Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Future healthy despite uncertainties
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- Figure 1: Forecast of visits to UK visitor attractions, 2014-24
- London attendance finally returns to growth
- Weather has mixed impact across sector
- Digital communications increase admissions
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- Figure 2: Trends in digital communications offered by visitor attractions in England, 2013-18
- Augmented realities take off as 5G coverage grows
- Rare attractions bring in crowds
- Companies and brands
- Lates festival to debut across London
- National Lottery Heritage Fund updates funding framework
- Great Tapestry of Scotland gets permanent home
- Twycross Zoo bucks the trend
- Wild swimming lake opens in Beckenham Place Park
- The consumer
- Three out of four visited an attraction in the last year
- Historic sites still have appeal
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- Figure 3: Type of attractions visited, September 2017, August 2018, and August 2019
- Zoo attendance showing signs of decline
- Fun, novelty and learning key motivators
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- Figure 4: Motivations for visiting attractions, August 2019
- Staycations drive attraction visiting
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- Figure 5: Attraction visiting during UK holidays in the last 12 months, August 2019
- Food and drink offer could increase dwell time
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- Figure 6: Factors influencing choice of visitor attraction (any rank), August 2019
- Demand to be met for families
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- Figure 7: Visitor attraction companions, August 2019
- Virtual and augmented reality can boost interactivity
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- Figure 8: Technology and social media activities related to visitor attractions, August 2019
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- From dusk to dawn
- The facts
- The implications
- Hobby holidays present creative partnerships
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Future healthy despite uncertainties
- London attendance finally returns to growth
- Weather has mixed impact across sector
- Digital communications increase admissions
- Augmented realities take off as 5G coverage grows
- Rare attractions bring in crowds
Market Size and Forecast
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- Visitor numbers
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- Figure 9: Visits to UK visitor attractions, 2014-24
- Future looks healthy amidst uncertainties
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- Figure 10: Forecast of visits to UK visitor attractions, 2014-24
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- London attendance finally returns to growth
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- Figure 11: Share of visits to UK visitor attractions, by nation, 2018
- Visitors renew passion for museums and galleries
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- Figure 12: Attraction visiting trends in England, 2016-18
Market Drivers
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- Staycations increase pressure on day visits
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- Figure 13: Tourism day visits on which visiting an attraction is the main activity, 2013-18
- Admissions strong despite inbound tourist decline
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- Figure 14: Inbound holiday visits by overseas visitors to the UK, 2013-18
- Weather has mixed impact across sector
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- Figure 15: UK mean temperature in °C, 2013-18
- Digital communications increase admissions
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- Figure 16: Trends in digital communications offered by visitor attractions in England, 2013-18
- Augmented realities take off as 5G coverage grows
- Rare attractions bring in the crowds
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Lates festival to debut across London
- National Lottery Heritage Fund updates funding framework
- Wild swimming lake opens in Beckenham Place Park
- Twycross Zoo bucks the trend
- Great Tapestry of Scotland gets permanent home
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- New exhibitions and elements
- Lates festival to debut across London
- National Lottery Heritage Fund updates funding framework
- Yorkshire gets a new £37 million theme park
- Wild swimming lake opens in Beckenham Place Park
- Twycross Zoo bucks the trend
- National Space Centre uses new lab to engage younger audiences
- The Great Tapestry of Scotland gets a permanent home
- Renovate to innovate
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Three out of four visited an attraction in the last year
- Historic sites still have appeal
- Zoo attendance showing signs of decline
- Fun, novelty and learning are key motivators
- Staycations drive attraction visiting
- Food and drink offer could increase dwell time
- Demand to be met for families
- Virtual and augmented reality can boost interactivity
Attractions Visited
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- Three out of four visited an attraction in the last year
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- Figure 17: Overall attractions visited in last 12 months, August 2019
- Historic sites still have appeal
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- Figure 18: Type of attractions visited, September 2017, August 2018 and August 2019
- Zoo attendance showing signs of decline
- Majority of visitors attend multiple attractions
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- Figure 19: Repertoire of types of attractions visited, August 2019
Motivations for Visiting Attractions
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- As long as it’s new
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- Figure 20: Motivations for visiting attractions, August 2019
- Younger crowds just want to have fun…
- … while history is essential for older age groups
- Staycations drive attraction visiting
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- Figure 21: Attraction visiting during UK holidays in the last 12 months, August 2019
Decision-Making Factors
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- Cost is crucial
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- Figure 22: Factors influencing choice of visitor attraction (any rank), August 2019
- Travel time ranks second
- Food and drink offer could increase dwell time
Visitor Attraction Companions
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- Demand to be met for families
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- Figure 23: Visitor attraction companions, August 2019
- Three’s a crowd
- Group tours reserved for inbound tourists
Role of Technology and Social Media for Visitor Attractions
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- Websites most popular, while apps still untapped
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- Figure 24: Technology and social media activities related to visitor attractions, August 2019
- Attractions boost visits to local area
- Social media visibility needed
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Forecast methodology
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- Figure 26: Forecast of visits to UK visitor attractions, 2019-24
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