Visitor attractions
Activity 1 – Read the information below and make notes (click here if you are not sure how to take notes)
Visitor attractions are a key component of both the tourism and leisure industries. A visitor attraction is a place that offers entertainment and enjoyment.
Attractions can be visited from a person’s home during their leisure time (This makes them part of the leisure industry) or they can be visited whilst on holiday (This makes them part of the tourism industry)
There are 2 main types of visitor attractions:
- Natural attractions
- Built attractions
Natural attractions
Natural attractions can include things like:
- Lakes
- Mountains
- Forests
- Rivers
- Beaches
- Coastlines
- Waterfalls
- National Parks
- Caves
Many natural attractions are free to visit but there are some which charge an admission fee and offer guides and tours.
Built attractions
Built attractions fall into 5 categories:
- Historic buildings
- Museums and galleries
- Wildlife attractions
- Theme and leisure parks
- Industrial and cultural heritage
Historic buildings
This category includes:
- Monuments
- Castles
- Cathedrals
- Walls
- Historic houses and Stately homes
Examples: UK – Edinburgh Castle, York Minster, Nelson’s Column, Tower of London
Examples: Overseas – Capitol – USA, Notre Dame – Paris, France
Museums and galleries
This category includes:
- Museums
- Art galleries
Examples: UK – Natural History Museum London, National Portrait Gallery
Examples: Overseas – The Louvre – France, Anne Frank House – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Wildlife attractions
This category includes:
- Zoos
- Safari Parks
- Aquariums
Examples: UK – The Deep, Chester Zoo, Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Examples: Overseas – Shanghai Zoo – China, New York Aquarium – USA
Theme and leisure Parks
This category includes:
- Theme and amusement parks
- Leisure parks/sports complex
Examples: UK – Xscape, Alton Towers
Examples: Overseas – Disneyland Paris, PortAventura Park – Spain
Industrial and Cultural heritage
This category includes:
- Industry related attractions
- Cultural heritage
Examples – UK – Globe Theatre, Stonehenge
Examples: Overseas – Berlin Wall Memorial
Although not typical visitor attractions, ‘dark tourism’ brings visitors to ‘attractions’ associated with death and tragedy such as:
- Ground Zero
- Auschwitz
- Catacombs
Activity 2 – Complete the Exam Questions Below
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5