Windsor Castle or Flamingo Land? Where tourists really want to visit

[just a serf]

Not Royal
Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo


2010 visitor numbers: 1.26 million (source: visitengland.org)
Adult ticket price £28.50

Royal
Windsor Castle, official residence of THE QUEEN, largest and oldest occupied castle IN THE WORLD!


2010 visitor numbers: 1.07 million (source: royalcollection.org.uk)
Adult ticket price £17, or £9.30 when state apartments are closed

Not Royal
Chatsworth House, home of the Cavendish family since the 16th century - never a royal residence.


2010 visitor numbers: 716,616 (source: Association of Leading Visitor Attractions)
Adult ticket price: £18

Royal
Kensington Palace, British Royal Family official residence since the 17th century, former home of Lady Diana, one of the worlds most famous women. Current London home of Will & Kate


2010 visitor numbers: 251,817 (source: Association of Leading Visitor Attractions)
Adult ticket price: £14.50

Not Royal
Edinburgh Castle, mainly a military base since the 17th century


2010 visitor numbers: 1.21 million (source: Association of Leading Visitor Attractions)
Adult ticket price: £16

Royal
Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland


2010 visitor numbers: 283,000 (source: royalcollection.org.uk)
Adult ticket price: £10.75 (£15.10 to include The Queen's Gallery in your visit)

All the above include domestic and foreign tourist visitor numbers.

What if you only count foreign tourists?

What is their favourite attraction in London?

Buckingham Palace, right?

NOPE!

Buckingham Palace comes after Trafalgar Square, after Tower Bridge, after The British Museum, after The Science Museum, and after The Museum of Natural History! (source: VisitBritain)

And if you include all visitors, not just foreign ones, neither Buckingham or Kensington Palaces make the top 10.

But VisitBritain say the monarchy generates £500 million in tourist revenue 

I was shocked when I saw how they calculated that figure. Really, their reasoning is appalling and horrifically biased.

What they do is look at all the tourist attractions, and if any site has been linked with royals at any time in history, then they go ahead and credit the monarchy with generating all revenue from those sites   

So, according to VisitBritain, it's thanks to the British Royal Family that people visit the Tower of London, so they credit the BRF for all money generated by the UK's most popular paid attraction. Sometimes it's even sillier than that. 

VisitBritain thank the BRF for all money generated by Edinburgh Castle, a site which ceased to be a royal residence in 1603     

It gets worse.

They credit the BRF for visitors to the Royal Observatory...because it has the word 'Royal' in the name  ...should they get credit for the work of The Royal College of Surgeons too? Royal College of Music? 

A little disturbing that this is the organisation, and I use the word organisation lightly, charged with promoting Britain abroad.

Perhaps they might like to get help from the French Republic, with their 79.5 million international tourists in 2011, more than twice the number coming to the UK. And not one cent of tax payer money going to support a billionaire family ruling over them!

[A_little_bird]

Not Royal
Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo


2010 visitor numbers: 1.26 million (source: visitengland.org)
Adult ticket price £28.50

Royal
Windsor Castle, official residence of THE QUEEN, largest and oldest occupied castle IN THE WORLD!


2010 visitor numbers: 1.07 million (source: royalcollection.org.uk)
Adult ticket price £17, or £9.30 when state apartments are closed

Not Royal
Chatsworth House, home of the Cavendish family since the 16th century - never a royal residence.


2010 visitor numbers: 716,616 (source: Association of Leading Visitor Attractions)
Adult ticket price: £18

Royal
Kensington Palace, British Royal Family official residence since the 17th century, former home of Lady Diana, one of the worlds most famous women. Current London home of Will & Kate


2010 visitor numbers: 251,817 (source: Association of Leading Visitor Attractions)
Adult ticket price: £14.50

Not Royal
Edinburgh Castle, mainly a military base since the 17th century


2010 visitor numbers: 1.21 million (source: Association of Leading Visitor Attractions)
Adult ticket price: £16

Royal
Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland


2010 visitor numbers: 283,000 (source: royalcollection.org.uk)
Adult ticket price: £10.75 (£15.10 to include The Queen's Gallery in your visit)

All the above include domestic and foreign tourist visitor numbers.

What if you only count foreign tourists?

What is their favourite attraction in London?

Buckingham Palace, right?

NOPE!

Buckingham Palace comes after Trafalgar Square, after Tower Bridge, after The British Museum, after The Science Museum, and after The Museum of Natural History! (source: VisitBritain)

And if you include all visitors, not just foreign ones, neither Buckingham or Kensington Palaces make the top 10.

But VisitBritain say the monarchy generates £500 million in tourist revenue 

I was shocked when I saw how they calculated that figure. Really, their reasoning is appalling and horrifically biased.

What they do is look at all the tourist attractions, and if any site has been linked with royals at any time in history, then they go ahead and credit the monarchy with generating all revenue from those sites   

So, according to VisitBritain, it's thanks to the British Royal Family that people visit the Tower of London, so they credit the BRF for all money generated by the UK's most popular paid attraction. Sometimes it's even sillier than that. 

VisitBritain thank the BRF for all money generated by Edinburgh Castle, a site which ceased to be a royal residence in 1603     

It gets worse.

They credit the BRF for visitors to the Royal Observatory...because it has the word 'Royal' in the name  ...should they get credit for the work of The Royal College of Surgeons too? Royal College of Music? 

