Watauga’s latest research, the “2024 Attraction Visitor Report: Insights for Maximizing New & Repeat Guests,” is a game-changer for attraction marketing leaders at theme parks, zoos, aquariums, water parks, museums, and family entertainment centers. With findings derived from an extensive consumer attitudinal research study involving 3,590 participants, the report dives deep into the minds of attraction guests. This article summarizes one of the many key takeaways uncovered in the research.
Custom Media Strategies to Ease Visitor Concerns and Boost Sales
Understanding the mindsets of current theme park and attraction visitors and potential guests is the first step toward developing strategies to activate and engage them. Focusing on the Seekers, it is imperative for theme park and attraction marketing leaders to convert Seekers into guests to maximize sales. Our study tells us that the weather, their pocketbook, and concern about lines are Seekers’ biggest roadblocks to visiting an attraction. Maximize new guests by addressing Seeker concerns in tailored media strategies: weather triggered advertising, value-based offers, and inclusive messaging. Analyzing attraction and theme park visitor motivations and challenges will help to attract new guests and address barriers for returning guests.
Understanding Theme Park and Attraction Visitor Mindsets, Seekers, and Doers
Our research study unveiled three distinct visitor mindsets. Passionate Visitors who prioritize meaningful moments with loved ones at attractions and consider the cost secondary. Intentional Visitors who value frugality and personal space, prioritizing their visits when it is financially affordable and when crowds are reduced. Passive Visitors who prefer familiar attractions close to home, find fulfillment in routines, and often lose interest after visiting an attraction several times.
Watauga also applied two crucial audience lenses named “Seekers” and “Doers,” to closely analyze the data and the three mindsets of attraction visitors.
Seekers are individuals who have not visited an attraction but express interest in doing so.
Doers are individuals who have either visited an attraction in the past or are current attraction guests.
Clouds, Costs, and Crowds: Overcoming Visitor Roadblocks
Passionate Seekers: Weather-Powered Digital Ads
For Passionate Seekers, the primary roadblock to visiting theme parks and attractions is the weather. The report unveils that these individuals are deeply invested in the experience, but external conditions, such as rain or extreme temperatures, hinder their plans. To maximize conversion of Passionate Seekers, utilize weather-triggered digital ads that align with daily weather conditions. By crafting targeted campaigns that resonate with the Passionate Seekers’ passion and adapting them to the current weather, both indoor and outdoor attractions can significantly boost visitation.
Intentional Seekers: Highlight Deals and Steals
Costs and crowds emerge as the primary challenges for Intentional Seekers. These individuals approach attraction visits with a clear intention but are deterred by financial concerns and the prospect of long lines. To overcome these obstacles, marketing leaders should implement dynamic, value-based offers that highlight affordability and convenience. Additionally, off-season promotions can entice Intentional Seekers by providing a more relaxed and cost-effective experience, addressing both their financial and crowd-related concerns.
Passive Seekers: Nurture Comfort and Inclusivity in Advertising Messages
Passive Seekers, influenced by worries about looking silly, getting hurt, and concerns about inclusivity, require a different approach. Reassurance is key for this group, and attraction marketing leaders should craft messaging that is comforting, inclusive, and diverse. By addressing their specific concerns through advertising that highlights safety measures, inclusivity initiatives, and a variety of visitor experiences, attractions can break down the barriers preventing Passive Seekers from making a visit.
Conclusion: Weathering the Storm
Armed with these insights, attraction marketing leaders at theme parks, zoos, aquariums, water parks, museums, and family entertainment centers can now strategically implement targeted campaigns to overcome specific roadblocks for each group of Seekers. By tailoring marketing strategies to the unique needs and concerns of Passionate, Intentional, and Passive Seekers, attractions can not only maximize new guest acquisition but also foster repeat visits.
To download a complimentary copy of Watauga’s 2024 Attraction Visitor Report and view an interactive visualization of the data, please visit https://wataugagroup.com/attraction-visitor-report.
