Simon Addison

Opening night @E_N_O’s Carmen, just superb! Thank you @McKayEli for the invitation.

Financial resilience, monetising assets, re-thinking business models & generating income are the main challenges to visitor attractions right now. @alva_uk is hosting a conference - open to all - to share insights, case studies & prompt new thinking. Book: alva.org.uk/details.cfm?p=…

At our museums, everyone’s welcome – and refugees always get free entry. Whether you’re here for the history, the art, or just a bit of peace and quiet, our doors are open. #WorldRefugeeDay

My regular thanks to everyone working in visitor attractions this Easter and Bank Holiday in whatever role - opps, ticketing, cleaning, catering, security, gardens, front of house - and whether paid or voluntary. You create the backdrop for people’s happiest memories. #UKtourism

Agency for promoting Britain abroad sees budget slashed by 40 per cent with immediate effect... while being urged to find 50 million foreign visitors by 2030 | Daily Mail Online dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1…

@heritage_lizzie Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle, Kew And ?

Ok folks some more today. Which 4 heritage sites did we visit on this day over the years?

We’ve published our members visitor figures for 2024 - they’re a great barometer to determine the health and strength of #UKtourism. Visitor numbers at ALVA members grew 3.4% in 2024 compared to 2023. The most visited attraction was @britishmuseum followed by @NHM_London 1/3

We celebrate our wonderful board members on #InternationalWomensDay Lorraine Rossdale @wabbey @HBW_LeedsCastle Sharon Pickford @nationaltrust @louisechalliday @RoyalAlbertHall Samantha Potts @rbo_org @Lisa_Robshaw @rzss Helen Ireland @NtlMuseumsScot @SLTHeritage @StPaulsLondon

Our CEO ⁦@bernarddonoghue⁩ is opposed to charging overseas visitors to visit the UK’s free national collections ‘unworkable and unprincipled’. theartnewspaper.com/2025/03/07/tou…

My thanks to everyone working at visitor attractions during Christmas🎄 For many attractions it’s our equivalent of panto at the theatre - joy & merriment - but really important to earn £ to support the rest of year. And you create the backdrop for people’s happiest memories.

My thoughts and best wishes to all those working at visitor attractions today - making them safe for staff and visitors, closing them where necessary, dealing with refunds, rebooking and comms. It’s a stressful time & losing crucial income at this time of the year is very tough.

We were delighted to hold our Board meeting in the historic surroundings of Cheyneygates, part of the Deanery of @wabbey , thank you to our hosts. We welcomed our new Board members @IainStanden of @bletchleypark , Aaron Ward of @NatMuseumsNI & @SLTHeritage of @StPaulsLondon

@bernarddonoghue Be grateful you aren’t trying to get back to London today - train chaos. Enjoy @HarewoodHouse 🎄!

Leaving Perth after too brief a visit and I passed this esteemed organisation on the way to the station. 🐮 Now hurtling to Leeds and then to @HarewoodHouse for this evening’s preview of their Christmas 🎄 experience.

Excellent day sightseeing in London on Wednesday! First @StPaulsLondon and a wonderful tour of the triforium, followed by the Crown Jewels @TowerOfLondon. @SLTHeritage and @rachmackay - you’ll be pleased to know that secondary spend was very well supported!!

It may sound like a small thing but the inaccuracy of weather apps and, in particular, using one image to denote the weather of an entire day & night (a rain drop) have huge detrimental effects on visitor attractions. People often base their decisions to visit on just that icon.

We are delighted to announce that @IainStanden CEO of @bletchleypark, Aaron Ward Director of Public Engagement of National Museums Northern Ireland @UlsterMuseum, and @SLTHeritage Director of Visitor Engagement @StPaulsLondon have been appointed to our Board. Congratulations!

A pleasure and a privilege to be @StPaulsLondon evensong and the Dean’s reception this evening.

@MJ_Ellis @David_Hingley If only they’d thought to make an umbrella to fox the heads of state who were in attendance!

@David_Hingley Certainly Sir - how about one to wear now and one to take away as a souvenir?

A really special evening yesterday, thanking key stakeholders and supporters of @alva_uk . A tour of @TowerOfLondon after the visitors had gone, drinks in the Yeoman Warder’s pub and the Ceremony of the Keys. An incredible experience!

@rachmackay And you didn’t say hello 😳

En route to Devon for the weekend; but great to stop @bathabbey to deliver some Vis Ex training to the FOH team