3


Build the Yellow Brick Road


When asked how guests navigate their way through a zoo, less than 20% said they seek out specific exhibits to visit. Te vast majority of guests either follows the designated main path of the zoo or wanders without any real intention or plan. Tis trend held true for both family groups and groups of adults without children.


Additionally, only about half of all visitors intentionally skip past specific exhibits. Tese guests indicated the exhibits most often skipped are those related to Insects and / or Arachnids.


Implication: Zoo guests want to get the most out of their zoo experience, seeing and doing everything that is available to them. Because of this, clear wayfinding throughout the zoo is of the utmost importance to the zoo experience. Additionally, a strong wayfinding plan would include not only more signage and other physical clues, like wider sidewalks, but also would take advantage of the guests’ desire to be guided throughout their day, strategically placing revenue opportunities and planning timed interactions and shows throughout the experience.


HOW VISITORS TYPICALLY EXPERIENCE A ZOO


Just over half of zoo visitors follow the primary path to see as much of the zoo as possible. Other popular approaches include visiting specific exhibits first and just wandering with no specific plan.


10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%


0%


Follow the primary path to see as much of the zoo as possible


Just wander from exhibit to exhibit without much of a plan at all


Visit specific exhibits of interest first, then visit


the rest of the zoo


Visit only the specific exhibits of interest


50.8%


22.0% 19.0% 5.5%


None of these 2.6%


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8