IT does not have the contemporary chic of the Imperial War Museum or the famous history of Old Trafford football ground.

But that has not stopped Bolton Museum, Aquarium and Archive beating the two famous landmarks — among many others — in a top 10 of attractions in Greater Manchester.

The Le Mans Crescent attraction was placed in fourth position, beaten to the top three spots by Manchester Art Gallery, The Museum of Science and Industry (Mosi) and The Lowry.

The figures, released by Visit Manchester, which promotes tourism in the region, have been welcomed by council bosses in Bolton.

Executive Member for Development, Cllr John Byrne, said: "The latest tourism figures released for 2007 once again demonstrate the importance of tourism to the local economy with the number of visitors to Bolton increasing by two per cent on 2006.

"Last year 9.9 million visitors came to Bolton either on day trips or stayed overnight, and the borough proved a popular destination for business meetings and conferences.

“We're delighted that Bolton Museum, Aquarium and Archive was the fourth most visited attraction in Greater Manchester in 2007 with visitors coming through the doors to view, not just the permanent exhibitions, but also a wider events programme including the Bolton Brides exhibition, the Humphrey Spender ‘Worktown’ exhibition and a variety of children’s events during the school holidays."

The figures show that in 2007, 267,483 visitors passed through the museum’s doors; more than Manchester United Football Club Museum (263,325 visitors), The Manchester Museum (234,648 visitors) and iconic city centre building, Urbis (251, 540 visitors).

In 2007, there were almost 10 million visitors to Bolton in 2007, who provided a vital boost to the local economy. Overall they spent £482 million in hotels, guesthouses, shops, leisure attractions and restaurants — a two per cent increase on 2006.

The tourism industry in Bolton currently supports 7,289 jobs.

The Office of National Statistics confirmed that Manchester remained the third most popular destination in the UK during 2007, with 971,000 international visitors — a growth of six per cent compared to 2006.

Paul Simpson, managing director of Visit Manchester, said: “Whilst these are very encouraging figures, the statistics represent a period before the current economic downturn.

“However, they highlight what the sector brings to the table and show just how key a part the industry plays in the success of the region.”