Sunny weather drew record numbers to UK's outdoor tourist hotspots in 2013

Numbers also up at indoor attractions, with British Museum most popular for seventh straight year, association reportsGlorious weather last summer boosted visits to the UK's outdoor attractions in 2013, tourist chiefs said, while a series of blockbuster exhibitions swelled numbers at museums and galleries.Popular sights such as Kew gardens, London zoo and Stonehenge all enjoyed a leap in visitor numbers last year.Overall, Britain's main attractions welcomed 6% more people last year than in rainy 2012, with an 8% increase at outdoor destinations. The Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, south-west London, had a 29% rise in visitor numbers, while at London zoo numbers rose 26.4% – thanks to the opening of the Tiger Territory exhibition – and Stonehenge was up 18.9%.The figures were published by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva), whose members include the UK's most popular and important museums, galleries, palaces, castles, cathedrals, zoos, historic houses, heritage sites, gardens and leisure attractions. The 53 members manage nearly 2,000 tourist sites and have more than 100 million visitors a year – 25% of the annual UK total. Overall, London attractions enjoyed a 12% increase in 2013, with English attractions up 5% and Scottish attractions also up 5%.The British Museum in central London remained the UK's most popular visitor attraction for the seventh year running, with a 20% rise in visitor numbers, to 6.7 million, making it the museum's most successful y...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: The Guardian Stonehenge Museums Natural History Museum Travel & leisure Culture News Heritage Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Art and design UK news London Life and style National Gallery Business National Portrait Gallery S Source Type: news