Guest Article
www.parkworld-online.com
Sanitise the site, not the experience
Simon London, CEO and founder,
KidRated.com
e all watched Boris bluster through yet another announcement in June, the inevitable delay to freedom. And while I don’t think any of us were surprised by this news after recent reports of the Delta variant spreading across the country, it’s yet another blow for the tourism industry. A real kick in the teeth after a buoyant English Tourism Week at the end of May, during which almost everyone assumed we were on the brink of things finally returning to normal. As Visit Britain points out, tourism in the UK makes up to 80 percent of our visitor economy, generating over £100 billion in 2019, as well as supporting 2.6 million jobs. Theme parks are a significant portion of UK tourism, and an important sector within the industry. Keeping theme parks afloat has been a real- life rollercoaster ride over the last 16 months; a number of these parks shut down or didn’t open at all last spring, and while some parks reopened in the summer of 2020, there were stringent requirements for Covid safety, which may have dampened the fun for customers.
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As we edge gingerly towards Freedom Day II, the pressure is on for theme parks and many other family attractions; serious consideration is needed when it comes to future-proofing these businesses: How to attract customers in good times and bad, what to prioritise and what to drop. Just recently, my company
KidRated.com conducted a survey among UK parents about planning the next family day out. The findings
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were compelling and decisive - a staggering, two thirds of parents will avoid UK family attractions in 2021 if the cost is too high, and one in four cited too many restrictions due to Covid as the single factor that would put them off visiting a venue. This is a plea direct from parents - sanitise the site, not the experience. And make it value for money, while you’re at it.
This isn’t necessarily going to be easy. Many staff who have been supported by the furlough scheme will soon be due back to work, and if we’re to believe reports, will not continue to receive government support despite a lockdown extension.
But there is the will for the attraction industry to recover. Figures such as Bernard Donoghue of ALVA are calling for an extra bank holiday this year not just to thank our NHS and key workers for their superhuman efforts over the last year, but to get more footfall for venues and give the sector a boost.
Maybe this will prompt attractions and parks to make vital repairs, or perhaps aim for reinvention to maximise visitors once again. Innovation is happening all over the world. In China, a rollercoaster has been created that does not have an inversion loop. We have every reason to be hopeful once lockdown ends, as long as attractions act smart and make wise decisions. Our survey also found that 93% of parents are more likely to visit an attraction that has been positively reviewed online, demonstrating how crucial customer engagement is when it comes to
businesses’ bottom line. Surely this is just common sense, but you’d be surprised how many brands - big and small - don’t pay enough attention to their online presence. It can reap dividends. Positive online reviews, and partnerships with parent-focused organisations like mine, convert into feet through the door. Often this is as simple as paying a subscription fee to be listed on the site, and secure promotion on social streams and outreach content which translates into traffic, and converts into sales.
Of course, ultimately, it is the overall experience that matters to visitors - and that’s even more important than ever. But surely it makes sense to build a positive presence online. Especially if, god forbid, more restrictions are imposed ahead of the majority of our population being vaccinated. After a tough year, trips to theme parks, museums, restaurants and all manner of attractions will be more meaningful to families. It’s really up to us all to ensure that if they’re parting with their hard-earned cash, it’s worthwhile and fun. And we owe it to our once thriving sector, and the many people who earn a living this way, to keep going.
Co-founded by former journalist and TV executive, Simon London, KidRated launched in 2014 with over 200 reviews of London’s major attractions by kids and teens. It has been growing ever since.
SUMMER PART 2 2021
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