Easter 2019 was a bumper year for visitor attractions in the UK, with BALPPA, the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions, reporting a record-breaking Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
Helped by the sunshine and warm temperatures Britain basked in over the long weekend, visitors flocked to the nation’s attraction sites and leisure parks in their droves.
According to VisitEngland’s ‘Trip Tracker’ survey, which was released at the beginning of April, some 7.4 million Britons planned to make an overnight trip in the UK during the Easter weekend, giving the British economy an estimated £1.8 billion boost.
These figures make Easter 2019 the best performing year since the Trip Tracker survey began in 2013.
In 2018, the survey revealed that 4.8 million Brits were planning to make an overnight stay at a UK destination during the Easter break. In 2017 the figure stood at 6.6 million.
Paul Kelly, chief executive of BALPPA, spoke of the rising popularity of the UK’s leisure and attractions industry.
“Major investment across the industry means there’s lots of great attractions on offer throughout the UK and the good weather meant more people were looking to enjoy some quality days out.
“Shared experiences with friends and family are becoming ever more important in today’s busy world. A visit to a UK attraction not only creates the opportunity to spend time together, but represents great value for money compared to many other activities,” said Kelly.
Some of the best performing sites over the Easter weekend were Brighton Pier, which attracted more than 162,000 visitors over the weekend, Paultons Park in Hampshire, which enjoyed one of its busiest Easter Bank Holiday weekends, and Longleat in Wiltshire.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach was also home to a thriving visitor count over the long weekend, as a spokesperson for the company said:
“Easter was very good, and we welcomed many guests who took full advantage of the fantastic weather plus our Late Night Riding and Fireworks event on Easter Saturday.”
Commenting on the Easter holiday success, BALPPA chairman, Richard Mancey, said:
“The early signs for the season are definitely extremely positive and we’re looking on building on the success of Easter throughout the year. The visitor attraction industry has never been more diverse and dynamic. Visitors of all ages and interests can look forward to enjoying world-class experiences here in the UK.”
