Issue 69 Spring 2017 £2.75
Literary attractions a holiday draw for over half of Brits
By Christina Eccles
MORE than half of British holidaymakers would visit a literary attraction on holiday in England, research has revealed. VisitEngland research to mark the 20th anniversary of World Book Day also found that one in four Brits visited a literary location in England during a holiday break in the last year. The same amount had read literature relating to a place they had visited in the country. VisitEngland’s first ever research into literary tourism, which surveyed more than 1,200 people, found that 21 per cent of trips with a literary link were to London. Famous for its connections with Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes and Charles Dickens, the capital just pipped Yorkshire to pole position. The figures also show that 20 per cent of trips with a literary link were to Yorkshire, home of Haworth and Brontë country and Whitby Abbey, which inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The North West, the setting of Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons and the home of Beatrix Potter, was the destination for 18 per cent of literature-related travel. VisitEngland director Patricia Yates said: “Books fire up our imagination, they conjure up people and places and they inspire us to explore locations and landscapes associated with our favourite stories.
“Our literary heroes have created a wealth of must-see literary attractions across the country, motivating generations of readers to explore and discover more of regional England.” World Book Day director Kirsten Grant added: “World Book Day is all about celebrating and promoting the pleasures of books and reading. We know that, for readers of all ages, interest in characters and book settings extends well beyond the page. “We are delighted to be partnering with VisitEngland and National Trust to celebrate our special anniversary year.” England is home to more than 50 literature-related attractions, spanning authors’ homes, dedicated museums and world-renowned libraries. Sites associated with writers Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare were the most popular among the English authors the research asked about, with half of respondents expressing an interest in visiting. Also high on the wish-list were locations associated with Roald Dahl, JK Rowling, Beatrix Potter, JRR Tolkien and Arthur Conan Doyle. VisitEngland has named 2017 the ‘Year of Literary Heroes’ in recognition of this year’s milestone literary events including the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death, the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and 75 years of The Famous Five.
Boost in UK city breaks reported
TV personality Myleene Klass joined in the celebrations at London King’s Cross Station to mark the completion of Virgin Trains’ total rehaul of its east coast fleet. The classically trained musician dazzled surprised commuters with a live performance on a baby grand piano before joining customers on board the inaugural journey of the final train to receive a stylish makeover. The moment marks the completion of a £40m investment by Virgin Trains in its entire fleet of east coast trains.
UK Aparthotel brand Roomzzz has reported up to a 17 per cent increase in bookings post-Brexit as British holidaymakers seek out low cost city breaks in the UK. The brand of award winning serviced apartments has experienced an increase in bookings across the group as the falling value of the pound has fuelled a trend towards the staycation. COO Mark Walton said: “We’ve seen a huge surge in bookings in the months following the Brexit vote and it seems that the fall in value of the pound encouraged more UK residents to look at city breaks at home, rather than abroad. Equally, we’ve experienced an increase in bookings from international tourists who are capitalising on their favourable exchange rates and visiting UK cities. “We hope accommodation providers will continue to benefit from the increased investment in the UK tourism industry as we look to open our first Aparthotel outside the North of England in London in Spring 2017.”