A little disturbing that this is the organisation, and I use the word organisation lightly, charged with promoting Britain abroad.

Perhaps they might like to get help from the French Republic, with their 79.5 million international tourists in 2011, more than twice the number coming to the UK. And not one cent of tax payer money going to support a billionaire family ruling over them!

Not surprised, Windsor Castle is THE castle to visit over Buckingham Palace. (I've seen both, plus Hampton Court) And zoos, etc, are popular if parents travel with the kiddies.

[CyrilSebastian]

Changing Guards at Windsor Castle (1914-1918)   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGfrOQB-C2Q

[ralf103]

Bear on mind all the public museums in London are free so of course people will visit them more, many people make return visits over and over as they can see part of the collection at each museum over several visit.

Likewise one of my friends is taking their family to Flamingo Land for a second year running, staying over for several nights each time so the children can visit the park for several days.

IMO there is a bit of comparing apples and oranges here.  

That said, i’ve never believed the RF bring in as much as some say for tourism, nor that its the reason to have a monarchy simply for the tourism it brings. I do think the RF is one of the things that helps create interest in the UK around the world and that can’t be a bad thing.

In regards to the links to royalty I assume a fair number of people visit the Tower of London to see the crown jewels, no doubt helped by seeing the late Queen having worn the Imperial State Crown most years of the State Opening of Parliament. Edinburgh Castle contains the Honors of Scotland as well. Of course these would both almost certainly remain where they are for tourists to see were Charles to be sent packing tomorrow but they are the ultimate symbols of monarchy (even if to some they are just glittering jewels)

[bumbershoot]

If and when I can get over to the UK, the V&A would probably be my first stop. And, for that matter, if it had to be my only stop, that might be OK.  I'd also like to take the train all the way up to Inverness, just looking out the window the whole time. And in London, I'd just like to walk along the edge of the Thames. And maybe hit some of the multicultural areas of London that are different from the ethnic communities we have here in the US. And then I'd spend ALL my money on tickets to the Royal Ballet and the English National Ballet and the English National Opera, because that's what I love.

So the castles and the crown jewels would not be on my list. And neither would any of the so-called amusement parks. And not even the stately homes. Highclere castle would remain unvisited by me. So would Harrods. I might be tempted to go scoop up some of those fabulous printed lawn fabrics at Liberty of London if I had any money left from my opera and ballet tickets. And maybe I'd like to see the interior and exterior of Salisbury Cathedral. I know everyone else's mileage would vary from mine.  What would you choose? 

[ralf103]

I highly recommend Edinburgh for a city break. I visited with friends for the first time in years again this summer and it was fab - quieter than say London but with lots to see and do and many of it for free.

If someone from overseas asked me I’d recommend areas of the UK rather than any attraction you pay for- Anglesey’s beautiful beaches, Snowdonia’s magnificent mountains, the homly Cotswolds, the stunning history laden North East Coast.

I think you could have a fabulous time and see the best of the UK without paying any entrance fees

[Hester]

I recommend visiting country churches for the vibe. Places not visited by millions of tourists have the most amazing atmosphere intact.

[bumbershoot]

I kind of don't get why one would want to visit an amusement park in a foreign country. I've always thought they were intended as consolations for locals who are unable to travel. I certainly wouldn't make a special trip to see or even seek out amusement parks in any foreign country, mainly because I would be there to soak up that country's flavor and culture, not to encounter retreads of the same rides and attractions one could find at home. .

[A Citizen not a Subject]

If and when I can get over to the UK, the V&A would probably be my first stop. And, for that matter, if it had to be my only stop, that might be OK.  I'd also like to take the train all the way up to Inverness, just looking out the window the whole time. And in London, I'd just like to walk along the edge of the Thames. And maybe hit some of the multicultural areas of London that are different from the ethnic communities we have here in the US. And then I'd spend ALL my money on tickets to the Royal Ballet and the English National Ballet and the English National Opera, because that's what I love.

So the castles and the crown jewels would not be on my list. And neither would any of the so-called amusement parks. And not even the stately homes. Highclere castle would remain unvisited by me. So would Harrods. I might be tempted to go scoop up some of those fabulous printed lawn fabrics at Liberty of London if I had any money left from my opera and ballet tickets. And maybe I'd like to see the interior and exterior of Salisbury Cathedral. I know everyone else's mileage would vary from mine.  What would you choose? 

The train journeys north of Glasgow and Edinburgh are spectacular, whether to Aberdeen, Inverness or my own favourites, the West Highland line.

[Maria]

Tower is one of the most interesting visits I have made in England. It’s also one my youngest would like to revisit now where he’s older.

[Gemsheal]

I'd like to visit the Tate, that would be sublime for me.  I would probably spend three days exploring it ... and St Peter ad Vincula church at the Tower of London, along with the Tower itself but especially that church where the victims of Henry VIII are buried.   I would also like to tour Westminster Abbey. 

[TLLK]

Tower is one of the most interesting visits I have made in England. It’s also one my youngest would like to revisit now where he’s older.

The Tower is definitely one of my favorites to visit. I'd choose that over Flamingo Land any day. 

[bumbershoot]

Oh I did forget about the Tate. Yes, that would be right up there with the V&A in terms of priority. Thanks for reminding me.