Valuing Historic Attractions Using Travel Cost Methods and Mobile Data
Author(s): Thomas Collwill, Midhuna Sajeev, Rory Milne
This report examines the economic and cultural value of England’s historic attractions, as part of the Culture and Heritage Capital (CHC) programme, conducted by Historic England. Using the Travel Cost Method (TCM), the research explores how travel costs influence visitation while incorporating mobile analytical data as a tool for understanding travel patterns. Two datasets were compared: English Heritage’s online booking data, which provides insights concerning visitor numbers, ticket purchases, and transportation modes, and Huq Industries anonymised mobile GPS data, which captures broader travel behaviours. The findings provide insights into the non-market value of visiting a historic attraction site, with estimated average per capita consumer surplus of £4.83 from mobile analytical data and £5.75 from English Heritage data. Additionally, the study highlights potential for mobile data to understand the economic value of non-ticketed or free sites, offering a reliable and cost-effective alternative to traditional surveys. The results support the inclusion of non-market values in economic evaluations, strengthening the case for sustained investment and preservation of cultural heritage assets.
- Report Number:
- 10/2025
- Series:
- Research Report
- Pages:
- 78
- Keywords:
- Culture and Heritage Capital Historic Attractions Travel Cost Method Consumer Surplus Non-Market Value Economy Economics
