as an industry

As we navigate our way through these shifting trends, we believe collaboration and transparency remain crucial. The challenges we’ve all been facing – from changing source markets to evolving student expectations – require adaptive, flexible approaches. We’d love to hear more from our industry colleagues: have you experienced similar trends this summer? We know schools and agents rely on certainty in uncertain times, and our priority is to remain a trusted partner for quality homestay accommodation. Drop us a line to share your insights as we work together to understand and respond to our evolving marketplace.