Although it’s not actually in Manchester, we always like to claim Chester Zoo for ourselves, given its prowess in the world of UK zoos and the sheer enjoyment we get out of just skipping across to Cheshire. Now, Chester Zoo has been named one of the most popular ‘paid for’ attractions in England after more than 1.9 million people visited last year.
New data, released by VisitEngland, has revealed the zoo welcomed 1,947,544 people in 2024, on par with the previous year’s figures (1,942,890).
The new numbers, which gathered information from 1,373 English attractions, rank the conservation-focused zoo as the most visited ‘paid for’ attraction outside of London and third overall. The Tower of London took top spot with 2.9 million visitors, while the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew was second with 2.3 million visitors – unsurprising really.
Tourism is one of England’s largest and most valuable industries, generating about £76 billion annually for the economy in 2024 in domestic visitor spending.
Dom Strange, Chester Zoo’s Commercial Director, said: “As a major international wildlife charity, everything we do is focused on supporting global conservation – and it all begins here in Chester.
“Whether it’s caring for highly threated animals and plants, making scientific discoveries, influencing government environmental policies, impacting the National Curriculum to better connect young people with nature, or our conservation efforts in around 20 countries – we’re fully committed to protecting endangered species for the future.
“None of this would be possible without our visitors. Every person who comes to the zoo for a fun and inspiring day out is helping to fund our vital work. So, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us and helped us to rank so highly in VisitEngland’s latest report.
“The more visitors we can attract to the zoo, the more species-saving work we can carry out. That’s why we’re constantly working to grow and offer new, engaging and meaningful experiences that help our visitors feel a real connection with the natural world.”
The VisitEngland accolade follows hot on the heels of the zoo being crowned the best-rated zoo in the UK by TripAdvisor, so you can be sure a visit to Chester Zoo is always worth your time.
The top most visited paid attractions in England:
- Tower of London
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
- Chester Zoo
- Westminster Abbey
- St Paul’s Cathedral
- Stonehenge
- Windsor Castle
- Windermere Lake Cruises
- ZSL London Zoo
- RHS Garden Wisley
What makes Chester Zoo so popular?
In April, Chester Zoo unveiled an immersive new experience named Heart of Africa – the largest zoo habitat ever created in the UK. Home to 57 iconic African species, the 22.5-acre zone features a savannah, home to giraffe, zebra, roan antelope and ostrich, while other animals to encounter include naked mole rats, cobras and locusts as well as aardvarks, meerkats, warthogs, eastern black rhino, painted dogs and flamingos. Go to the Chester Zoo website to find an extensive list of the animals, plants and gardens you can set your eyes (and sometimes hands) on.
The Zoo is also set to open its luxury short-break accommodation, ‘The Reserve‘ – so watch this space for your overnight stay needs.
How do I get to Chester Zoo?
📍 Chester Zoo is located in Chester, CH2 1LE.
🚗 Chester Zoo is just over an hour’s drive from Manchester City Centre.
🚆 You can get the train to Chester from Manchester Piccadilly, and a bus from there to the Zoo entrance.
🎟️ You can book a visit to Chester Zoo here.
