ALVA Press releases

ASSOCIATION OF LEADING VISITOR ATTRACTIONS (ALVA) ANNOUNCE THAT THE GREATEST GROWTH IN 2014 UP TO START OF AUGUST IS FOR ?OUTDOOR? ATTRACTIONS

27 October 2014: ASSOCIATION OF LEADING VISITOR ATTRACTIONS (ALVA) ANNOUNCE THAT THE GREATEST GROWTH IN 2014 UP TO START OF AUGUST IS FOR ?OUTDOOR? ATTRACTIONS

Following a request from BBC Breakfast, ALVA (Association of Leading Visitor Attractions) revealed today (Wednesday, October 8, 2014) that its members have, on average, grown their visitor numbers by at least 4% on top of a very successful year in 2013. These figures are up to the beginning of August.

As Director of Bernard Donoghue, commented: "The greatest growth has been in gardens, zoos, historic houses and stately homes - mostly or predominantly perceived as 'outdoor' attractions - due to the good weather this year. This is a significant increase as gardens and outdoor attractions did very well last year too."


He continued; "Great weather tends to see a reduction in visitors numbers to indoor attractions such as museums and galleries although even they grew partly due to more overseas visitors and partly due to some blockbuster exhibitions including Matisse at Tate London (their most popular temporary exhibition ever)."

ALVA observed that this growth is a combination of domestic visitors (the staycation effect continues) and more overseas visitors (thanks to post-Olympic legacy and the UK being seen as a must-see and affordable destination).

It is also worth noting that Tourism is the UK's fifth largest export industry and third largest employer employing nearly 10% of the UK working population.

Please note that ALVA'S annual visitor figures will be announced under embargo on Sunday, March 15, 2015, therefore no figures are available for 2014 at this point.

For further information on ALVA and to download images,
please visit www.alva.org.uk
Twitter @alva_uk

For further Press Information and to arrange interviews, please contact
Rachel Aked
[email protected]
Tel: 07790 732448

NOTES TO EDITORS:
The members of ALVA are the UK's most popular, iconic and important museums, galleries, palaces, castles, cathedrals, zoos, historic houses, heritage sites, gardens and leisure attractions. The 57 members manage some nearly 2,100 tourist sites and welcome over 110 million domestic and overseas visitors each year; some 28% of the visits made annually in the United Kingdom. To qualify for membership, the attractions must host over a million visitors per year at their singly or centrally-managed sites.

October 2014

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