10/01/2011
Research carried out by VisitBritain has shown that the majority of visitors to the UK prefer to explore castles in Wales rather than visit Buckingham Palace. Approximately 10,000 holidaymakers from overseas were asked what they would most like to do out of 18 choices when joining UK tours.
At least 34% of those interviewed chose to explore castles in Wales with 32% choosing Buckingham Palace as a port of call on their holiday checklist. Spending the night in a Scottish Castle appealed to 29.1% with 28% wanting to watch the sun rise or set over Stonehenge. Shopping in Harrods and watching a Premier League football match were next on the list for at least 19% of those interviewed.
Comparisons between nationality and each person’s preferences were also considered in this survey and this showed that 25% of South Koreans were keen on visiting Buck House with 18% wanting to see a location featured in the Harry Potter films. European visitors to the UK from Poland, Germany, Russia and Italy particularly wanted to explore a castle in Wales. Almost half of the Russians interviewed chose Buckingham Palace as their number one must-see on UK coach tours. Visitors from Egypt were most excited about seeing a Premier League match with people from America and Sweden preferring to spend the night in a Scottish Castle.