ALVA

ALVA is an association for the UK's foremost visitor attractions.

ALVA seeks to represent to the government, the tourism industry, the media and the public, the views and achievements of the country’s visitor attractions. Its members are the UK's most popular, iconic and important museums, galleries, palaces, castles, cathedrals, zoos, historic houses, heritage sites, gardens and leisure attractions.

ALVA members include Chester Zoo, the Eden Project, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, the National Trust, Shakespeare's Globe, The British Museum and the Natural History Museum.

The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions members comprises over 2200 tourist sites, hosting over 119 million domestic and overseas visitors each year - around 28% of the visits made annually in the UK.

ALVA's Mission and Objectives

• To advocate 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.

History

ALVA was established in 1990 to fill in the gap in the framework of the UK's tourism representative bodies. Until ALVA was formed, there was no forum for addressing specific problems within the industry.

ALVA membership leads to shared knowledge between visitor attractions and organisations who have not had the chance to meet or might have regarded each other as competitors. This helps to lead to solutions on a wide variety of common issues.

ALVA members seek to provide people with the highest quality 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.

Background image courtesy of The Eden Project, photographer Sophia Milligan.