ASVA and VisitScotland seek your views on possible off-season support to stimulate visitation
Added: 21 Jul 2022
As we look ahead to autumn/winter, we recognise attractions’ usual concerns around footfall and demand, that are associated with normal seasonal fluctuations, are amplified considerably this year by the pressing need to recover from the impacts of the pandemic and rebuild consumer confidence. Current and very significant issues including the cost-of-living crisis, public transport disruptions, increased outbound international travel, and ongoing staffing and recruitment challenges are further intensifying operators’ anxieties.
Last year VisitScotland ran a collaborative Days Out campaign which successfully stimulated demand and usage of Scotland’s visitor attractions, day tour excursions and activities over the off-season. With an incentive for visitors of up to 50% off admission per ticket to the value of £20, VisitScotland delivered a country-wide programme of marketing activity across paid, owned and earned channels resulting in 26,993 business referrals from VisitScotland’s Days Out landing page.
Unlike last year, there is no additional funding to support this programme of activity, but following dialogue between ASVA and VisitScotland, there is a belief that there are opportunities to build on the success and legacy of the last Days Out campaign for the sector’s benefit.
Whilst addressing seasonality and supporting visitor numbers to attractions remains at the forefront of VisitScotland’s activity across owned, earned and paid activity, both ASVA and VisitScotland are seeking to better understand the position of the industry in order to build on the Days Out proposition further for 2022/23.
With this in mind, we would be grateful if attraction operators could undertake a very brief (5 minute) survey, exploring the appetite for such support measures and your intentions for the off-season (October to March).
The survey is completely anonymous and will remain open until midnight on Sunday 31 July. It can be completed via this link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VSDaysOut.
Thank you in advance for providing your insights.