London has suffered little change in visitor numbers since the Westminster terrorist attack in March, despite some key institutions experiencing a drop in visitors in 2016, according to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva).
Alva director Bernard Donoghue says recent research shows “that a perception that a terrorist attack might happen in London was putting some overseas visitors off coming to the UK”.
Isolated event
But he adds that following the incident in Westminster, “there were hardly any cancellations from around the world because people saw it was an isolated event and one that may have been more to do with that person’s criminal background”.
According to a report released in March by Alva, a million fewer people visited the British Museum, Natural History Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in 2016 compared with the previous year.
Over the period in question, the British Museum’s visitor numbers dropped by 5.9% to 6.42 million, with the Natural History Museum and the V&A’s visitor numbers both dropping by 12% to 4.62 million and 3.02 million respectively. At the time, Donoghue said the fall was partly due to terror fears.
The Louvre Museum in Paris saw visitor numbers dropped by 12% in 2016 to 7.4 million, with its president Jean-Luc Martinez also blaming the drop on fears of terrorism. Institutions in Brussels suffered a similar fall in visitors following the terrorist attacks on the city in March 2016.
A report published in February 2016 by the Natural History Museum highlighted that since the Paris terrorist attacks in November 2015, visitor numbers, previously rising, were down by 100,000 (10%) on the previous year. “A number of changes were implemented to security procedures immediately after the attack,” reads the report.
Sonia Solicari, the director of London’s Geffrye Museum and a board member at the London Museums Group (LMG), says: “Recent atrocities across Europe will, most likely, be having an effect on visitor figures to museums, especially in the larger cities where risks are perceived to be higher.
"Within the sector, more people are talking about the role of museums in enabling social cohesion and a sense of belonging, whether this be as part of a global community or through exploring what it means to be local.”
She said the Migration Museum, which opened in a temporary space in south London in April and will occupy its current space until at least next February, was a “particularly welcome voice in the wider debate about how we, as cultural organisations, can best tackle feelings of alienation, fear and prejudice”.
Downplaying links
Other London museums downplayed any link between changes in visitor numbers and terror attacks.
Cheryl Smith, the head of heritage at the London Borough of Islington, and another LMG board member, says: “Our figures are gently rising. We haven’t been affected by events in Europe. We don’t depend on large amounts of foreign tourists. Most visitors are local residents in north London or come to us to see specific collections. Quite a few of these visitors are from overseas and come despite events.”
The Museum of London says it has not noticed any correlation between terrorist attacks and visitor numbers: “Our visitor research does not suggest a direct link between the recent terror attacks in Europe and visitor numbers, but we understand it’s a concern for some of our visitors. We’re maintaining our security measures, under guidance from the City of London Police.”
Alva director Bernard Donoghue says recent research shows “that a perception that a terrorist attack might happen in London was putting some overseas visitors off coming to the UK”.
Isolated event
But he adds that following the incident in Westminster, “there were hardly any cancellations from around the world because people saw it was an isolated event and one that may have been more to do with that person’s criminal background”.
According to a report released in March by Alva, a million fewer people visited the British Museum, Natural History Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in 2016 compared with the previous year.
Over the period in question, the British Museum’s visitor numbers dropped by 5.9% to 6.42 million, with the Natural History Museum and the V&A’s visitor numbers both dropping by 12% to 4.62 million and 3.02 million respectively. At the time, Donoghue said the fall was partly due to terror fears.
The Louvre Museum in Paris saw visitor numbers dropped by 12% in 2016 to 7.4 million, with its president Jean-Luc Martinez also blaming the drop on fears of terrorism. Institutions in Brussels suffered a similar fall in visitors following the terrorist attacks on the city in March 2016.
A report published in February 2016 by the Natural History Museum highlighted that since the Paris terrorist attacks in November 2015, visitor numbers, previously rising, were down by 100,000 (10%) on the previous year. “A number of changes were implemented to security procedures immediately after the attack,” reads the report.
Sonia Solicari, the director of London’s Geffrye Museum and a board member at the London Museums Group (LMG), says: “Recent atrocities across Europe will, most likely, be having an effect on visitor figures to museums, especially in the larger cities where risks are perceived to be higher.
"Within the sector, more people are talking about the role of museums in enabling social cohesion and a sense of belonging, whether this be as part of a global community or through exploring what it means to be local.”
She said the Migration Museum, which opened in a temporary space in south London in April and will occupy its current space until at least next February, was a “particularly welcome voice in the wider debate about how we, as cultural organisations, can best tackle feelings of alienation, fear and prejudice”.
Downplaying links
Other London museums downplayed any link between changes in visitor numbers and terror attacks.
Cheryl Smith, the head of heritage at the London Borough of Islington, and another LMG board member, says: “Our figures are gently rising. We haven’t been affected by events in Europe. We don’t depend on large amounts of foreign tourists. Most visitors are local residents in north London or come to us to see specific collections. Quite a few of these visitors are from overseas and come despite events.”
The Museum of London says it has not noticed any correlation between terrorist attacks and visitor numbers: “Our visitor research does not suggest a direct link between the recent terror attacks in Europe and visitor numbers, but we understand it’s a concern for some of our visitors. We’re maintaining our security measures, under guidance from the City of London Police.”