Many associate Black Friday with the mega-retail event it has become, representing the kickoff to the holiday shopping season. However, this period is also a crucial selling window for attractions. From theme parks to zoos and water parks, many leisure businesses use this key period to promote their biggest ticket and season pass promotions, driving early revenue and securing attendance for the upcoming season.
But as more attractions and destinations crowd the marketplace with offers and discounts, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for individual venues to stand out — especially as ad costs rise and consumer attention becomes fragmented across multiple screens.
As ad spend surges, marketers want to make sure they’re getting the most bang for their buck. Here, we explore how attractions can differentiate their messaging, strategically time their promotions, and utilize data-driven tactics to maximize visibility and conversion.
Black Friday Marketing for Attractions: Unique Challenges
Black Friday has a long history, and in 2024, global spending reached a new high of $74.4 billion in just 24 hours. For attractions, the opportunities are immense. They can promote their biggest sale of the year, whether it be discounts on annual passes, vacation packages, or multi-day tickets.
However, with all the advertising noise, consumer attention quickly becomes fragmented. Media costs are high, and the digital landscape becomes saturated with deals.
Additionally, Black Friday marketing for attractions can present unique challenges compared to retail products, as marketing teams are offering an experience rather than a tangible item. Communicating the value of a discount can be more complex than advertising a set percentage off a specific pre-sale price.
There are also potential barriers surrounding seasonality and timing. If attractions sell tickets to an outdoor venue or seasonal event, the offer may not be redeemable until several months later, reducing the sense of urgency.
And then there are the common consumer distractions associated with Black Friday, as retailers compete for attention, requiring a larger and more creative marketing effort. This competition drives up the cost of advertising. Here’s how to address some of these barriers.
7 Strategies for Attractions This Black Friday
With Black Friday just around the bend, it’s time to start planning upcoming campaigns, keeping these seven strategies in mind.
Strategy 1: Promote Early
Before potential future visitors are bombarded by ads from all directions, attractions can launch an early teaser or offer early access to their VIP mailing list. Offering loyal guests and customers with exclusive early access can help incentivize immediate purchases and strengthen loyalty.
In addition to an early email campaign, attractions should focus on a dedicated social media campaign to create anticipation. Sneak peeks, promotional media, and giveaways can all create hype. This strategy can serve as an entry point for first-time guests.
Strategy Two: Use Creative Positioning
Competitor attractions may launch social media campaigns offering bundle packages and discounts, which is why it’s crucial to stand out. Creative positioning and messaging are imperative, focusing on tactics like experiential gifting. Instead of just offering a discount and getting lost in the noise, an attraction could promote the gift of experience.
The promotion could be framed around the concept of giving a memorable, shareable experience that creates lasting memories. Using messaging like “Exclusive Romantic Winter Wonderland Date” or “Festive Family Fun Pass” is a great way to sell a comprehensive package that takes the chore of planning out of the equation. These packages may include tickets, merchandise, food vouchers, and other items.
Strategy Three: Create Offers That Focus on Experience-Driven Travel
Speaking of promoting packaged memories, there is a growing trend among consumers to prioritize experiences over material possessions. Within the travel and tourism industry, visitors are seeking more memorable and immersive experiences, whether it be through culinary tours, outdoor adventures, or wellness retreats.
Strategy Four: Use Emotion in Your Storytelling
To truly connect with those seeking experience-related offerings, utilize storytelling techniques to evoke emotions. Attractions should frame their experience-based marketing campaigns as more than a day out or a family trip. The attraction should be marketed as a personal journey. Whether the theme centers on family bonding or lifelong friends reuniting.
Location-based VR attractions can leverage immersive storytelling tactics, using VR and AR to place visitors directly into the narrative—letting them feel the thrill, wonder, or connection the attraction offers. This hands-on emotional engagement not only makes the experience memorable but also increases the likelihood of sharing the story with others and converting interest into ticket sales during high-stakes periods like Black Friday.
Strategy Five: Take an Anti-Black Friday Approach to Promote Sustainability
Attractions that have built brands around sustainability and eco-awareness can develop campaigns that contrast the “buy more” frenzy, highlighting sustainable practices and giving back. Eco attractions and travel brands can take this opportunity to highlight their unique selling points to a targeted audience or promote that a portion of every ticket sale or booking goes to a worthy cause.
For example, botanical gardens, eco-friendly zoos, and state parks can also tap into a market that desires authentic experiences with minimal environmental impact. Learn more about sustainable tourism marketing.
Strategy Six: Leverage User-Generated Content and Influencers
Numerous flashy campaigns are launched during Black Friday, contributing to the digital noise. Many will pass by ads without paying much attention because they feel they lack authenticity.
Instead, attractions should explore the opportunities surrounding user-generated content on social media. Influencers can promote an attraction or destination, yielding results at a lower price.
Strategy Seven: Use Data-Driven Tactics To Maximize Visibility and Conversion
Conversion-focused data and tactics can help increase bookings.
Utilize audience segmentation to tailor promotions, targeted media, and personalization for targeted offers and reminders. Prior to the promotional period, run A/B tests, analyze the results, and make adjustments as needed.
In 2024, Watauga supported a 14-day Black Friday promotion for a retail client, running from November 17 to 30. The campaign strategically leaned into conversion-focused tactics, including paid search, Performance Max, and Meta advertising, to maximize short-term response. This targeted approach contributed to a 6.7% year-over-year increase in bookings during the promotional window — demonstrating how focused media selection and timing can cut through seasonal noise and drive measurable results.
Discover how to maximize both new and repeat guests, and how Watauga can help you achieve such goals this upcoming Black Friday.
