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Report
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Visiting attractions by under-35s is now six percentage points ahead of pre-pandemic levels, but visiting amongst older groups remains well below, especially over-55s. Venues can leverage the growing value and…
"Young and affluent consumers are increasingly willing to spend on innovative immersive and hands-on 'active leisure' attractions."
John Worthington - Senior Analyst
UK Visitor Attractions – Trends and Insights
Visits to attractions by under-35s have surpassed pre-pandemic levels by six percentage points, highlighting their growing value and diverse leisure interests. However, older groups, particularly over-55s, remain underrepresented, requiring targeted offers to encourage their return.
The cost-of-living crisis and weak domestic tourism pose significant threats to the visitor attractions market. These economic pressures are impacting consumer spending and limiting the ability of smaller regional sites to compete with larger, high-profile attractions.
Larger, must-see attractions, especially in London, are benefiting from the resurgence in overseas visitors, while smaller regional venues struggle to capture the same level of interest and footfall, widening the gap in market performance.
Despite economic challenges, a growing segment of affluent consumers is willing to invest in premium experiences. These include exclusive behind-the-scenes access, skip-the-line entry, premium merchandise, and innovative, immersive activities.
The rise of hands-on, immersive, and “active leisure” experiences presents a key growth area for attractions. Offering unique, engaging activities can appeal to both younger audiences and better-off consumers seeking memorable, high-value experiences.
Key Issues Covered in the Report
Which types of visitor attractions people visit, frequency of visit and which attraction types have most growth potential
Motivations for visiting attractions including relaxation, sharing time with others, fun and learning
Important factors when visiting attractions, including attitudes towards entry cost, food and drink, overcrowding, opening times and family-friendly activities
Opportunities for attractions, including, membership, special deals and premiumised services/products
Report Attributes
Details
Published Date
October 2025
Data Range
2019 – 2030
Measurement Metrics
Revenue in £
Country Focus
United Kingdom (UK)
Consumer Data
2,000 internet users aged 16+, August 2025
Number of Pages
69
Market Segmentation
Gardens, Museums, Historic Buildings, Theme Parks, Art Galleries, Zoos or Other Animal Attractions, Monuments/Ruins, Aquariums, Attractions Offering Panoramic Views, Themed Attractions, Factory Tours
Collapse All
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Opportunities for the visitor attractions market
Growing age disparity calls for a dual approach
Smaller attractions can promote themselves as boutique alternatives to over-crowded sites
Build in active leisure elements – for both kids and adults
Market dynamics and outlook
Market size & forecast
Market predictions for visitor attractions
Attraction visits continue on an upward curve but volume will remain below pre-pandemic levels
What consumers want and why
Gardens, museums and historic buildings are the most popular attractions
Graph 1: types of visitor attraction visited in the last 12 months, 2025
Relax and reconnect is the key message
Graph 2: leading (top 3) motivations for going to visitor attractions, 2025
Admission costs are the most important factor
Graph 3: factors rated as ‘very important’ when choosing a visitor attraction to visit, 2025
Attractions need to find creative ways to offer value
Graph 4: interest in discounted entry/special offers at visitor attractions, 2025
Interest in premium/exclusive experiences and VIP treatment can help to shore up lost value
Graph 5: interest in discounted entry/special offers at visitor attractions, 2025
Innovation and marketing
Multi-sensory and immersive are the buzzwords
Major new theme park rides for adrenaline-seekers
Wellness is a growing theme for attractions
MARKET DYNAMICS
Market size
Visitor attractions continue on a path of gradual recovery…
Graph 6: total number of visits to UK visitor attractions, 2019-25
…with significant regional disparities
Market forecast
Market volume is forecast to rise 16% by 2030
Overseas visitors and UK adults under 35 will be the main growth drivers
Market segmentation
Visitor/heritage centres (+6%) and historic houses/castles (+3%) saw the biggest rise in visits in 2024
Graph 7: visitor attraction types by admission trends, 2022-24
Six of the top 15 attractions saw double-digit visitor growth in 2024
Regions which lack inbound supply need to appeal more to local residents
Market drivers
Consumers remain stuck in crisis mode…
Graph 8: consumer perceptions of the cost of living crisis, 2024-25
…and the Mintel financial wellbeing index remains below pre-crisis levels
Graph 9: financial wellbeing index, 2016-25
Attractions need to stand out as consumers prioritise their leisure spend
Domestic tourism pipeline has slowed markedly…
Graph 10: number of domestic overnight holiday trips, 2019-24
…but inbound visits are set to exceed pre-COVID levels in 2025
