What is ALVA?
The 42 members of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) comprise the majority of Britain’s biggest and best known attractions, and are responsible for managing some 1,598 tourist sites.
Between them they welcome over 100 million domestic and overseas visitors each year - some 25% of the visits made annually in the United Kingdom.
To qualify for membership, the attractions must host over a million visitors per year at their singly or centrally-managed sites and be in accord with ALVA’s mission statement and quality standards.
Current members include many of the UK’s most famous museums, galleries and heritage sites whose international standing makes them a magnet for overseas visitors, as well as mass-market commercial leisure attractions which are renowned throughout the world.
They seek to provide people with the highest quality in terms of visitor experience, presentation, interpretation, education, service and enjoyment. They are at the leading edge of Britain’s tourism industry, making substantial contributions to the UK’s economy and employment and together, commanding influence and respect in both government and non-government circles.
Why was ALVA created?
The Association was established in 1990 to fill a perceived gap in the framework of national tourism representative bodies. Organisations representing hotels, restaurants, pleasure parks, zoos and similar enterprises were already geared to the needs of their particular sectors of the industry.
Until ALVA’s formation, there was no forum for addressing specific problems - including the management of large numbers of visitors - which confronted the country’s major sightseeing attractions. Through membership of ALVA, visitor attractions and organisations who would not otherwise have met, or who might have regarded one another as competitors, have been able to benefit from shared information leading to solutions to a wide variety of common issues.
Who belongs to ALVA?
ALVA members fall into five natural sub-groupings:
- Museums and Galleries
- Heritage
- Cathedrals
- Leisure, Amusement and Theme Parks
- Gardens, Zoos and Conservation sites
Within these categories some are public bodies, others are in the private sector. Some charge for admission, others do not. Some operate all year round, others seasonally.
They differ in style and ethos but not in appeal; all are popular and well recognised visitor attractions of prime importance to the nation’s tourism industry.
ALVA’s Mission
ALVA seeks to represent to government, the tourism industry, the media and the public, the views and achievements of the country’s foremost visitor attractions in matters which concern the effectiveness of UK tourism and the interests of the Association, whilst promoting co-operation and high standards of visitor management among its members.
ALVA’s Objectives
The Association has five main objectives:
- To stress continually to national and local government the importance of ensuring that tourism interests are fully considered in infrastructure decisions.
- To encourage and influence national and local government in their funding support for the maintenance, upkeep and further development of visitor attractions, and the fabric of their building and estates.
- To advise government during its consideration of fiscal and taxation issues which affect member attractions and the tourism industry in general.
- To demonstrate to both central and local government the cost-effectiveness of the marketing and promotion of tourism, and the importance of adequate public funding of these activities.
- To exchange information and ideas between members so that presentation, service, customer care, good practice and value for money are maintained at the highest standards.