UK - A one city country?

[Mecky]

Isn't the Peak District one of the most visited national parks in the country?

[Ellco]

I am of the view that apart from London, there isn't much for tourists to come and visit us for. The next biggest cities are Birmingham and Leeds, then Sheffield and Manchester, I can't see many people coming to visit those cities, they are hardly covered in great places.

 

Maybe Edinburgh, who knows.

 

But really, I wonder if anyone ever visits the UK for a "holiday" to often visit many other places?

 

I agree. We are country with little history. There's nothing historical to see

[charmer]

Is it?

 

The OP would appear to be under the impression that the only thing that can attract tourists is cities - which is obviously nonsense.

 

Well yes and no. London on its own is responsible for just over half of all foreign tourism to the UK. So everything else the UK has to offer, all added together, still does not match London for it's pull.

 

Within the UK, there isn't really much that pulls people from all over the world in large numbers that isn't a city. We have nice things to see, the Lake District, the Peak District, Snowdonia, the Broads and many other places.

 

It is just that people from abroad don't seem to want to see them in great numbers.

[Olive]

I am of the view that apart from London, there isn't much for tourists to come and visit us for. The next biggest cities are Birmingham and Leeds, then Sheffield and Manchester, I can't see many people coming to visit those cities, they are hardly covered in great places.

 

Maybe Edinburgh, who knows.

 

But really, I wonder if anyone ever visits the UK for a "holiday" to often visit many other places?

 

Aaron, why would you think it's just cities that tourists come to see? Have you ever been to Scotland? The Highlands are teeming with Americans and Europeans on tour. Edinburgh is packed with international tourists, by the way.

[Ghozer]

I am of the view that apart from London, there isn't much for tourists to come and visit us for. The next biggest cities are Birmingham and Leeds, then Sheffield and Manchester, I can't see many people coming to visit those cities, they are hardly covered in great places.

 

Maybe Edinburgh, who knows.

 

But really, I wonder if anyone ever visits the UK for a "holiday" to often visit many other places?

 

not sure where you got that view from, but there's LOTS for tourists...

 

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=top%20tourist%20attractions%20in%20uk

[tinfoilhat]

Lake District - Not a city and I would imagine that the vast majority of it's impressive tourist numbers are from within the UK. Can anyone find any actual figures to see if I am wrong or right?

 

Loch Ness - Again not a city and I don't think it pulls that many visitors if I am honest.

 

York - A beautiful city that really should get more tourists than it does. I would bu surprised if York was in the worlds 100 most visited cities.

 

Whilst a lot of people do go to watch Manchester United, it wouldn't be enough to lift Manchester into the higher echelons of the worlds most visited places. I would imagine it is the UK's third most visited city, after London and Edinburgh, but still not a world beater.

 

 

OP has it spot on for me.

 

My sister lives in york. It is full of tourists from around the globe all year round. How many destinations should british cities occupy in this mythical top 100?

[charmer]

My sister lives in york. It is full of tourists from around the globe all year round. How many destinations should british cities occupy in this mythical top 100?

 

Well the discussion is a rather subjective one, so is open to interpretation.

 

I would suggest that to avoid being classed as a one city country in terms of tourism, London would need to have some peers in the field of international visitors within the UK.

 

http://blog.euromonitor.com/2013/01/top-100-cities-destination-ranking.html

 

This shows visitors in 2011, placing London in 3rd. By all accounts (ok by 2, Master Card and Forbes), London got top spot last year.

 

No other UK cities are in the top 100 for 2011. I can't find an up to date list for anything other than the top 20 cities (all place London at the top, with no other UK entries).

 

I understand that there is antipathy towards London up north and so lots of people will not like what the OP suggests.

 

I feel that it is a fair point they have made, the fact that London is the top most visited city in the world, and that no other UK city makes the top 100 highlights the over-reliance on London that the British tourism industry has. I feel that this over reliance is so great that a claim that the UK is a one city country (in terms of tourism) is founded and correct.

 

Why would you think a list of most visited cities in the world in mythical? Do you know what the word means?

[tzijlstra]

Only people I encounter on Scottish roads in the Highlands all year are tourists from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal and last summer even a number of American campervans.

[Olive]

My sister lives in york. It is full of tourists from around the globe all year round. How many destinations should british cities occupy in this mythical top 100?

 

I grew up near York and as long as I remember, it's been a magnet for tourists. Whilst I wouldn't want to see its tourism income decline, it's only a small city, and it gets about as busy as you'd want it to get. York was ahead of the curve with its park and ride system, but it still struggles with traffic and parking.

[davyboy]

You can hardly move in Canterbury for tourists.

Hoards of French kids marching 6 abreast barging all before them and trampling OAPs into the ground.

The queues to get into the cathedral, the mind boggles how much money is taken from them.

Nothing to see outside London!!!!!!