Our Thoughts On Your Issues
WHAT HAS THE PANDEMIC TAUGHT US ABOUT OUR VISITORS?
From the research we conducted in partnership with the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) between June 2020 and October 2021 (gathering feedback on visit experiences from around 100,000 visitors across more than 50 attractions), we know how...
WDC Audience Segmentation
The challenge for Whale and Dolphin Conservation was to grow and develop its UK supporter base by using insights about its target audience’s range of values and needs. We used workshops to take WDC on the journey of engaging stakeholders right across the organisation...
“SANITISE YOUR SITE, DON’T SANITISE YOUR EXPERIENCE”
If you’re in the visitor attraction business, you couldn’t summarise what your operational Covid recovery objectives should be any more succinctly than this title line from Bernard Donoghue, Director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA): ...
HOW ARE PERCEPTIONS OF BRITAIN CHANGING OVERSEAS AND DOES IT MATTER FOR TOURISM?
Britain’s future relationship with the EU and indeed, the rest of the world, is of course still very much up in the air. Businesses relying heavily upon inbound tourism have therefore become increasingly concerned with understanding how perceptions of Britain are...
SOLO TRAVEL BOOM – WHY ARE THE BARRIERS COMING DOWN?
“The single supplements make it so expensive” was always the traditional, knee-jerk barrier put up to travelling alone. But changing societal attitudes and related motivations for travelling solo have strengthened so much in recent years, that the sector is now...
SHINING A LIGHT ON THE VISIT JOURNEY
"Don't ask people, just watch people” is an increasingly common philosophical approach taken by practitioners across the insight industry, including those operating within the visitor experience world. The notion that more practical insights are uncovered by simply...
TALKING THE LANGUAGE OF FUNDERS
What is the most common theme incorporated into the charitable causes of organisations across the culture and heritage sector? The answer – having a positive impact on its audiences, however this may be defined. So why does most research among these audiences still...
“WE’RE ALL DOOMED! IS HOUSE OF FRASER THE TIPPING POINT FOR PRIDE IN OUR TOWN CENTRES?
High streets and town centres have limped along in the past few years following the demise of Woolworths, Mothercare, BHS and Toys R Us, soon to be followed by wholesale closures within any number of casual dining chains. But losing a House of Fraser is a whole...
MUM’S GONE TO EYJAFJALLAJOKULL
Iceland is on the cusp. Geographically, yes. Politically, always. But also in terms of its approach to tourism. This country, with its population of just 340,000 – that’s Cardiff – is at a tourism crossroads.
THE DISCOVER ENGLAND FUND – Build It and They Will Come?
There have been some highly encouraging figures published in the past few weeks showing huge increases in inbound tourism. Holiday visits to the UK are up 20% in the first five months of the year, with long haul markets leading the charge to our shores. Of the UK’s...
MIND THE CONFIDENCE GAP
It’s the perennial question – how do we broaden the range of people who visit our museums, particularly those from ‘socially excluded’ groups?
SOCIAL NETWORKS – CONNECTING OR INSULATING?
So Mark Zuckerberg made it sound so simple. “The thing that we are trying to do at Facebook, is just help people connect and communicate more efficiently.” Social networks were supposed to help the world connect, be a platform to share views that provide food for thought and ultimately bring us all closer together.