VisitBritain, RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS HUGE DRAW FOR VISITORS

2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Research released by VisitBritain reveals that in 2011, 6.7 million international tourists visited a religious building and those whose visit included this activity spent nearly £5bn during their stay.

Figures show that 22% of the total visits to the UK last year (31 million) visited a religious building with 35% of that collective on holiday.

Visiting churches and cathedrals consistently rates highly as one of the top priorities for international tourists. Whether it’s enjoying the sumptuous architecture at Glasgow Cathedral and St Paul’s or retracing the steps of Will and Kate’s wedding at Westminster Abbey – Britain’s religious buildings are in high demand.

Evensong is a great way to listen to music for free, with Christmas coming up the Carol service from King’s College Chapel Cambridge, broadcast since 1928, is popular around the world (A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols). Or if you want some real history, admire St David’s Cathedral in Pembrokeshire which dates back to the sixth century or discover the treasures of Mappa Mundi in Hereford.

When looking at a market by market breakdown we see some interesting trends developing. Of all the countries on holiday, visiting a religious building is most prevalent with the Brazilians (55%), followed by Australia and USA (49%) then Russia (45%) and China (45%).(2)

Churches remain an important part of the British tourism product with many visiting a church while on holiday. Research suggests that although churches and cathedrals are not seen as a deciding factor when choosing a break, they have an important impact on the visitor’s experience – offering a ‘hidden opportunity to explore’.

Sandie Dawe, Chief Executive at VisitBritain said: “Whether it’s for the glorious architecture, stained glass windows, connections with famous people or just some peace and quiet – religious buildings have become a fundamental part of our tourism offering.

“Overseas visitors rate Britain 4^th out of 50 nations for built heritage – it is one of the major drivers for international visitors and an asset where Britain is truly world-class.”

Britain’s greatest cathedrals are often used for theatrical productions, TV and film (Harry Potter, Da Vinci Code), choral concerts and festivals which are all of great interest to tourists across the world.

See the Story Ideas section of VisitBritain’s media centre for info on art, music, cafés and more in Britain’s religious buildings. http://visitbritain.com/media

Notes to Editors:

1. £4.9 billion spent by those whose visit included a trip to religious buildings – Office for National Statistics 2011

2. Holiday visits to a Religious building 2011-

Holiday
Australia	49%
Austria	42%
Belgium	33%
Brazil	55%
Canada	45%
China	45%
Denmark	28%
France	32%
Germany	42%
Hong Kong	38%
India	31%
Italy	36%
Japan	32%
Netherlands	38%
Norway	24%
Poland	29%
Russia	47%
Spain	37%
Sweden	23%
Switzerland	31%
UAE	12%
USA	49%
All Markets	35%

For more on visitor attractions including religious buildings, see the ALVA league table for 2011-

http://www.alva.org.uk/details.cfm?p=423

For more information contact:

• David Leslie.
• e: david.leslie@visitbritain.org

• Mark Di-Toro
• Press Officer, VisitBritain
• t:+44 (0)20 7578 1098
• m:+44 (0)7919 392137
• e: mark.di-toro@visitbritain.org

About VisitBritain

VisitBritain is Britain’s national tourism agency, responsible for marketing Britain overseas. We work with thousands of organisations in the UK and overseas to market Britain successfully to visitors from around the world. We also work to promote the tourism industry within the UK itself.

We work in partnership with the Government, the industry and our strategic partners in London, England, Scotland and Wales to promote Britain in 35 key overseas markets.

Our network of international offices is supported by our London-based marketing, commercial, research and policy teams, who in turn are backed up by experts in IT, financial management and other essential disciplines.

We also provide UK government with advice on tourism policy and raise awareness of the significance of tourism to the UK economy. We are particularly working towards showcasing Britain and maximising the tourism benefits in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond.

Our grant in aid received from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is approximately £32.6 million for 2010/11.

View our film to find out more about our work.

Please read more about please visit www.visitbritain.org

###

Subscribe to Notifications