Mar 24, 2022 4 min read marketing

The Ultimate Post Pandemic Guide to Marketing Your Tourist Attraction

Get ready to reopen your tourist attraction & drive traffic back! Discover the key steps for marketing in a post-pandemic world: optimise customer experience, set the right tone & get people excited about visiting.

Photo by Mika Baumeister / Unsplash

The measures put in place to 'flatten the curve' of COVID have seen visitor attraction numbers impacted in the UK for many visitor attractions. In addition, international travel - whilst on the rise - is not back to where it was. Today we're looking at a number of ways of getting back to marketing basics with the UK domestic audience in order to get people back through the doors.

What's the issue?

In a nutshell, the UK has experienced a drop in visitor numbers due to a post-pandemic effect. Many people are still fearful of going out and travelling abroad and visitors to the UK are not back at pre-pandemic levels.

Getting back to basics

The marketing budget for many tourist attractions is shrinking, but this does not mean that you should neglect your marketing efforts. Here are a few simple tips to get back to basics with your marketing strategy:

1) Keep it simple

2) Make sure your company has a good Google presence. You can do this by making sure you have fresh content on your website and active social media pages.

3) Stay away from discount vouchers and other discount deals – it’s better to offer added value promotions instead of discounts as people want something different.

4) Be sure to use all the free marketing channels available to you including free PR, in-attraction advertising and more.

It's no secret that social media is one of the most powerful tools for marketing. With an estimated 1 billion people on Facebook, 400 million on Twitter and 800 million on Instagram - it's safe to say that this is one platform you should be using from an online marketing perspective.

There are a number of ways to use social media as a tool for your tourist attraction, but if you're looking for some inspiration here are five marketing tips to get you started:

1) Engage with your followers

2) Provide useful content relevant to your industry

3) Stay up-to-date with current trends

4) Be personable and make sure your posts are interactive

5) Encourage user-generated content

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Check out our guide - How to Choose the Best Social Platforms for Promoting Your Next Event - click here.

Marketing your tourist attraction with partnerships and joint ventures

The first and most obvious way to attract fans is through partnerships with other attractions, venues, hotels and restaurants. By partnering with a similar attraction within the same town or region, you make it easier for your potential customers to visit both at the same time. With families looking for new experiences, this makes sense.

Another option is to build a joint venture with another tourist attraction near you that doesn't do anything like what you do. For example, if you offer boat rides on an inland canal then partner with an ice cream vendor who has an ice cream truck parked nearby.

Doing this enables the two of you to promote each other's services and gain more exposure in the process. You will also have the opportunity to cross-promote by advertising their product/service when they come by your tourist attraction. This provides a win-win situation for both parties!

A hotel in London. — Partnerships with tourist-filled hotels are a great way to get your attraction in front of an attraction-keen audience.

Marketing your tourist attraction by becoming a member of the community

Becoming a member of the community is one way to attract more customers. Engaging with locals and encouraging people in your local area to come to your tourist attraction can help boost the number of visitors you receive. Consider organising events that involve the local community, such as an annual Christmas event for local children or a charity fundraiser.

Another way of attracting more visitors is by paying attention to what you post on social media. Share content from other organisations who work in the same field as you do, and encourage visitors to share images from your attraction on their social media pages. By engaging with followers on social media, you are reaching out to new people and encouraging others to visit your attraction.

A third way is by advertising about your attraction locally through posters and leaflets, so that people know where it's located. You may also want to consider discounts or offers when using this strategy - the aim is to get people through the door and not scare them away with high prices!

Marketing your tourist attraction with a new event or experience

One way of getting people through the doors is to offer them something new. A new event or experience that they wouldn't usually get. In this instance, it could be a 'behind the scenes' tour which not only educates but also entertains. The same could be said for private talks from staff or even a cooking demonstration. It is also worth noting that marketing your attraction as a family day out can have much success if it is done correctly and with care.

Conclusion

In order to be successful in marketing your tourist attraction it is important to be aware of the challenges that lie ahead. With the right marketing plan and a little creativity, you can not only survive but thrive.