Blackpool Zoo Named UK’s Third Best Zoo
.jpg)
Blackpool Zoo also rated tenth best zoo in Europe and 21st in the world, according to millions of traveller reviews and opinions
Blackpool Zoo has today been named the third best rated zoo in the UK in the Travellers’ Choice TM awards for Zoos, announced by TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site*.
The Lancashire zoo, which is home to a whole host of mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians and arthropods, is also named tenth best rated zoo in Europe and twenty-first in the world. The zoo has jumped up two places from fifth best rated in the UK in last year’s awards.
Blackpool Zoo director, Darren Webster said, “I’m absolutely delighted that our visitors have elevated Blackpool Zoo to 3rd best zoo in the UK and 10th in Europe! We do listen to our visitors’ suggestions for improvements and changes, and the continued investment in new animal enclosures and guest facilities has obviously paid off. “
It’s celebrations all round for the UK this year as it’s revealed that Britain boasts more winning zoos than any other European country, with eight of Europe’s top 25. Chester Zoo in Chester, Colchester Zoo in Essex, Blackpool Zoo in Lancashire, Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens in Oxfordshire, Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo in South Wales, Paignton Zoo, Durrell Wildlife Park in Jersey and Drusillas Park in East Sussex take fourth, sixth, tenth, twelfth, sixteenth, seventeenth, nineteenth and twentieth respectively.
The UK also lays claim to three winners among the world’s top 25 – second only to the US, which boasts the most world winners with eight and tying with Australia which also claims three world winners.
Within the UK it’s the South that takes the lead with more TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for zoos than anywhere else in the country. Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens in Oxfordshire, Paignton Zoo Environmental Park in Devon, Drusillas Park in East Sussex and Axe Valley Wildlife Park in Devon take fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth in the UK respectively.
“These awards are based on the millions of reviews and opinions written by our global community of travellers and with the schools breaking up for summer in a matter of days, these winners should serve as great inspiration for a fantastic family day out,” commented TripAdvisor spokesperson, James Kay. “For Blackpool Zoo to jump two places up the UK rankings in just twelve months is a fantastic achievement,” James continued.
San Diego Zoo in the United States earns the coveted position of number one zoo in the world.
The annual Travellers’ Choice awards for zoos are based on the millions of valuable reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travellers across the globe. Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews for zoos, gathered over a 12-month period.
10 best rated zoos in the UK
1. Chester Zoo, Chester, Cheshire
2. Colchester Zoo, Colchester, Essex
3. Blackpool Zoo, Blackpool, Lancashire
4. Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens, Burford, Oxfordshire
5. Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo, Begelly, South Wales
6. Paignton Zoo, Paignton, Devon
7. Durrell Wildlife Park, Trinity, Jersey
8. Drusillas Park, Berwick, East Sussex
9. ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable, Bedfordshire
10. Axe Valley Wildlife Park, Axminster, Devon
10 best rated zoos in Europe
1. Loro Parque, Puerto de la Cruz, Spain
2. Prague Zoo, Prague, Czech Republic
3. Tiergarten Schoenbrunn – Zoo Vienna, Vienna, Austria
4. Chester Zoo, Chester, United Kingdom
5. ZooParc de Beauval, Aignan, France
6. Colchester Zoo, Colchester, United Kingdom
7. Bioparc Valencia, Valencia, Spain
8. Zoologischer Garten (Berlin Zoo), Berlin, Germany
9. Novosibirsk Zoo, Novosibirsk, Russia
10. Blackpool Zoo, Blackpool, United Kingdom
10 best rated zoos in the world
1. San Diego Zoo, San Diego, United States
2. Loro Parque, Puerto de la Cruz, Spain
3. Singapore Zoo, Singapore
4. Prague Zoo, Prague, Czech Republic
5. Tiergarten Schoenbrunn – Zoo, Vienna, Austria
6. Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, United States
7. Chester Zoo, Chester, United Kingdom
8. St. Louis Zoo, Saint Louis, United States
9. Zoological Wildlife Foundation, Miami, United States
10. ZooParc de Beauval, Saint Aignan, France
For the complete list of winners from the 2015 Travellers’ Choice Zoos and Aquariums, as well as reviews and candid traveller photos, go to:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravellersChoice-Attractions-cZoos
About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor® is the world's largest travel site*, enabling travellers to plan and book the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers advice from millions of travellers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools that check hundreds of websites to find the best hotel prices. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching 340 million unique monthly visitors**, and more than 225 million reviews and opinions covering more than 4.9 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 45 countries worldwide. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly TripAdvisor visitors.
TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) manages and operates websites under 24 other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com,www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, www.iens.nl, www.besttables.com and www.dimmi.com.au), www.gateguru.com,www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com,www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travelpod.com, www.tripbod.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, www.viator.com, www.virtualtourist.com, and www.kuxun.cn.
*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, December 2014
**Source: Google Analytics, average monthly unique users, Q1 2015