Britain’s royal heritage attracts the crowds

The Royal Family and the iconic sites associated with them continue to be one of the greatest attractions for tourists according to new research by national tourism agency Visit Britain. Of the 30 million overseas visitors who came to Britain last year, 5.8 million visited a castle, 5 million an historic house and 6.4 million a religious monument such as a cathedral.

The top five locations visited by tourists include the Tower of London, where Anne Boleyn was beheaded; St Paul’s Cathedral, which was the setting for Charles and Diana’s wedding ceremony; and Westminster Abbey, where Royal coronations and funerals have taken place since Norman times.

Buckingham Palace was also listed as one of the country’s top attractions as it was visited by 402,000 people in 2009 despite the fact it is only open for eight weeks a year. The Palace has been a must see on the agenda of many international tourists since it began opening to the public in 1993.

The report suggests that British tourism will see a further boost in 2012 when the Queen will be celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, a feat last accomplished by Queen Victoria in 1897.