Tourists slow to return to England

Almost everyone I talk to who has visited the UK recently has a comment about how expensive it is for tourists.

Perhaps that is the reason for reduced visitation.

VisitEngland’s annual report for 2023 shows visitsn to attractions still remain below pre-pandemic levels.

The 2023 Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions (snappy name!) found visitor numbers are recovering but still significantly down on 2019, Travel Mole reports.

Overall, visits to attractions in England were up 11% in 2023 compared to 2022 although still 28% down on 2019.

VisitEngland director Andrew Stokes said: “It’s good to see continued growth in visits to our attractions but there remains ground to be covered.”

The survey collected data information from 1,513 English attractions.

It shows the return of overseas visitors and an increase in school trips in 2023 has fuelled the increase, but domestic visits fell slightly by 2%.

The number of attraction visits in London was still down by 22% on 2019.

The Tower of London remains the top "paid for" attraction in England, with 2.8 million visitors. Kew Gardens follows with two million visitors.

The British Museum is the top "free attraction" with 5.8 million visitors, with the Natural History Museum in second.

“These statistics give us a window into the challenges that many of England’s attractions are still facing, but it’s encouraging to see that numbers of visits are slowly climbing,” Historic England CEO Duncan Wilson said.

Image: VisitEngland 

Roads less travelled: There is more to England than London

There is more to England than tourist hot spots like London, Stonehenge and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Many visitors to England don't get as far as the Lake District, Dartmoor and other country regions; let alone visiting cities like Liverpool, York or Norwich.

And that is equally true of domestic tourists, who rarely venture off their well-beaten paths.

VisitEngland has this week launched a new Escape the Everyday campaign, hoping to encourage more short-breaks stays in English cities this northern spring and early summer.

The Enjoy an English city break this spring campaign is putting the spotlight on the destinations, visitor attractions and experiences on offer across England’s cities, to build back demand for domestic breaks.

The campaign also aims to support cities, city attractions and regional gateways, hit hard by the lack of international visitors.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: "Our cities have attractions, tours and experiences to suit all interests.

"Businesses are eager to see visitors and we want everyone to get involved, book a short-break to our cities and kick-start the tourism season."

Cities involved in the campaign include Bath, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Coventry, Exeter, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich (the River Wensum is pictured top), Oxford, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sheffield and York.

The campaign will run across the partners’ digital channels, including Instagram and Facebook, with city-focused content ranging from short films and articles to interactive city guides, city ‘show reels’ and city story quizzes.

City-inspired content is also running across VisitEngland’s digital channels highlighting sustainability, connecting with loved ones and looking ahead to 2022 events.

A dedicated Escape the Everyday hub on www.VisitEngland.com is also featuring ideas, experiences and activities on what to see and do across England’s cities.