Churches Tourism Association

Spanning thirteen centuries of history and offering myriad features of interest, beautiful and historic churches are to be found in every city, town and most villages in Britain. Most are open for visitors to enter and explore freely. But are we making the most of the relationship between churches and tourism, especially at the level of the destination experience?

Andrew Duff takes a look at the potential for churches to develop their relationship with visitors and to enrich their visit.

Churches and cathedrals are such a familiar part of our landscape that it is possible to take them for granted. They do, however, make a vital contribution to Britain’s heritage, attractiveness and economy.

Whilst by their very nature churches are not commercially-run attractions, the Open Churches Trust and some area partnership initiatives have done much to encourage churches to open their doors and to adopt good ‘visitor welcome’ practices.

This is not just about buildings: churches are veritable story-boxes, filled with tell-tale evidence of people and events that have shaped our land. For many visitors they remain a mystery, merely a part of the quintessential picture-postcard view.

Yet those who venture inside are invariably rewarded and often surprised by what they find – bringing heart and depth to their destination experience.At a deeper level, then, churches and other places of worship are integral to the story of the places and communities within which they have evolved. They are signposts of our heritage, points where you can touch history, as well as places of visual and spiritual wonder.

Rosslyn Chapel

Creative opportunities

Despite a decline in formal religion, churches and sacred places appear to be enjoying renewed interest, perhaps fuelled in part by the rise of popular history and restoration programmes, and growing interest in tracing family roots. Popular fiction can also fire the imagination, witness the upsurge in visitors to the beautiful Rosslyn Chapel, near Edinburgh, hot on the ‘Da Vinci Code’ trail.

Historic churches offer opportunities to welcome visitors in new and creative ways – including interpretive displays, art exhibitions, and some excellent church cafés!The interest is not only amongst traditional middle-class ‘oldies’ either. For walkers and cyclists, country churches can be welcoming points of interest en route – perhaps enhanced by proximity to a village pub. Where steps have been taken to reach new audiences there are signs of fresh appeal amongst younger people, schools visits, and visitors from a wider range of social and ethnic backgrounds. An inclusive approach is increasingly appropriate, embracing historic sites associated with other faiths.

Recent examples of destination church tourism initiatives include the excellent Open Churches Network in Wales and North Yorkshire Churches project. Both benefited from strong tourism destination support, and have demonstrably increased visitor activity. They also offer insights and good practice that should be taken on board in any new initiatives.

‘Sacred Britain’ agenda

The Sacred Britain Agenda for Action (available from the Library section of this website) sets out a strategy for churches and tourism, and calls for action to create more area-wide church tourism initiatives and transfer ‘best practice’ models for marketing, interpretation and visitor welcome.

Andrew Duff (Tourism Consultant and Churches Tourism Association Trustee)