We are delighted to announce that Emirates Stadium tours have been awarded the Gold Accolade by the VisitEngland visitor attraction scheme for 2016. The Gold Accolade recognises those attractions that deliver the highest standards of experience for their visitors and sees Emirates Stadium tours sitting alongside the likes of HM Tower of London and Chester Zoo. In 2012, the club changed from guided tours to self-guided audio visual tours using interactive handsets available in nine languages. This change in offering has seen the club’s stadium tours business grow from 70,000 to 215,000 annual visitors in four years. Arsenal’s Retail Director, Simon Lilley, said: “We are delighted to receive this coveted Gold Accolade from VisitEngland. It is a fantastic testament to the hard work of all the staff involved and something we can be proud of. “The self-guided tour being available in nine languages adds a unique and special experience for the supporters. This alongside our newly renovated museum and our legends and matchday tours has seen a huge increase in visitors both locally and internationally. “All of these options are extremely popular among Arsenal supporters and tourists visiting London. I’m sure they will continue to attract large crowds.” The club have also recently launched VIP legends tours which will offer visitors the opportunity to have an exclusive tour of the Emirates this season with either Martin Keown or Ray Parlour. For more information and to book a tour of Emirates Stadium, please visit www.arsenal.com/tours.