Tourist spending hits new heights in 1995

Spending on tourist attractions in the UK was up by 6% in 1995 to a record £1.1bn, says the latest annual report from the national tourist boards.

Sightseeing in the UK 1995, based on a survey of 5,818 attractions in the UK, found the number of visits also grew, by 2% to 392 million.

Tim Bartlett, chief executive of the English Tourist Board, said the growth was down to creative marketing and good weather: "Prospects for 1996 look even better, with the opening of more world-class attractions, including the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, Legoland near Windsor, and the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham."

The most popular newcomer in 1995 was the Museum of Hartlepool, attracting some 210,000 visitors.

Gardens proved to be the fastest growing attraction last year, with visitor numbers up 5% to reach 16.3 million visits in 1995.

• Sightseeing in the UK 1995 is available from the ETB for £22. Tel: 0181-846 9000.