Famous British film and television exports are proving a boost to the British tourism economy, with the likes of Harry Potter and Downton Abbey providing support for local economies too.

Almost one in three tourists who visit the UK go to see an historic house or castle thanks to the productions’ worldwide successes and the popularity of British heritage sites, according to a report from VisitBritain.

It was found that visitors spend a total of around £6.5bn during their stay, with visitors to Northumberland’s Alnwick Castle – the set of Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films – having jumped 230 per cent since 2011. It is thought these increases have contributed an extra £9m into the local area's economy.

The UK tourism boom has also seen many visitors attending Downton Abbey's Highclere Castle, with the television drama thought to reach a total global audience of around 120m people.

VisitBritain’s report also reveals that Americans are huge contributors to the UK tourism economy, especially in the heritage sector, with those visiting from the United States spending around £1bn while visiting castles and historic houses.

The report also suggests women are more likely to visit a palace or stately home – with 34 per cent of females visiting, compared to 25 per cent of men.

Younger visitors are also more likely to visit castles or historic houses, with 49 per cent of those under 16 and 38 per cent of those aged 16 to 24 doing so, compared to between 25 per cent and 31 per cent of those in older age groups.

A copy of the report is available here: http://lei.sr?a=C4Z2Z