Several of Great Britain’s most popular attractions had record-setting attendance figures in 2014, new numbers reveal.
Member institutions of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) saw an average increase of 6.5 percent over 2013 numbers.
“These figures clearly demonstrate the popularity of our best loved attractions and the importance of Tourism to the UK – it’s the 5th biggest industry and the 3rd largest employer, generating £127 billion per year,” Bernard Donoghue, director of ALVA, said in a news release.
“Looking forward to our 2015 figures, we are confident that they will rise again with the anticipated increase in overseas visitors this year, but we can also tell from membership and Friends schemes that the Brits are voting for tourism with their feet and wallets,” Donoghue added. “Our members continue to develop and push the boundaries with more ground-breaking and innovative exhibitions, which will attract record numbers.”
Some highlights include:
- The British Museum was the most popular visitor attraction in all of Great Britain for the eighth consecutive year as nearly 6.7 million visitors passed through its doors
- The Tate Modern saw more than 5.7 million visitors, a record attendance
- The National Gallery experienced a 6.4 percent increase in visitors to more than 6.4 million
- Stonehenge, which opened a new Visitor Centre in December 2013, experienced an 8.4 percent increase in the number of visitors increase to more than 1.3 million
- The famed Tower of London attracted an estimated 5 million visitors to its Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation
- Scottish attractions experienced a nearly 10 percent increase in visitors while London attractions saw a 7.1 percent increase
Museums and galleries throughout the United Kingdom saw a nearly 6.1 percent increase in attendance.