Graph 11: number of inbound tourism visits to the UK, 2019-24
Weather is an increasingly unpredictable factor
WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
Attraction visiting
Consumer participation is up a further two percentage points in 2025
Graph 12: adults who have visited a visitor attraction in the last 12 months, 2019-25
Gardens are the most popular attraction type overall
Gardens, museums and historic buildings are the most popular attractions
Graph 13: types of visitor attraction visited in the last 12 months, 2025
Theme parks and galleries have improved most over the last 12 months
Attraction visiting is heavily skewed towards under-45s
Graph 14: types of visitor attraction visited in the last 12 months, by age group, 2025
Visiting by under-35s is now six percentage points ahead of pre-pandemic levels
Graph 15: adults who have visited a visitor attraction in the last 12 months, by age group, 2025 versus 2024 and 2019
Growing age disparity calls for a twin strategy
Frequency of attraction visiting
Nearly half of attraction visitors are ‘occasionals’, a third are ‘regulars’ and a fifth are ‘enthusiasts’
Younger visitors are seeking a greater diversity of experiences
Graph 16: number of attraction types visited in the last 12 months, by age group, 2025
Spending at visitor attractions
Theme parks have the highest annual spend
Museum/gallery visitors spend significantly on high-end restaurants and travel
Future interest in visiting attractions
86% are interested in visiting attractions over the next 12 months – 14 percentage points higher than the number who visited last year
Graph 17: interest in visiting visitor attractions in the next 12 months, 2025
Four attraction types show potential to double visitor numbers
Factory tours appeal to the desire of under-35s for active personalised leisure experiences, playing to their passion for all things ‘artisan’
Over-55 growth potential lies in gardens and historical/cultural attractions
Graph 18: potential increase in visitor attraction participation in the next 12 months, by age group, 2025
Motivations for visiting attractions
Emphasise shared quality time and novelty to appeal to female visitors
Graph 19: leading (top 3) motivations for going to visitor attractions, 2025
Attractions should incorporate a wellness element for stressed-out visitors
Older visitors are looking for a change from their post-pandemic routines
Graph 20: leading (top 3) motivations for going to visitor attractions, by age group, 2025
Important factors when visiting attractions
Parents are seeking safe spaces for their kids to let of steam
Free or discounted entry seen as the most important factors
Graph 21: factors rated as ‘very important’ when choosing a visitor attraction to visit, 2025
Overcrowding has become a key factor
Strong budget and premium food concepts are needed – especially for under-35s
Graph 22: budget versus premium food and drink offers rated as ‘very important’ by attraction visitiors, by age group, 2025
Fine dining in a castle and Italian food renaissance at the National Gallery
Keeping it local with ‘doorstep days out’
34% of visitors aged under 35 see late opening hours as a very important factor
Membership of visitor attractions
Interest in membership can drive up frequency of visit amongst key younger age groups
Graph 23: current membership to a group of visitor attractions* and future interest, 2025
Data shows membership typically increases annual spend by three times
Visitor attraction opportunities
The gift that keeps on giving
Lean and green days out, regional bundles and attraction alerts
Graph 24: interest in discounted entry/special offers at visitor attractions, 2025
Short and sweet visits can appeal to those short of cash and/or time
Willingness to pay for exclusive experiences and access can help make up for lost revenues
Graph 25: interest in premium offers at visitor attractions, 2025
Premium merch offers another growing revenue stream…
…including leather bags, artworks, royal clothing and Scottish luxury
Attractions by night
Van Gogh all-nighter, ghost-hunting and Santa sleepovers
INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
Launch activity and innovation
Museum objects on demand
The tiger awakes
Augmented Reality is helping to open up family attractions…
…and helping to bring the past back to life
Chster Zoo’s new multi-species Heart of Africa zone
Reimagining historical attractions as active leisure spaces
Alton Towers Toxicator is the UK’s first Top Spin ride since Ripsaw closed in 2015
Blackpool Pleasure Beach will launch new ride Aviktas in 2026
Therme Manchester will blur the lines between theme park and spa resort
The National Trust’s Slow Rembrandt shows how attractions are engaging with the wellness agenda
APPENDIX
Supplementary data
Where else do attraction visitors spend money?
Other brand affinities of attraction visitors
Visitor attractions – leading brands used for spend analysis
Market forecast data and methodology
Market forecast and prediction intervals (volume)
Forecast methodology
Report scope and definitions
Products covered in this Report
Abbreviations and terms
Consumer research methodology
Snoop SpendMapper methodology
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