Attractions have traditionally seen their ticketing and access control operations as being about little more than gatekeeping, with money exchanged for access. But today, that touch point with the customer is an opportunity to begin a whole new and transformational relationship
By Liz Terry | Published in Attractions Management 2015 issue 4
Visitor attractions of all kinds, from museums to theme parks and zoos to planetariums, have traditionally known very little about the customers who come through their doors.
Understanding visitors’ motivations, needs, wants and responses has only been possible through the use of market research which few could afford or afford often enough, so it’s mainly been a case of build it and they will come.
The growth of membership schemes has helped some attractions to better understand who their customers are and to develop deeper and more meaningful engagement with them, but few attractions have taken this golden opportunity and made anything of it – even those with membership schemes do very little with them in terms of customer engagement – so for the most part, the attractions industry is poor at knowing and interacting with its customers/visitors.
A few years back, I argued attractions should follow the same model as the theatre and sports markets and move to advance ticketing. We had a mixed post bag on that topic, with some arguing it would spoilt the spontaneous nature of an attractions visit, or that the investment in technology wasn’t justified.
The trend towards advance ticketing is now growing and on page 94, we debate the issue and look at some examples of how the implementation of advance ticketing is helping businesses to improve their financial position through more reliable ticket sales and their marketing reach and customer engagement through better customer data.
As a customer, I’ve repeatedly been frustrated to find attractions doing a poor job of customer engagement through tech and believe we need an industry-wide push on this front.
As a basic check list, customers should be able to easily buy timed and non-timed tickets online. They should also be able to join membership schemes with valid and useful benefits and then to have a great customer journey in relation to that scheme, with regular and sincere contact from the attraction, special offers and other types of benefits.
They should also be able to buy gift certificates which meet their needs in terms of the types of packages on offer and which are delivered in a timely fashion. The technology is available – cheaply – to enable this and it’s time we grasped the nettle and implemented it.
The world is increasingly affluent: the World Bank announced this month that the number of people living in extreme poverty will fall to under 10 per cent in 2015, and as previously poor nations urbanise, there will be an increasing appetite to do things rather than have things. Attractions are in completely the right place to deliver on this need.
You can make a healthy revenue stream from gifting, from memberships and from online sales and if you’re geared up to do this, we’d love to hear about it, so we can share it as best practice with other readers. And if you’re not, then it’s really time to take action. Your customers expect and need it and it can do nothing but benefit all concerned.
Liz Terry, editor. Twitter: @elizterry
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Attractions: Gone, Not Forgotten
We find out what people thought of
Dismaland, Banksy’s twisted theme park
and contemporary art attraction – and
talk to one of the Dismal Stewards
Promotional feature: IdeAttack
Mysteries of China’s rich culture are at the heart of IDEATTACK’s new mixed-used tourism destination
Zoos & Aquariums: Turn over a New Reef
The Florida Aquarium is teaming
up with the National Aquarium of
Cuba in a bid to save and restore
the region’s precious coral reefs
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
Attractions have traditionally seen their ticketing and access control operations as being about little more than gatekeeping, with money exchanged for access. But today, that touch point with the customer is an opportunity to begin a whole new and transformational relationship
By Liz Terry | Published in Attractions Management 2015 issue 4
Visitor attractions of all kinds, from museums to theme parks and zoos to planetariums, have traditionally known very little about the customers who come through their doors.
Understanding visitors’ motivations, needs, wants and responses has only been possible through the use of market research which few could afford or afford often enough, so it’s mainly been a case of build it and they will come.
The growth of membership schemes has helped some attractions to better understand who their customers are and to develop deeper and more meaningful engagement with them, but few attractions have taken this golden opportunity and made anything of it – even those with membership schemes do very little with them in terms of customer engagement – so for the most part, the attractions industry is poor at knowing and interacting with its customers/visitors.
A few years back, I argued attractions should follow the same model as the theatre and sports markets and move to advance ticketing. We had a mixed post bag on that topic, with some arguing it would spoilt the spontaneous nature of an attractions visit, or that the investment in technology wasn’t justified.
The trend towards advance ticketing is now growing and on page 94, we debate the issue and look at some examples of how the implementation of advance ticketing is helping businesses to improve their financial position through more reliable ticket sales and their marketing reach and customer engagement through better customer data.
As a customer, I’ve repeatedly been frustrated to find attractions doing a poor job of customer engagement through tech and believe we need an industry-wide push on this front.
As a basic check list, customers should be able to easily buy timed and non-timed tickets online. They should also be able to join membership schemes with valid and useful benefits and then to have a great customer journey in relation to that scheme, with regular and sincere contact from the attraction, special offers and other types of benefits.
They should also be able to buy gift certificates which meet their needs in terms of the types of packages on offer and which are delivered in a timely fashion. The technology is available – cheaply – to enable this and it’s time we grasped the nettle and implemented it.
The world is increasingly affluent: the World Bank announced this month that the number of people living in extreme poverty will fall to under 10 per cent in 2015, and as previously poor nations urbanise, there will be an increasing appetite to do things rather than have things. Attractions are in completely the right place to deliver on this need.
You can make a healthy revenue stream from gifting, from memberships and from online sales and if you’re geared up to do this, we’d love to hear about it, so we can share it as best practice with other readers. And if you’re not, then it’s really time to take action. Your customers expect and need it and it can do nothing but benefit all concerned.
Liz Terry, editor. Twitter: @elizterry
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Attractions: Gone, Not Forgotten
We find out what people thought of
Dismaland, Banksy’s twisted theme park
and contemporary art attraction – and
talk to one of the Dismal Stewards
Promotional feature: IdeAttack
Mysteries of China’s rich culture are at the heart of IDEATTACK’s new mixed-used tourism destination
Zoos & Aquariums: Turn over a New Reef
The Florida Aquarium is teaming
up with the National Aquarium of
Cuba in a bid to save and restore
the region’s precious coral reefs
Global Wellness Day (GWD) will mark its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
