Families who want to visit London for a weekend of sightseeing and paying hundreds of pounds to visit iconic tourist attractions – compared to just pennies 50 years ago.
This year, Which? Reis analyzed how tourist attractions have soared since the first edition in 1974, revealing how the cost of a day out in the capital is driving the rate of inflation.
A ticket to the world-famous Kew Gardens was just 1p (9p in today’s money) in 1974, now rising in price from between £12 and £24 per adult.
In 1974 admission to the Tower of London was 10p – the equivalent of 90p today. But visiting in 2024 costs a staggering £34.80 per adult, an increase of 3,767 per cent.
Entry to Madame Tussauds was 75p – or £7 in today’s money. But an advanced ticket now costs £33, or £42 if bought on the day – a 500% rise.
Meanwhile, popular booking sites such as Booking.com advertise three-star hotel rooms at eye-popping prices.
A two-night weekend stay at the three-star Holiday Inn Express in Newham, London, for a family of four is £491, in a single room with a double bed and sofa bed.
Or the four-star Radisson Blue Hotel in Tower Hamlets, east London, for a weekend is £1,344. The bedroom suite has a double bed and sofa bed.
This year, Which? Travel analyzed how tourist attractions have soared since the first edition in 1974
Tourist attractions in London have hit customers with the highest price hike in 50 years, according to this Which? analysis of March this year
A ticket to Kew Gardens (pictured) was just 1p (9p in today’s money) in 1974, and has now skyrocketed in price to between £12 and £24 per adult
Tourist attractions in the city have hit customers with the highest price increase of the past 50 years, according to Which? analysis of March this year.
London Zoo, 80p to enter once (£7.20 in today’s money), costs £27 per person during peak times, and up to £33 at weekends – a 358 per cent increase based on the weekend ticket.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Reis, said: ‘Everyone should be able to afford a day out in the nation’s capital, but our research found that people still have to dig deeper to afford access to some of London’s best-loved attractions.’
Mr Boland advised booking in advance rather than buying at the gate to bag the cheapest price, while also looking out for discount schemes.
‘Plus many of the UK’s top attractions can still be enjoyed for free – in London some of our readers’ favorite examples include the RAF Museum, and even a tour of the Houses of Parliament, pre-booked by your MP can be discussed,’ he said.
When it comes to hotels, although expensive, Which? explained that they are still the cheaper alternative for letting holiday accommodation in the city.
On Booking.com, a two-bedroom flat in Camden is advertised for £876 for two nights for a family of four with two children.
In 1974 admission to the Tower of London (pictured) was 10p – the equivalent of 90p in today’s money. However, if you were to visit in 2024, you’d be paying a staggering £34.80 per adult
London Zoo (pictured), 80p to enter once (£7.20 in today’s money), costs £27 per person during peak times, and up to £33 at weekends – a 358 per cent increase based on the weekend ticket
While entry to Madame Tussauds was 75p – or £7 in today’s money – in 2024 a ticket costs £33 if bought in advance – up to as much as £42 if bought on the day
A stay at the three-star Holiday Inn Express in London will cost a family £491 for a two-night weekend stay in a single room with a double bed and sofa bed
A family of four can stay for a weekend at the four-star Radisson Blue Hotel in Tower Hamlets for £1,344
Vacation rentals in London are generally more expensive than hotels. A two bedroom flat in Camden is advertised for £876 for two nights for a family of four with two children
A cheaper alternative is a one-bedroom flat in Tower Hamlets for £544, which offers one double bed and one sofa bed
A cheaper alternative is a one-bedroom flat in Tower Hamlets for £544, which offers one double bed and one sofa bed.
Mr Bowland said: ‘While many of us might assume that holiday lettings will beat hotels on price, last time we checked we found that’s not the case, with the average cost of a hotel room in Greater London coming in significantly cheaper than ‘ a one bedroom rental.
‘Comparison sites can be a great tool for finding accommodation, but if you’ve found somewhere you like the look of it, we’d always recommend booking direct to get the best price.
“If you pick up the phone, there’s every chance you can negotiate an extra saving or even a nice perk like a free breakfast.”
The expert also advised to carefully consider the dates you choose to visit, and to avoid traveling during major events, as this can often ‘inflate accommodation prices’.
