Embracing Digital - How Visitor Attractions are Becoming More Sustainable.

As the world increasingly focuses on environmental protection and sustainability, the visitor attractions sector plays a crucial role. Embracing digital solutions offers numerous opportunities to meet net-zero mandates, streamline business processes, and enhance visitor satisfaction, all while contributing to a healthier planet.

Reduce Waste with a Paperless Approach

Traditionally, visitor attractions rely heavily on paper for tickets, maps, leaflets, and menus. These items are often discarded after a single use, contributing to significant waste. While recycling helps, it doesn't eliminate the environmental impact of production and disposal.

Digital solutions, such as audience engagement platforms, offer a way to eliminate this paper trail. By replacing physical documents with digital alternatives, attractions can drastically reduce waste generation.

• Digital tickets eliminate the need for printed entry passes.
• Interactive digital maps and guides replace paper leaflets.
• Online menus remove the requirement for printed versions.

Enhance Visitor Experience and Operational Efficiency

Cleaner Environment and Improved Hygiene

Reducing paper waste not only benefits the environment but also creates a cleaner physical space at your attraction. Visitors arrive to a tidier environment, which can subconsciously encourage them to maintain its cleanliness.

Furthermore, in the wake of COVID-19, digital methods enhance hygiene. Mobile ticketing, for instance, allows for barcode scanning directly from a smartphone, minimising physical contact and the exchange of paper.

Streamlined Entry and Reduced Queues

Digital solutions significantly improve operational efficiency. Adopting digital tickets and barcode scanning accelerates the entry process, helping to eliminate queues and reduce visitor waiting times.

Audience engagement apps also simplify pre-booking for entrance tickets or meals. They offer a seamless method for visitors to plan their visit in advance.

Achieve Net-Zero Goals and Financial Savings

Commitment to Net Zero

Addressing climate change is a critical imperative across all sectors, including visitor attractions. The concept of 'net zero' involves balancing energy and waste generation with removal or reduction. Paper production and recycling require substantial energy. By embracing digital where paper is not essential, attractions can significantly contribute to their net-zero targets.

Audience engagement platforms provide native or progressive web apps that update automatically. These apps offer visitors access to a wealth of content on their mobile devices, including maps, information, quizzes, surveys, and tour guides, making the experience entirely paperless.

Cost Reductions

The financial implications of paper waste are considerable. In Britain, approximately 20% of waste goes to landfill annually, excluding recycling. With around 12.5 million tons of paper and card consumed each year, the costs associated with production, conversion, and disposal are substantial.

While deploying a digital solution like an audience engagement platform represents an initial investment, many operate on a SaaS (Software as a Service) basis, spreading costs monthly. These costs are often offset by significant savings in other areas over the medium to long term. For example, consider the costs of reprinting information leaflets every time an exhibit changes or updating ticket prices and timetables. Digital updates are instant and cost-effective, leading to both time and financial savings.

Personalise Interactions and Drive Repeat Business

Digital engagement platforms are instrumental in personalising communication with visitors, fostering loyalty and repeat business.

• Data Generation: When visitors use an attraction's app, data is generated, offering insights into their preferences and behaviour. This data can be segmented by marketing teams to understand visitor needs better.
• Tailored Information: The platform can automatically send relevant information, special offers, and push notifications for upcoming events, tailored to individual or family interests.
• Immersive Experiences: Digital apps can incorporate augmented reality (AR) for immersive, novel, and fun experiences, enhancing overall enjoyment and promoting curiosity.
• Upselling Opportunities: Push notifications enable easy upselling to visitors even before their arrival.
• Two-Way Conversation: The platform facilitates a two-way dialogue, leading to a better visitor experience and encouraging subsequent return visits.

By adopting digital solutions, visitor attractions can become more sustainable and enhance their ability to connect with guests on a personal level.