VisitEngland published today its 2024 Annual Report of Visits to Visitor Attractions. The report shows that the number of visitors to visitor attractions in England increased slightly from 2023 to 2024, but remained down significantly compared to pre-pandemic numbers.
In 2024, the number of visitors to attractions in England was up only 1.4% compared to 2023. In comparison to the numbers in 2019, before the pandemic, they were down by 27%. (See slide 7 of full trends report).
Andrew Stokes, Director of VisitEngland, said:
It is more important than ever to show support for the visitor attractions sector, which contributes to local economies and communities in England.
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The survey results show that there are still challenges to overcome in order to return our sector to its pre pandemic levels, and the costs of living continue to impact.
“England’s first-class attractions, from our world-renowned museums, art galleries and historic houses to our places-of-worship, our parks and gardens, remain vitally important to our tourism offer to both international and domestic visitors.
Make this year the one you explore England’s finest attractions. The summer is just around the corner and school holidays are fast approaching. Not only will you be giving our great attractions a much-needed boost, I know you will enjoy a fantastic day out with family and friends creating memories of a lifetime.”
Chief Executive of Historic England Duncan Wilson said:
“Heritage has such importance to all of us. Heritage brings people together and creates a sense belonging and pride. It is also a major contributor to the economy, both domestically and internationally, through tourism.
The survey results indicate the importance of promoting and supporting our local heritage. This year, we want people to continue to appreciate our heritage and discover new historical places near them.
The survey, which gathered data from 1,373 English tourist attractions, shows the growth was fueled by overseas visitors. The number of international visitors to England’s attractions increased by 6% in the last year, compared with 2023. Domestic visitors to attractions will be down 1% in 2024.
Growth varied by region. Admissions were up in the majority of regions. London attractions led the way with a growth of 5%, driven largely by international visitors. London’s attractions are still well below their 2019 levels despite an increase of 5%. Overall, the number of visits to London attractions is down by 18%. In contrast, three regions saw slight declines in admissions while one region was on par.
The Tower of London was in the top spot in 2024 as the most visited ‘paid for’ attraction in England with 2.9 million visitors, up 4% on 2023 although down 3% on 2019. Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, was second, with 2.3 millions visitors, an increase of 15% on 2023. Chester Zoo, with 1.9million, was third, at par with 2023.
The British Museum was the most visited ‘free’ attraction in England in 2024, with 6.5 million visitors, up 11% on 2023 and up 4% on 2019. The Natural History Museum was second with 5.9 millions visitors, an increase of 4% over 2023. Tate Modern, with 4.6m visitors in 2024 (down 3% from 2023), was the third most visited free attraction.
The highest levels of growth were seen in the ‘Farms’ attraction category, with an 11% increase in visits in 2024 compared to 2023. ‘Visitor/Heritage Centres’ saw the second largest increase, up 6% on the previous year. ‘Places of Worship’ also showed growth in visitor numbers last year, up 5% on 2023. ‘Historic Houses/Castles’ saw a 3% increase in visits in 2024 compared to the previous year.
To see the results of the VisitEngland Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions in 2024 including the top 20 ‘paid for’ and ‘free’ visitor attractions across England and the regional data see.
Tourism is one of England’s largest and most valuable industries, generating about £76 billion annually for the economy in 2024 in domestic visitor spending.
