ALVA's mission & objectives

ALVA represents the views and achievements of the country's foremost visitor attractions to Government, the broader tourism industry,  business, media and the public.

We promote co-operation, networking, information sharing between our members in order to continually improve the high standards of visitor management and visitor experience.

The Association has five main objectives:

  1. To advocate to national and local government the importance of ensuring that tourism interests are fully considered in infrastructure decisions.

  2. 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.

  3. To advise government during its consideration of fiscal and taxation issues which affect member attractions and the tourism industry in general.

  4. 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.

  5. 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

 

  • Networking and professional development

We have a number of networking groups which each meet every six months:

ALVA London members

ALVA Scottish members

ALVA HR Directors

  • hosted by Farrer & Co

ALVA Finance Directors

  • hosted by Farrer & Co

ALVA Development and Fundraising Directors

ALVA Event Managers

ALVA Membership and Friends' Scheme Managers

ALVA Heads of Security

ALVA Ticketing Issues group

ALVA Digital Marketing Group

  • in partnership with Digital Visitor and Deeson

ALVA Education Managers

  • hosted by our member sites

ALVA Retail and Commercial Directors

 

 

  • Marketing best practice, trends and insights

We hold a number of seminars throughout the year on issues whch our members identify as being important; these have recently included crisis management, social media, membership and friends' schemes and Gift Aid.

 

  • Benchmarking

More than 90 visitor attraction organisations, covering over 200 sites (our membership and some non-members) participate in our three benchmarking initiatives - qualitative and the visitor experience; financial benchmarking and our in-house mystery guest scheme.

  • BVA BDRC Continental manage and deliver our visitor experience benchmaking scheme which evaluates visitors' motivations to visit, what they like, what they experience, their propensity to recommend and measures these against other scheme participants. We are able to determine which of our members are particulary successful in key performance areas and in doing so encourage the sharing of best practice.
  • Lesley Morisetti Associates deliver our financial benchmarking service. It measures data like average spend per visitor in membership, retail and catering and across different attractions sectors. 

 

  • Advocacy

ALVA is supported by a group of eminent Peers and MPs in the Houses of Parliament who are trustees and/or board directors of ALVA member organisations and institutions. They meet regularly and receive briefings on issues which are important to ALVA members.

 

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