We may grumble about the British weather but visitor numbers to indoor tourist attractions increase with the rain, a survey shows.
 
Nearly half of the English attractions participating in the survey by the national tourism agency VisitBritain reported an increase in gross revenue in the summer of 2004 – the wettest since 1912.

London saw the highest increase with 16%, followed by the North West with 11% and the South West with 10%.

The wet weather drew a 4% visitor increase for museums and galleries, and a 1% visitor increase for English attractions overall.

Free indoor activities benefited most with the National Gallery scoring a 14% increase to nearly five million visitors.

The British Airways London Eye (3.7 million) and the Tower of London (2.1 million) were the most popular paid attractions.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach reigned supreme as the most popular tourist attraction with 6.2 million visitors in the year.

Most visited free attractions:
1. Blackpool Pleasure Beach, North West, 6.2 million
2. Albert Dock, North West, 5 million
3. National Gallery, London, 4.9 million
4. British Museum, London, 4.8 million
5. Tate Modern, London, 4.4 million

Most visited paid attractions:
1. British Airways London Eye, London, 3.7m
2. Tower of London, London, 2.1m
3. Pleasureland Theme Park, North West, 2.1m
4. Pleasure Beach, East, 1.5m
5. Flamingo Land Theme Park & Zoo, Yorkshire and The Humber, 1.3 million

By Amy Abrahams

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