THE Dorset-based company that runs Legoland, Madame Tussauds and Alton Towers says its latest visitor figures show families will still stump up for a good day out.

Merlin Entertainments, whose head office is in Poole, has reported a 2.5 million rise in visitor numbers at its attractions, which also include the London Dungeon, Chessington World of Adventures, the London Eye, Thorpe Park and Warwick Castle.

Visitor numbers increased by 6.5 per cent to 41 million in 2010, despite adult ticket prices costing up to £41.40 at Legoland Windsor and £28.80 at Madame Tussauds London.

Chief executive Nick Varney said: “Even in recessions, we see that people still want stand-out days out or short breaks to give them a memorable experience.

“People cut the two-week foreign holiday or the home improvement, but come the summer holidays they still want to take the kids on a nice day out. In good times and bad times people need an escape.”

The company runs 70 attractions in 17 countries and on four continents. Mr Varney said its attractions in the UK, USA and China had done particularly well. The UK business was also boosted by the opening of a rollercoaster called 13 at Alton Towers and its Wild Asia attraction at Chessington World of Adventures during the year.

Merlin said it was entering the peak summer season in a confident mood and would open new Madame Tussauds, Dungeon and London Eye-style Ferris wheel attractions at the Blackpool Tower complex this year.

Revenues for the year increased four per cent to £800.8m and underlying profits rose 9 per cent to £255.8m.

The group said UK sales were up eight per cent to £382m.

The company made a pre-tax profit of £26m. It reported a statutory loss after tax of £2.3m, but a profit of £21.3m before exceptional and non-trading items. It says that excluding various one-off and non-cash trading items, its profit before tax was up 84 per cent on the previous year, to £46.9m, and profit after tax was £53.7m, up 116 per cent.

• Read an interview with Nick Varney in our Dorset Business magazine, available from this Saturday.