The wet weather and the Olympic Games have been blamed for a 21.3% fall in visitor numbers to Britain’s leading attractions over the summer.
But the figures, compiled by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva), show that museums and galleries fared relatively well compared to heritage sites and cathedrals, and the gardens and leisure sector. And in Scotland, museums and galleries saw a rise in visitors and secondary spend in shops.
Attractions in London saw the biggest decrease in visitors between May and August compared with the same period last year. Visitors to the capital's museums and galleries fell by 13.1%, compared with a 21.3% fall for gardens and leisure activities and a 20.3% fall for cathedrals and heritage sites.
Secondary spending in museum shops and cafes in London fell by 5.4% and 7.5% respectively, while heritage sites and cathedrals suffered a 20.2% fall in shop spend.
As previously reported in Museums Journal, museums in central London were worst hit in the run-up to the Olympics, with some seeing visitor figures down by as much as 40% compared with the previous year.
In the rest of England, visitors to museums and galleries fell by 8.6% but retail and catering spend increased by an average of 7% and 3.4%. Visitors to heritage sites and cathedrals fell by 6.4%. Retail spend fell by 8.5% and catering spend rose by 1.8%.
In Scotland, museums and galleries experienced a 16.3% uplift in visitors compared with the previous year, along with a 30.5% increase in retail spend. Catering spend was stagnant.
Heritage sites in Scotland saw visitor number falls by 10%. Retail and catering spend fell by 3.5% and 7% respectively.
Bernard Donoghue, chief executive of Alva, said: “In the first couple of weeks of the Olympics, some of the key central London attractions experienced a huge fall of up to 61% in visitor numbers compared to the same weeks last year.
"Overseas visitors who stayed away from London during the Olympic period and Londoners who avoided the city led to media headlines of London being described as ‘a ghost town’.”
Alva said the wet weather was the other key reason visitor numbers had fallen, particularly to outdoor attractions.
But the figures, compiled by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva), show that museums and galleries fared relatively well compared to heritage sites and cathedrals, and the gardens and leisure sector. And in Scotland, museums and galleries saw a rise in visitors and secondary spend in shops.
Attractions in London saw the biggest decrease in visitors between May and August compared with the same period last year. Visitors to the capital's museums and galleries fell by 13.1%, compared with a 21.3% fall for gardens and leisure activities and a 20.3% fall for cathedrals and heritage sites.
Secondary spending in museum shops and cafes in London fell by 5.4% and 7.5% respectively, while heritage sites and cathedrals suffered a 20.2% fall in shop spend.
As previously reported in Museums Journal, museums in central London were worst hit in the run-up to the Olympics, with some seeing visitor figures down by as much as 40% compared with the previous year.
In the rest of England, visitors to museums and galleries fell by 8.6% but retail and catering spend increased by an average of 7% and 3.4%. Visitors to heritage sites and cathedrals fell by 6.4%. Retail spend fell by 8.5% and catering spend rose by 1.8%.
In Scotland, museums and galleries experienced a 16.3% uplift in visitors compared with the previous year, along with a 30.5% increase in retail spend. Catering spend was stagnant.
Heritage sites in Scotland saw visitor number falls by 10%. Retail and catering spend fell by 3.5% and 7% respectively.
Bernard Donoghue, chief executive of Alva, said: “In the first couple of weeks of the Olympics, some of the key central London attractions experienced a huge fall of up to 61% in visitor numbers compared to the same weeks last year.
"Overseas visitors who stayed away from London during the Olympic period and Londoners who avoided the city led to media headlines of London being described as ‘a ghost town’.”
Alva said the wet weather was the other key reason visitor numbers had fallen, particularly to outdoor attractions.
