Heritage tourism is worth £26.4bn to the UK economy thanks to demand from overseas and domestic visitors alike, according to research by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
The figure is £5.8bn higher than a previous estimate published in 2010, which HLF says is partly down to a 13% rise in international visits and overnight holidays made by UK residents between 2007 and 2011.
But domestic daytrips between 2005 and 2011 also soared by nearly 50% as the credit crunch sparked a trend for "staycations". Over a quarter of all UK holiday activities undertaken by UK residents now involve heritage, according to HLF.
Iinternational visitors spent 28% more during their visits to heritage sites in 2011 than 2007, while UK residents on holiday spent 7% more.
Jenny Abramsky, chairwoman of HLF, said: “Heritage is a strong driver for both international and domestic visitors and an especially powerful draw for those who choose to stay in the UK for their holiday."
Loyd Grossman, chairman of the Heritage Alliance, welcomed the report: “This is incontestable proof that our unique heritage is one of our major national assets and can contribute to our national economic recovery. Heritage means business for Britain.”
The research was published amid a warning from the Heritage Alliance that funding cuts to English Heritage show heritage is the “Cinderella” of culture.
As previously reported by Museums Journal, English Heritage is to be split into two separate organisations, with a new self-financing charity to be set up by March 2015 to look after the National Heritage Collection. The body’s planning and heritage protection responsibilities will be run by a separate body, the National Heritage Protection Service.
English Heritage also saw its revenue budget cut by 10% in the Comprehensive Spending Review last month – compared to 5% cuts to museums and arts organisations.
The Heritage Alliance, a coalition of heritage interests, said in a statement that it was “extremely disappointed at the harsh settlement” for English Heritage. It says the body has suffered a 38% funding cut in real terms since 2011, including a 32% cut in the 2010 spending review, which led to an internal restructure.
“This latest cut shows that heritage is still the Cinderella in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport,” Kate Pugh, chief executive of the Heritage Alliance, said. “If we don’t manage [heritage] effectively, it will not deliver the economic and social returns.”
The government is to make a one-off investment of £80m for English Heritage to spend on its National Heritage Collection. But the alliance said this shouldn’t mask the fact that the brunt of the 10% cut will fall on its statutory responsibilities for planning and heritage protection.
The figure is £5.8bn higher than a previous estimate published in 2010, which HLF says is partly down to a 13% rise in international visits and overnight holidays made by UK residents between 2007 and 2011.
But domestic daytrips between 2005 and 2011 also soared by nearly 50% as the credit crunch sparked a trend for "staycations". Over a quarter of all UK holiday activities undertaken by UK residents now involve heritage, according to HLF.
Iinternational visitors spent 28% more during their visits to heritage sites in 2011 than 2007, while UK residents on holiday spent 7% more.
Jenny Abramsky, chairwoman of HLF, said: “Heritage is a strong driver for both international and domestic visitors and an especially powerful draw for those who choose to stay in the UK for their holiday."
Loyd Grossman, chairman of the Heritage Alliance, welcomed the report: “This is incontestable proof that our unique heritage is one of our major national assets and can contribute to our national economic recovery. Heritage means business for Britain.”
The research was published amid a warning from the Heritage Alliance that funding cuts to English Heritage show heritage is the “Cinderella” of culture.
As previously reported by Museums Journal, English Heritage is to be split into two separate organisations, with a new self-financing charity to be set up by March 2015 to look after the National Heritage Collection. The body’s planning and heritage protection responsibilities will be run by a separate body, the National Heritage Protection Service.
English Heritage also saw its revenue budget cut by 10% in the Comprehensive Spending Review last month – compared to 5% cuts to museums and arts organisations.
The Heritage Alliance, a coalition of heritage interests, said in a statement that it was “extremely disappointed at the harsh settlement” for English Heritage. It says the body has suffered a 38% funding cut in real terms since 2011, including a 32% cut in the 2010 spending review, which led to an internal restructure.
“This latest cut shows that heritage is still the Cinderella in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport,” Kate Pugh, chief executive of the Heritage Alliance, said. “If we don’t manage [heritage] effectively, it will not deliver the economic and social returns.”
The government is to make a one-off investment of £80m for English Heritage to spend on its National Heritage Collection. But the alliance said this shouldn’t mask the fact that the brunt of the 10% cut will fall on its statutory responsibilities for planning and heritage protection.
