We’ve got 99 attractions, but Brits haven’t been to one…
EDITORIAL USE ONLY Betty-Leigh (6) and Lee Allinson from Hertfordshire playing at the launch of David LloydÕs new luxury all-inclusive Glamping retreat at their Hampton club, London. Issue date Wednesday August 11, 2021. PA Photo. The exclusive breaks have been gifted to the families as part of a trial run, with attendees chosen as the most deserving of a holiday, through public nominations and via the Captain Tom Foundation. Photo credit should read: Matt Alexander/PA Wire
Despite the UK’s top attractions drawing in millions of tourists each year, the majority of Brits have not discovered some of the bucket list destinations on their own doorsteps, according to new research amongst 4,000 Brits from a global expert in family holiday rentals, Vrbo®.
Even after a period which has seen staycations surge as international travel has been off the cards, Brits are still missing out on some of the country’s wonders. The research by Vrbo revealed that despite being one of the UK’s top attractions[1], less than a third of Brits have visited The British Museum in their lifetime. It was a similar picture for other iconic London destinations such as the Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral – two of London’s biggest attractions, which remained unvisited by a majority of Brits (57% and 70% respectively).
It’s the same story for destinations outside of London. Only three in 10 said Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon was somewhere they had previously visited – despite the town reeling in up to six million visitors from around the globe each year[2]. And Brits are even missing out on popular family friendly attractions like Chester Zoo, with just over a quarter of Brits having visited, despite being the second most visited paid for attraction in the UK[3].
Topping the list of overlooked attractions in the UK was Anglesey Abbey, with less than 3% of respondents saying they had visited the National Trust property on the outskirts of Cambridge. With the iconic university city receiving approximately 8.2 million visitors annually[4], it’s surprising to see that holidaymakers are not exploring what else there is to see and do nearby.
Undiscovered stars of the screen:
The research also revealed that many Brits haven’t even heard of some of the UK’s most recognisable attractions. The surprising findings showed that the settings for some of the UK’s best loved TV shows and films are largely undiscovered. Lacock Abbey, the set of the first two Harry Potter films, known for its ‘Hogwarts’ corridors, was one of the least known attractions in the UK, with a mere 13% of respondents having heard of the iconic filming location.
Cliveden House, recognisable as the setting for scenes in films such as Sherlock Holmes, as well as the location for ‘A Very British Country House’ was also widely unknown by 84% of Brits, despite Meghan Markle spending her last night there before marrying Prince Harry!
Natural beauty hotspots:
The UK isn’t short of breath-taking scenery, but many of us have never explored the natural beauty and wonders the country has to offer. Vrbo’s research revealed however that more of us are waking up to the great British outdoors; when asked which domestic attractions they would consider adding to their bucket list, all of the top 10 chosen by Brits were in fact natural wonders across the whole country.
Despite being one of the least visited destinations by Brits, the magical Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye in Scotland came out on top as the number one place we would consider adding to our bucket lists to visit, with 8 in 10 respondents expressing their desire to visit the enchanting destination. The Blue Lagoon in Abereiddy, Wales was another popular choice as somewhere Brits would like to visit (84%), despite being the third least visited attraction in the UK, according to the research.
Other wish list attractions included Dorset’s impressive Jurassic Coast, and the Cheddar Gorge Caves in Somerset, all offering stunning views and impressive land formations.
The top UK attractions Brits would consider adding to their bucket list
1. Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye, Scotland – 86%
2. Green Bridge of Wales, Pembrokeshire, Wales – 84%
3. Blue Lagoon, Abereiddy, Wales – 84%
4. Durdle Door, Lulworth Dorset, Dorset – 81%
5. Attingham Park, Shropshire – 81%
6. Stourhead National Trust, Wiltshire – 81%
7. St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall – 80%
8. Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, Devon to Dorset – 80%
9. Lake Windermere, Cumbria – 79%
10. Cheddar Gorge & Caves, Somerset 79%
