Edinburgh’s Royal Yacht Britannia in TripAdvisor’s UK Top 10

The Royal Yacht Britannia, in Edinburgh, has held its position TripAdvisor’s Top 10 UK Travellers’ Choice Landmark attractions awards for the fifth year running.

Coming in at No.8 Britannia once again has the highest percentage of ‘Excellent’ reviews (72.4%) in TripAdvisor’s UK Top 10 (see list below), which also includes Edinburgh Castle at No.4.

Delighted with the news, Britannia’s Chief Executive Bob Downie said: “Being included in TripAdvisor’s Top 10 for five years in a row is a real testament to our excellent staff, who consistently provide great customer experiences that lead to such positive feedback from our visitors. There is a significant difference in the quality standards required to gain a 5 star Excellent review than a 4 star Very Good review – the former crucial in convincing new customers to invest their time in visiting your attraction.”

Tripadvisor’s Top 10 UK Travellers Choice Landmarks Awards:

1. Big Ben, London (69% Excellent)

2. Tower of London, London (65% Excellent)

3. Tower Bridge, London (62% Excellent)

4. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh (58% Excellent)

5. Westminster Abbey, London (66% Excellent)

6. Buckingham Palace, London (53% Excellent)

7. The Roman Baths, Bath (70% Excellent)

8. The Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh (72% Excellent)

9. The Cavern Club, Liverpool (71% Excellent)

10. St Paul’s Cathedral, London (63% Excellent)

Travellers’ Choice Landmarks awards honur top landmarks worldwide based on the millions of valuable reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travellers. Award winners were determined using an algorithm that takes into account the quantity and quality of reviews for landmarks worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period.

This success for Britannia, follows on from the iconic attraction reporting 2016 as its most successful year since opening 18 years ago, with 348,272 visitors in 2016 and this year, 22% up on all previous records. The iconic yacht has also been rated by national tourism agency, VisitScotland’s quality assessors, as Scotland’s Best Visitor Attraction for the 11th successive year.

Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive at VisitScotland, said: "We're delighted that two of Scotland’s leading attractions feature in the Travellers' Choice top 10, reflecting the worldwide appeal of these iconic landmarks and the quality of the visitor experience. Scotland's history and heritage attracts millions of visitors from around the world and top attractions in Edinburgh such as these are why the Scottish capital remains a must-visit destination for travellers."

Follow us on Facebook: The Royal Yacht BRITANNIA or Twitter: @Britanniayacht

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ENDS

Notes for Editors

1. The Royal Yacht Britannia and Edinburgh Castle are both part of The Royal Edinburgh Ticket, the city’s most popular joint pass, which includes admission to the Castle, Britannia and the Palace of Holyroodhouse and 48 hours of unlimited travel on Lothian buses open–top sightseeing buses.

2. Britannia is owned by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust (Registered Charity No. SC028070). The Trust’s responsibility is to maintain and preserve Britannia in keeping with her former role and to display her to the public as a key part of British maritime history. The Trust is a wholly self-funding, not-for-profit, charitable organisation. Surplus funds generated from running the Royal Yacht as a visitor attraction and events venue goes towards preserving the yacht for future generations. Britannia is the official headquarters of the Association of Royal Yachtsmen.

3. During her 44 year career, Britannia conveyed The Queen, other members of the Royal Family and dignitaries. She travelled 1,087,623 nautical miles, calling at more than 600 ports in 135 countries. Situated in Edinburgh's historic port of Leith, Britannia is now an iconic five-star visitor attraction, as well as an exclusive evening events venue. Visitors enjoy a fascinating insight into The Queen’s former floating palace, and the lives of those who lived and worked on board. With an audio tour in 27 languages, of Britannia’s fully accessible five decks, highlights include the teak-panelled Sun Lounge and elegant State Dining Room, which contrast dramatically with the working side of the ship and the crew’s quarters.