UK’s leading attractions celebrate bumper rise in visitors
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UK-based Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) has confirmed visitor numbers to the country’s leading tourist destinations rose 6.5% year-on-year in 2014.
Scottish attractions had the greatest increase of almost 10%, followed by London with an increase of 7.11%.
The British Museum remained the most popular visitor attraction overall for the eighth year running with 6,695,213 visitors and remaining in second place was the National Gallery, which saw a 6.4% increase to 6,416,724. Included in the numbers for the first time was the Southbank Centre – which saw 6,255,799 visitors – reaching third position on the table.
Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of Southbank Centre, said: “It’s very exciting to have been welcomed as an ALVA member and we’re thrilled to feature so highly in their annual list of top visitor attractions.”
Libraries attracted substantial numbers with the Library of Birmingham – which opened in 2013 – being the most visited free attraction outside London, in 10th place with 2,414,860 – proving to be an attraction in its own right. The British Library saw visits to its public exhibitions and programme rise by 52%.
Museums & Galleries throughout the UK saw a 6.09% increase, compared to 11.75% in London. Blockbuster exhibitions continued to boost visitor numbers – with Tate Modern welcoming a record 5,785,427 (4th place) – which was undoubtedly helped by the Matisse exhibition.
The 100th Anniversary of World War 1 also had an impact throughout the UK – with many country houses’ telling the story of their part in the Great War. The new First World War Galleries at Imperial War Museum London saw almost 1 million visitors in just 6 months (153% increase on the same period in 2013), while the evolving installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red at the Tower of London attracted an estimated 5 million visitors to view the attraction from outside the Tower walls and assisted in a 6% increase in their annual visitor figures.
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