Bernard Donoghue, director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Donoghue has been Director of ALVA since 2011 and in that time has doubled the membership of the organisation. 

ALVA represents the UK’s largest museums, galleries, heritage sites, stately homes, cathedrals, gardens, parks, zoos, cultural and performance venues and leisure attractions.

During the pandemic, Donoghue’s (and ALVA’s) main mandate was aiding the visitor and tourism sector recovery programme.

In 2021, he won the Museum and Heritage COVID Special Recognition Award through demonstrating his leadership and support qualities to the sector during the COVID pandemic.

He is also co-chair of the London Tourism Recovery Board with his responsibilities including providing a sustainable recovery programme of London’s visitor economy.

“This is a great honour and a great surprise, Donoghue said: “Tourism and culture have had the most turbulent, challenging few years and the public has been reminded of how important they are to our lives, so it’s an enormous privilege to be able to contribute to their recovery, growth and dynamism.

“I’m very grateful, and touched to have been nominated and believe that this honour also reflects and recognises those with whom I work in ALVA and across the cultural sector.”