Managing Summer Crime Risks in Tourist Areas

For many towns, cities and coastal destinations, summer is one of the busiest and most important times of the year. Warmer weather, school holidays and major events bring an influx of visitors, providing a welcome boost for retailers, hospitality venues and local economies. However, with increased footfall comes an increased risk of crime, making it essential for businesses and local partners to prepare ahead of the busiest weeks.

Seasonal crime is rarely about organised campaigns targeting one location. Instead, offenders often take advantage of busy environments where staff are under pressure, visitors are unfamiliar with the area and police resources are stretched across a wider range of incidents. Shop theft, anti-social behaviour, violence against retail workers, pickpocketing and vehicle crime can all become more frequent during peak tourist periods if preventative measures are not in place.

The challenge for businesses is balancing a positive customer experience with effective crime prevention. Tourist destinations rely on creating welcoming environments, but that should never come at the expense of safety. Preparing for the summer season should be viewed in the same way as preparing for Christmas trading, with security, staffing and communication all forming part of the planning process.

Simple preventative measures can make a significant difference. Ensuring CCTV systems are operating effectively, reviewing store layouts to reduce blind spots, maintaining good visibility throughout premises and reminding staff of reporting procedures all help reduce opportunities for offending. Equally important, is ensuring employees feel confident in managing challenging situations, understanding when to seek support and knowing that their personal safety should always take priority over property.

One of the biggest challenges during busy periods is under-reporting. When incidents are viewed as part of the day-to-day pressures of trading, businesses may choose not to report lower-level offences. While understandable, this can have wider consequences. Every report contributes to the intelligence picture that allows police and local partners to identify patterns, understand emerging hotspots and target prolific offenders. Without accurate reporting, it becomes far more difficult to allocate resources effectively or demonstrate the true impact crime is having on businesses.

Partnership working remains one of the most effective tools in reducing business crime during the summer months. Across the UK, Business Crime Reduction Partnerships, Business Improvement Districts, local authorities, police forces and businesses work together to share intelligence, coordinate responses and support those affected by crime. These collaborative approaches allow repeat offenders to be identified more quickly and enable preventative action before issues escalate.

Summer also presents an opportunity to strengthen relationships between businesses and their local policing teams. Visible engagement, regular communication and shared problem-solving not only improve responses to crime but also provide reassurance to businesses, employees, residents and visitors. Safe town and city centres benefit everyone, encouraging people to stay longer, return more often and continue supporting local economies.

Tourist destinations thrive when they are seen as safe, welcoming and well-managed places to visit. Crime prevention should therefore be viewed as an investment rather than simply a response to offending. By planning ahead, encouraging the reporting of incidents and continuing to work collaboratively, businesses and partners can help minimise seasonal crime while protecting both livelihoods and visitor confidence.

At the National Business Crime Centre, we continue to support businesses, policing and local partnerships by sharing best practice, promoting collaborative working and providing practical guidance to help reduce business crime. As communities prepare for another busy summer season, taking proactive steps now will help ensure our town and city centres remain places where businesses can thrive, employees feel supported and visitors can enjoy everything they have to offer safely.