Tourism in England

Tourism plays a significant part in the economic life of England.

Many English people travel abroad, which takes money out of the country.However, many other people come to England as tourists, and this is economically beneficial. There is significant economic benefit from American and Australian tourists, as well as other tourists from European countries.

Cultural and heritage tourism

England's tourist industry is principally "cultural" and "heritage" based, and many tourists are attracted to England because of its history, particularly in London (see Tourism in London).

Heritage Cities in England

*Bath: A spa, famous for its Regency architecture and crescents, and also for its Roman baths.
*Brighton: Brighton is a seaside resort which includes two piers, West Pier and Brighton Pier, and also has the Royal Pavilion.
*Bristol: Brunel's Clifton suspension bridge is a famous landmark, and the ship, the "SS Great Britain" is another of Brunel's famous constructions, which is now in dry dock in Bristol.
*Cambridge: A famous university town.
*Canterbury: Renowned for its cathedral.
*Dover: A major port with access to the continent. Also well known for its white cliffs, and to a lesser extent for its castle, Dover Castle.
*Haworth: where the Brontë Sisters lived, is very popular with Japanese tourists, as Wuthering Heights has a cult following in Japan.
*Liverpool: A major port and World Heritage Site, with two cathedrals, plus the most listed buildings in the UK outside of London. There is also an orchestra and art galleries.
*Oxford : now a busy commercial city, which also has a famous university.
*Nottingham : The city and Nottingham Castle are famed worldwide for their links with the legend of Robin Hood. Sherwood Forest is nearby.
*Portsmouth: Portsmouth is a naval dockyard, and has some famous ships on display, including the Mary Rose, and HMS Victory, all within its Historic Dockyard. Also home to Gunwharf Quays retail centre, with its iconic Spinnaker Tower.
*Salisbury: Salisbury cathedral is well known, and has the tallest spire in the country. Nearby is the pre-historic site of Stonehenge, which is administered by English Heritage.
*Stratford-upon-Avon: Shakespeare's birthplace is probably the most visited place in Stratford
*Wells: best known for Wells Cathedral
*York: Famous for York Minster. Also the location of the National Railway Museum and a wealth of preserved medieval streets and buildings, such as the Merchant Adventurers' Hall and the Shambles.

Other places in England are also of historical interest. The cities of Manchester and Birmingham are the two cities receiving the most foreign tourists after London. Many foreign tourists also visit the neighbouring countries Scotland and Wales – see tourism in Scotland and tourism in Wales.

Domestic tourists, and foreign tourists who have specific interests in art, music, history etc, also visit the following:

*Birmingham: A major city, with an orchestra, major exhibition venues (NEC, ICC) and art galleries. Of historical interest for its significant role in the industrial revolution. Also the childhood home and inspiration of Tolkien
*Hadrian's Wall: The Roman wall built by order of the Emperor Hadrian.
*Hereford: A cathedral city, famous for the chained library in the cathedral, and the Mappa Mundi
*Ironbridge: The cradle of the industrial revolution and the site for the legendary Iron bridge.
*Manchester: A major city, famous for the Hallé orchestra and many museums and art galleries, a classic example of buildings from the Victorian era. Also well known for the Manchester Ship Canal. Home of Manchester United F.C., world famous football club, the host city of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Manchester is also known for being the world's first industrialised city. Also noted for its shopping, cuisine and nightlife.
*Leeds: A base to explore the historic county of Yorkshire. It is popular for shopping, nightlife and museums, including the Henry Moore foundation.

Ecotourism

England also has some unique natural environments, and has a significant Ecotourism industry:

*Eden Project in Cornwall.
*The Lake District, a national park with hills and lakes, including Windermere, the largest lake in England.
*The Peak District, a national park in Derbyshire.
*Dartmoor and Exmoor, national parks in Devon.
*The New Forest, a rural forest park in Hampshire.
*The Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site in Dorset and Devon
*The National Forest, covering parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.
*Center Parcs, a number of rural holiday parks.
*Plus various National Nature Reserves, Heritage Coasts and other protected areas.

ee also

* Enjoy England
* Institute of Tourist Guiding
* Tourism in Scotland
* Tourism in Wales
* Tourism in the United Kingdom

External links

* [http://www.enjoyengland.com English Tourist Board]
* [http://enjoyengland.typepad.com/ English Tourist Board Blog]
* [http://www.pagemost.com "www.pagemost.com"] , Interactive Google maps showing local places and attractions, complete with Flickr photographs. Search by UK place name or postcode.
* [http://www.theleisureguide.co.uk/england/ TheLeisureGuide] , Tourist Attractions around England.