As more Americans return to travel this year, many are looking to bring their pets along for the fun. Is the attractions industry ready to accommodate these higher ex-pet-ations?

For most attractions, food is an essential part of the fun (and the profit). But people’s palates and priorities are changing. If we want to keep every visitor full and happy, and keep those cash registers ringing, it makes sense to lean into these trends and make sure that our menus are matching them.

“Revenge travel” is a trending topic this year as travelers look to make up for lost time with more extravagant, luxurious vacations and over-the-top experiences. It might be the sweetest kind of revenge for both travelers and destinations – everyone stands to win. With most attractions already focused on delivering the best possible experiences for visitors, how can we possibly amp things up another notch?

Not long ago, the vast majority of trips were motivated by one factor or the other: business or pleasure. Today, the answer is increasingly “both.” Is this travel trend likely to stick? And what does it mean for the attractions industry?

PGAV Destinations’ seventh annual attractions industry study with H2R Market Research conducts interviews of 1,500 American respondents who either visited an attraction in 2021 or plan to do so in 2022. The recovery momentum is predicted to build as visitors use pent-up demand and increased income to tackle bucket list adventures.

A snapshot analysis shows that people of color make up a record-setting 33% of attraction visitors in 2021, and with many of these visitors expressing enthusiasm to explore even more attractions in 2022. But there is also a concerning gap in satisfaction with attraction experiences.

For visitors, the answer lies in the balance between the need to relax, unwind, and connect with family weighed against safety concerns. For attraction owners, the question applies to new processes and policies implemented during the pandemic, again seeking to balance visitor safety with maximizing their experience.

It’s a double-dose of encouraging news: PGAV’s Voice of the Visitor 2022 shows us not only unprecedented pent-up demand among attraction visitors, but also a broad willingness to spend more when they finally do return.

We saw strong signs of an industry rebound in 2021, but PGAV’s Voice of the Visitor 2022 (VOV 2022) results indicate that it’s just the tip of the iceberg. A strong wave of visitors, still fueled by pent-up demand, are excited to return to their favorite destinations and even try new ones!

It’s a bittersweet phenomenon that has been documented and analyzed by experts ranging from travel specialists to mental health professionals. In a nutshell, these experts have concluded that the pandemic reminded us that life is short, and it’s up to each of us to make the most of it.

Today begins the first of seven installments of PGAV’s Voice of the Visitor, our annual study of the attractions industry based on consumer input. Read on to hear how the industry’s strengths are providing the foundation for our optimism.

7th Edition of PGAV’s Voice of the Visitor (VOV 2022) - Lets evaluate the prior year’s industry performance and look forward to the coming year.