Sir Neil Cossons, chair of English Heritage, opened the third annual National Conference of Visitor Attractions (VAC2006)in London this morning, saying that Britain’s visitor attractions must continue to capture the attention of visitors and win political recognition and support.

“Most of Britain’s attractions are an integral part of the fabric of our nation,” he said. “They are for the entertainment, enlightenment and inspiration of today’s and tomorrow’s visitors and an invaluable asset for future generations. We have to ensure that we capture the attention of potential visitors, earn their respect, and win political recognition and support. Today’s conference will be brimming with ideas and inspiration to help us achieve those aims.”

Around 300 delegates have gathered at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre for the one day event, which is organised on a not-for-profit basis, and will cover topics including Attracting Tomorrow’s Customers, with presentations on future trends and branding, and Transformation – Improving the Attraction, with examples from the heritage and museum sectors and international leisure developments.

There are also four seminars, on The Law, The Olympics (Cultural Olympiad and Quality), Benchmarking and Gift Aid, and a Great Debate when industry leaders will tackle delegate's questions and current controversial issues.

Ken Robinson, chair of the Visitor Attractions Forum, said: “Despite distractions such as the World Cup and the summer heatwave, 2006 has been a good year for the industry – for established and iconic attractions but also for lesser-known properties.

“In recent years, The Da Vinci Code and Harry Potter, as well as our continuing fascination with the legends of the Knights Templar, grail mythology, theological secrets and religious conspiracy, have driven people to discover the stories of our chapels, churches, abbeys and cathedrals.”

The conference is organised by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions (BALPPA), the Visitor Attractions Forum (VAF), VisitBritain and Attractions Management. Details: www.vac2006.co.uk