Lazy Londoners overlook attractions

If you had a website aimed at showcasing London’s main (and minor) tourist attractions, you would probably want to know whether Londoners themselves were making the most of the treasures on our doorstep. That’s certainly what’s happened at the home of the very handy GetYourGuide website: and off they went to find out whether tourism does indeed start from home.

The findings are that Londoners are not really taking advantage of what the Office for National Statistics says is the most popular city in the world. Over a third (33%) of Londoners spend their weekends in the pub or watching TV. More than half (57%) of adults living in London have never visited the capital’s main attractions such as St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tate Modern, Madame Tussauds, the Tower of London or the Victoria & Albert Museum – though these little gems are pulling in thousands of tourists from the UK and overseas.

The study found that although Brits are famed for our devotion to queuing, 20% of Londoners said the reason they wouldn’t visit London’s main attractions was because they couldn’t bear waiting in line. Common sense suggests that there are other reasons why we don’t go out: we don’t really know what’s out there and what you can see, and we’re afraid of the cost – because in these times, you just can’t keep on paying out.

Enter, then, the GetYourGuide website to help us get over all these obstacles.

First, it is a really easy to use website (we tested it out) which you can use to find out what is out there. The information is grouped in sensible categories, so if you are looking for something to do with your tiny people you won’t have to wade through lists of trendy cocktail bars. The information on each attraction of event is presented in sensible chunks so you get a sense of each attraction without having to click for Britain (though you can click for details when you want to).

Second, it lets you buy tickets in advance so that you can skip the queues or at least minimise your wait wherever possible.

Third, it does try to offer the best deals on ticket prices.

Yes, it can be hard to make the effort to get out of the house at the weekend – whether you have children in tow or not. But it can be very refreshing to make the effort, at least once in a while. This website will help get you thinking and help you sort out the practical details.

Website founder and CEO Johannes Reck commented: “This research highlights the importance of using a guide even in one’s home city to discover what’s on offer. Londoners should take the opportunity to explore what cultural and historical attractions are on their doorstep. At GetYourGuide we endeavour to inform Londoners and travellers alike about the exciting activities the capital has to offer. To make them accessible we have large range of tours which we can tailor, such as skip-the-queue tickets for those tight on time or the most price efficient tours for those who want London on shoestring.”

What more can we say? Well, one little gripe: in the pages we looked at (and these were only a sample of the 25,000 attractions in London and other cities which it coveres) there was no systematic recording of access details. Of course disabled people may wish to contact an individual attraction to see whether their particular needs can be met, but that doesn’t mean it’s not helpful to give a general outline.

•Check out the attactions on www.getyourguide.co.uk