Merac, an integrated ticketing, retail and fundraising platform in the Crowd Convert group, has released a new episode of the Skip The Queue podcast with Duncan Phillips, founder and managing director of the strategic leisure consultancy DP Associates, and its operating company, DP Leisure.
In conversation with Merac CEO Andy Povey, Phillips shares his insights into what operators should be doing now to prepare for the arrival of Universal United Kingdom Resort.
To listen to the podcast, please click here.
Five key takeaways
The announcement of Universal United Kingdom Resort has become a key topic in the attractions industry. Yet, when such a large-scale project is announced, Povey says it typically provokes two main responses: excitement and anxiety.
"For some operators, the prospect of one of the world's biggest entertainment companies entering the UK market raises concerns about competition, staffing, visitor spend and market share," says Povey.
"Yet when I sat down with industry veteran Duncan Phillips on the Skip The Queue podcast, his view was remarkably clear.
"This is one of the greatest opportunities the UK attractions sector has seen in decades.
"The operators who benefit most won't necessarily be the largest. They'll be the ones who start preparing now."
The Universal United Kingdom Resort development marks a seismic shift in the UK attractions landscapeImage courtesy of Merac
The discussion highlighted five key things to do to prepare for this development:
Stop thinking about competition and start thinking about differentiation
The most significant mistake attractions can make is attempting to compete directly with Universal, says Povey.
Instead, he says, operators should concentrate on the experiences, narratives and communities that make them unique.
"Whether you're a heritage attraction, museum, family entertainment centre, wildlife attraction or theme park, your strength lies in offering something visitors cannot find elsewhere.
"As Duncan pointed out, successful attractions understand exactly what makes them different and build their proposition around that distinction.
"The question every operator should be asking today is ‘what do we offer that nobody else can?’."
Build regional partnerships
One of the most overlooked opportunities, the discussion highlights, is collaboration. Visitors travelling to Universal United Kingdom Resort will look beyond county boundaries as they look for great things to do before, during and after their trip.
"That creates enormous opportunities for attractions, destinations, hotels and tourism organisations willing to work together.
"The attractions that begin building partnerships now will be in a far stronger position when millions of additional visitors start exploring the region.
"The future winners will be destinations that successfully work together."
Prepare for higher guest expectations
Universal's arrival is set to not only bring more visitors but also to raise expectations.
Visitors who encounter world-class operations, customer service, F&B, technology, accessibility, and storytelling will increasingly expect similar experiences elsewhere.
"This is not bad news, it's an opportunity to continually improve.
"The attractions industry has always evolved through innovation and learning from others. Universal United Kingdom Resort is likely to accelerate that process significantly.
"Operators should already be reviewing their guest journey, staff training, service standards and overall experience quality."
Have more confidence in your pricing
"One of Duncan's most interesting observations was that Universal could help shift perceptions around value and pricing across the UK attractions sector," Povey says.
"For years, many operators have been reluctant to charge what their experience is truly worth."
The launch of a new major international destination can set new standards for premium experiences and pricing. This doesn't mean arbitrary price increases; instead, it involves investing in quality and trusting in the value you provide.
"Guests are willing to pay for exceptional experiences.
"The challenge is creating them."
Don't wait for change. Lead it.
"Perhaps the most important message from our conversation was that the greatest risk isn't Universal United Kingdom Resort.
"The greatest risk is doing nothing."
This project is poised to stimulate investment, foster innovation, develop talent, encourage strategic thinking, and promote collaboration within the industry. It has the potential to raise the profile of careers in attractions, draw new visitors to the market, and generate opportunities for operators across the country.
The question is whether individual attractions will be ready to capitalise on the momentum.
"History suggests that landmark developments don't just benefit the organisations that build them, they often create opportunities throughout the wider ecosystem," says Povey.
"Universal United Kingdom Resort could prove to be one of those moments.
"The operators who start preparing today will be the ones best positioned to benefit tomorrow."
Phillips is the founder and managing director of DP Leisure and DP Associates, the team behind 360 Play; a former board trustee of Bletchley Park, and a former chairman of the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Zoos (BALPPA).
In this latest podcast episode, he shares the opportunities Universal United Kingdom Resort could create for operators across the UK visitor attractions sector.
The Skip The Queue podcast, hosted by Povey, is where the attractions sector shares what really works.
In March, Merac released an episode of the Skip the Queue podcast that discusses the design, technology and storytelling behind Dark Universe at Universal Epic Universe.
This episode features Greg Hall, assistant director of creative design at Universal Creative, and Max McNair MacEwan, head of strategic partnerships in immersive at visual effects specialist Framestore.
