THE Eden Project missed out on a mini-boom in tourists flocking to Westcountry visitor attractions last year after seeing numbers drop by 6 per cent.

Recession-hit Britons staying at home for holidays and overseas tourists attracted by the weak pound sparked a huge surge in visitors to National Trust properties in the region.

Both the iconic St Michael's Mount in Cornwall and stunningly situated Dunster Castle in Somerset recorded a 20 per cent leap in footfall. Visitor numbers nationally rose by more than 10 per cent.

While the Eden Project remains comfortably the most popular attraction in the region, belt-tightening visitors appear to have been put off the striking clay country biomes by its relatively high entry price.

Eden's 6 per cent fall meant that 1,028,264 visited the multi-purpose attraction in 2009, which now blends horticulture with rock concerts, according to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva).

At the Eden Project, a family day pass – admitting two adults and up to three children – costs £38. By contrast, National Trust membership for a family of four is £61.50 for a whole year.

Families have been attracted to scores of trust houses, gardens and nature trails across the Westcountry by the single annual outlay on membership that provides multiple day trips.

Bosses at Eden have for years been keen to underline the fact that visitor numbers have been performing well above original expectations.

The biomes alone were estimated to be attracting around 750,000 visitors a year. An Eden spokesman said that footfall had remained "over the magic million mark" since 2001.

That Eden has been punching above its weight for nearly 10 years could explain why other West attractions charging entry fees attracted more tourists last year.

Art gallery Tate St Ives in Cornwall saw numbers rise 2 per cent and Tintagel Castle's throughput jumped 18 per cent.

Museums, galleries and heritage sites across the country enjoyed the spoils of the "staycationing" trend and more tourists from the Continent. Reductions in VAT on admission tickets and accommodation also helped lift spirits.

Alva director Robin Broke said: "The tourism industry played a vital role in Britain's economy last year.

"As the political parties prepare for the General Election, they should consider how best to help the industry maximise the revenue it can generate and the additional jobs it can create."

The National Trust, which has 3.8 million members, said it had recorded 16.7 million visits to its properties in the 10 months between April 2009 and last month – a 17 per cent rise on last year.

Alongside St Michael's Mount (up 23.7 per cent) and Dunster Castle (up 21.7 per cent), the stately Lanhydrock House near Bodmin (up 12.9 per cent), and Cotehele Estate near Saltash (up 11.9 per cent) were among other National Trust properties in the region to put in strong performances.

The Castle Drogo Estate, between Exeter and Okehampton, and Killerton House, near Exeter, also saw double-digit growth. Trelissick Gardens, near Truro, was up 7.8 per cent.

The Eden Project has long attempted to present itself as more than just a botanical garden, partly in an effort to attract repeat visitors.

Upcoming initiatives include opportunities to meet its gardening team, the Eden Sessions rock concerts, which this year include Jack Johnson and Mika, and its biggest-ever garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. A spokesman said: "Eden remains the most popular visitor attraction south-west of Bristol and sits proudly as one of the top 10 in the country where people pay to enter."