The UK visitor attractions market continues to grow, fuelled by continuing ‘staycation’ habits, the draw of creative attractions and sector-wide investment in technology. The total number of visits to UK attractions is estimated to reach 340 million in 2019, a figure which continues to rise by 3-4% a year.

Operators must take advantage of the strong domestic holiday market while considering consumer preference for convenience, for example by promoting one-night stays as a way to make visits more feasible and worthwhile. Emphasising green initiatives, such as sustainable transport options or zero-waste models, can also help attractions to capitalise upon consumers’ environmental concerns.

Improved food and drink offerings also have potential to extend upon an attraction’s unique proposition, with trailblazing operators pioneering exhibition-inspired rotating menus. AR technology presents significant opportunities for the future of visitor experience, especially when used to showcase fresh perspectives and increase interactivity.

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has chosen to examine the following types of visitor attraction as the core focus of this Report:

• Country parks

• Gardens

• Heritage and visitor centres

• Historic properties (including historic houses, palaces, castles, forts, historic monuments, archaeological sites, historic ships, windmills, watermills and other historic properties)

• Museums, art galleries and science centres

• Places of worship (cathedrals, churches when visited specifically as a visitor attraction, not as a place of regular worship)

• Steam/heritage railways

• Theme parks

• Zoos, wildlife parks and aquariums.

Mintel primarily follows VisitEngland’s definitions of the above categories of visitor attraction. VisitEngland defines a visitor attraction as follows:

“An attraction where it is feasible to charge admission for the sole purpose of sightseeing. The attraction must be a permanently established excursion destination, a primary purpose of which is to allow access for entertainment, interest, or education; rather than being primarily a retail outlet or a venue for sporting, theatrical, or film performances. It must be open to the public, without prior booking, for published periods each year, and should be capable of attracting day visitors or tourists as well as local residents.”

Although consideration is given in the Report to both domestic UK visitors and inbound visitors from overseas, the focus of Mintel’s exclusive consumer research is the domestic market.