TOR Systems, a ticketing and booking specialist, knows firsthand the value of gift experiences for its clients. And now, as the attractions industry recovers from the impacts of the pandemic, giving the gift of an experience is more appealing than ever, as people are keen to get out and try something new.
A wide range of experiences can be gifted, and priced at a premium, as a way of offering guests something bespoke and different.
A meaningful gift
Anna Prior, head of Marketing & Trade Sales at Brighton-based visitor attraction BA i360, says:
“We offer an e-gift voucher through MaximWeb for nearly all of our experiences, the latest one being the BA i360 Tower Top Climb, which is the perfect gift to give a ‘difficult to buy for’ teenager.
“The gift of a voucher for the BA i360 Tower Top Climb provides the recipient with a unique and exhilarating experience which they can then book on a date that is suitable for them.”
This type of gift is a meaningful, and sustainable, option.
“When we launch a new experience we consult with TOR Systems to ensure we can also offer the new experience as an e-gift voucher,” adds Prior. “Vouchers have always been an essential part of our business in terms of delivering great customer service and providing additional revenue streams.”
Gift experiences can be presented with a physical voucher and even a gift box, which customers are prepared to pay more for, but can also be an e-voucher, which is helpful for last-minute shoppers.
Benefits for both the visitor and the attraction
Customers love the ability to buy experiences as gifts, and there are several benefits for the operator too.
Vouchers allow for regular cash flow, as customers buy now but might not visit for several months. They also bring a different audience through the door, as well as boosting secondary spending. This type of gift experience can lead to repeat visitation too, with those who come for an experience wanting to come back and explore the attraction further.
Operators will benefit from more customer data and can also set a variety of price points for experience packages, as people will spend differently for different occasions.
Gift experiences are not the same as gift memberships and should not be treated as such – it’s a different type of audience and the visitor receives a different kind of benefit.
Key points to consider
Sarah Bagg, TOR Systems’ business development director, says:
“BA i360 is an excellent example of a visitor attraction which was earning long before opening its doors. Gift vouchers went on sale in autumn 2015 and it didn’t open until summer 2016, so it was a great way of gauging a level of interest in product/attraction, engaging with marketing and bringing an immediate income stream.”
There are a few key points that operators should remember when deciding to offer gift experiences, such as who their target audience is and what their pricing strategy should be/
They also need to ensure that the process for booking and redeeming is simple, with little manual intervention, and also make sure that gift vouchers can be extended, for a better guest experience. From the customer point of view, they will want to see clear options that are not confusing in terms of pricing and what the experience includes.
Operators should also think about how to upsell or add value. For instance, by adding a gift box or unique retail product, so guests can present their gift in style.
Other considerations include: who is the competition? What are they doing? What has worked previously? How does the reporting/CRM support the gifting strategy? Is the guest experience maximised for this audience online and onsite, and does the package include plenty of information about the attraction?
Pricing strategies
Attractions will also need to ensure that they have an effective pricing strategy. The price should portray value, convince customers to buy and give customers confidence in the product.
“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that spending time with our loved ones is a higher priority for most than material gifts,” says Bagg. “So, when you’re considering your offering, how about giving your experiences a priority?”
TOR Systems’ ticketing and CRM solution, Maxim, is able to support experiences such as gift vouchers, which can be sold and redeemed through all sales channels.
It provides a commercial opportunity to maximise the gift market, without any extra administration cost for the operator. Vouchers can also be personalised with individual messages. The process allows for the chance to upsell during the online customer journey, and different promotions mean that attractions can offer a variety of discounts to customers.
TOR Systems is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The family business started in 1981, with Wembley Stadium as its first client, and has grown into a leading ticketing solutions provider over the past four decades.
