Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Countryside areas - e.g. the Lake District National
than 200,000 jobs. The Blackpool area had the largest
single concentration of seaside tourist jobs at more
than 19,000, the report found.
Park, Snowdonia National Park.
It is possible for a travel and tourism destination to fall
into more than one of these categories. Edinburgh, for
example, is a capital city as well as being an important
cultural/historical destination.
Countryside areas
The great outdoors is a magnet for UK and overseas
visitors. Protected areas, such as the National Parks and
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, plus other areas
of scenic beauty, offer people fresh air, peace, quiet
and an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday
life. Increased interest in activities and sports, such as
mountain biking, climbing and walking, means that
the environment in countryside areas is coming under
increased pressure.
Capital cities
The UK's four capital cities - Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh
and London - have a wide variety of tourist facilities,
including accommodation, attractions, entertainment,
shops and information services, within a relatively small
area. They tend to be popular with overseas visitors to
the UK, particularly those who are making their fi rst trip
to this country. They are well-served by public transport,
including rail, bus, air, coach and tram services. Many
cities other than our capitals are also very popular
with tourists, who make a valuable contribution to the
economy of destinations all over the UK. Recent data
from VisitBritain shows that the top fi ve most-visited
UK cities in 2009, in terms of overnight stays, were:
FOCUS ON INDUSTRY
UK NATIONAL PARKS
'National Park' is a protected status given to areas
that have some of the UK's fi nest scenery and
landscapes. To date, 13 National Parks have been
designated in England and Wales since the 1949
National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act.
This includes the Broads, which was set up under
a special Act of Parliament in 1988, and the New
Forest, designated a National Park in March 2005.
The South Downs is the most recent National Park,
having been offi cially launched in 2009. Scotland has
2 National Parks - Cairngorms and Loch Lomond.
Millions of people visit National Parks every year
to enjoy their unique peace and tranquillity. They
are also 'living landscapes' - home to many diverse
communities.
1.
London: 14.2 million
2.
Edinburgh: 1.3 million
3.
Manchester: 0.8 million
4.
Birmingham: 0.71 million
5.
Glasgow: 0.62 million
Coastal resorts
These have been part of the UK travel and tourism
scene since Victorian times, although today many are
experiencing diffi culty in attracting visitors. This is due
to the increasing competition from tour operators
offering overseas package holidays with 'guaranteed'
sunshine and the growth of low-cost airlines. Many
seaside resorts in the UK are investing in new facilities
for tourists in order to hold on to their market share, for
example by providing more wet-weather facilities, extra
entertainment and upgraded holiday accommodation.
Coastal resorts are particularly popular with families.
A recent report from Sheffi eld Hallam University on
Britain's seaside towns show that they contribute £3.6
billion to the UK economy and directly support more
The word 'national' does not mean that the Parks
are owned by the government - most of the land
within National Park boundaries is privately owned
and often under severe pressure from visitors and
their vehicles.
Weblink
Check out this website for more
information on UK National Parks.
www.nationalparks.gov.uk
 
 
 
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