Heritage-based tourism is worth £26.4bn to the UK economy - £5.8bn higher than the previous estimate published in 2010 according to recent research from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The new report also suggests that heritage is playing an increasingly important part in the choices of Brits who decide to stay in the UK for their holiday – over a quarter of all UK holiday activities undertaken by UK residents now involve heritage.

HLF published its first report on heritage tourism, Investing in Success, compiled by Oxford Economics, in 2010, based on data from 2007. The report analysed the impact of the heritage-based visitor economy and established that the sector made an even bigger contribution to UK GDP than the advertising, car manufacturing or film industries.

The report found that between 2007 and 2011 there was a rise of 13 per cent in both international visits to the UK for holidays and the number of overnight holiday stays in the UK made by UK residents. Domestic day trips over the longer period 2005-11 also rose by 47 per cent.

In addition, people were spending more on these trips: International visitors on holiday were spending 28 per cent more per visit in 2011 than in 2007, and UK residents on holiday were spending per cent more.

Dame Jenny Abramsky, chair of HLF, said: “Heritage is a strong driver for both international and domestic visitors and an especially powerful draw for those who choose to stay in the UK for their holiday. We should be thankful that we have such a rich and diverse heritage to offer – from our world-class museums, historic country houses to coastlines and beautiful landscapes.”

Loyd Grossman, chair of the Heritage Alliance speaking on the links between heritage and the tourism business at today’s Tourism Alliance AGM, welcomed the report: “This is incontestable proof that our unique heritage is one of our major national assets and can contribute to our national economic recovery. Heritage means business for Britain.”