Concerns about crowds and social distancing will slow visitors’ return to museusm and galleries, research finds

A growing number of people are anticipating visiting a tourist attraction in the next 3 to 6 months, according to a tracking study published by ALVA, the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions. Perodic waves of online research are being conducted among adults who visited at least one attraction in the UK in 2019. In the last week of March only 21% were expecting to attend within six months, but by the last week in April that figure had grown to 48%.

Relatively few people will be rushing back when the doors to these attractions reopen though. The research shows that only 16% expect to go back as soon as the opportunity arises, while 54% will 'wait and see what happens for a short while' and 29% are 'unikely to want to visit for a long time'. Fear of crowds and concerns about whether an attraction can maintain social distancing will be the biggest influence over decisions to visit.