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89% of theme park visitors wish to pre-book their entire trip

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Omnico launches first Theme Park Barometer questioning visitor interactions of guests in the US, UK and China.

Nearly 90% of visitors to theme parks today, across the US, UK and China, express a desire to be able to pre-book their entire trip before they arrive, according to a survey by Omnico. Guests want to have all their hotel options, tickets, meals, merchandise, cashless wristbands, fast-track passes and reserved seating, all organised in advance, enabling them to enjoy a hassle-free experience.

The findings feature in the first Omnico Theme Park Barometer exploring the interactions of more than 2000 guests in the US, UK and China when visiting theme parks.

Although the ability to book everything in advance was the top priority for visitors, 84% of those in the UK and US also believe their experience will be improved if they were able to choose from a wide range of personalised deals and promotions during their visits.

In China, 91% of respondents there also want to be able to make cashless payments for everything in a theme park, using their smartphones or devices such as wristbands.

“Visitors overwhelmingly want a single, connected resort experience, with an emphasis on convenience and enjoyment, ” said Mel Taylor, CEO of Omnico Group. “Theme park operators need to accommodate this shift in outlook.”

The survey also questioned visitors’ aspirations on future technology with 65% expecting virtual reality experiences and guides to become a common feature in the next three-years. Voice-activated mobile apps (41% overall) and personal digital assistants (38% overall) were the next most popular choices. Far more respondents in China, however (51%), think 3D printing will be used to produce personal merchandise, than in the US and UK (29%).
Robotic personal assistants are also seen as more likely to make an appearance in China (49%) than in the US and UK (22%).

“With so much innovation in the home, it is hardly surprising that visitors now expect theme parks to adopt cutting edge technology to provide enhanced experiences and levels of service, ” commented Taylor. “These types of technology will not only provide new forms of entertainment, they will assist visitors with finding their way around and help with queue-reduction and crowd-management.”

“The results of our Theme Park Barometer show that parks and resorts that rest on their laurels will be left behind in the face of rapidly-increasing visitor expectations around the use of technology, ” concluded Taylor. “Investing in customer service and experience is as important as putting money into new attractions.”

Read the full Theme Park Barometer report here: www.themepark.omnicocommerce.co.uk

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Rachel Reed

Rachel Read

Rachel is co-founder and FD of blooloop. She has a degree in engineering from Cambridge University, is a Chartered Accountant and has a certificate in Sustainability Leadership and Corporate Responsibility from London Business School. Rachel oversees our news, events and sustainability.

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