Looking to 2023

 

PGAV’s Voice of the Visitor 2023 paints a picture of the factors shaping 2023’s attractions industry performance. VOV 2023 reveals the value visitors place on attractions’ ability to connect, highlights the incredible innovation attractions have created to adapt to a changing world, and shows the opportunities ahead.   

Sunny skies are ahead! Visitors are reporting they want to visit our attractions. VOV 2023 forecasts an increase of 15% over 2022’s visitation.  Even better? That means forecasts show that 2023 visitation will exceed 2019 levels by 7%! 

Other points of optimism

  • A Destination Analysts' survey revealed promising news: 74.8% of participants said travel was a “worthwhile investment” even during a recession. And 39.3% felt spending money on travel is essential (this includes parents of school-aged children who are driving attraction visitation).

  • The unemployment rate remains low (3.4% as of January 2023).

  • Disposable personal income has seen moderate increases.

  • In their 2023 Megatrends report, Skift shared that there is potential for “catch-up” growth in the travel industry. Gross Domestic Product is 20-30% higher than pre-pandemic, but there is room to grow since the travel sector has not yet seen the same level of increase.

  • TSA checkpoint numbers are on par with levels from 2019.

  • China is loosening its "zero-Covid" policy, allowing 155 million tourists to explore the world again.

  • Corporate travel is returning, and many business travelers are extending their trips to include leisure activities.

  • Vaccine advancements, more effective treatment and prevention, and growing immunity among the population are reducing the negative impacts of Covid, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

  • A December Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus index showed Americans are optimistic about the impact of COVID-19 and are returning to normal, pre-pandemic life.

VISITING AGAIN?

% of Visitors Probably/Definitely Will Visit Same Attraction Again in 2023

VOV 2023 shows that visitors continue to return to attractions. Down only slightly from 2022 levels, 69% of visitors say they will return to the same attraction in 2023. Leading the way in intent to return: theme parks, water parks, zoos, and aquariums.

© Carly Caramanna

Remote work has surged, giving people more freedom to travel and visit attractions. A study by Upwork found that 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely by 2025. That’s an 87% increase over pre-pandemic levels. Remote workers are heading away from their homes to work—and play. Many also combine work trips with leisure, spawning new buzzwords—bleisure and digital nomads. These changes provide attractions with even more opportunities to welcome visitors through the gates. Bleisure is changing typical traffic patterns by extending the weekend and peak seasons.

© Carly Caramanna

In 2020, Carly Caramanna, a theme park and travel journalist, gave up her office space and worked remotely from Universal Studios Hollywood. Caramanna said, “Working from the kitchen island gets old, and I didn’t want to sit in a coffee shop all day. I already had an annual pass and knew locations away from crowds and tucked away.” After writing about her time working from the park, she heard from many others utilizing season passes to work from places like zoos and aquariums. “Working from these locations is more stimulating than staying at home all the time. Many people just need their laptop and decent Wi-Fi to work remotely.”

Caramanna also says the perks of free passes can help with cost savings for remote workers, including free parking and food discounts. The most challenging part? Finding a charging port.

While most visitors won’t work from an attraction full time, attractions can still find ways to cater to the increasing number of remote workers. Offering speedy Wi-Fi, quiet spaces to take calls, and power outlets can help accommodate bleisure travelers who need to stay connected while visiting. What about a weekday-only annual pass? Invite remote workers on low-traffic days, and they’ll likely spend additional money on coffee, snacks, and meals.

Are you already working with the Convention and Visitors Bureau in your area? Are there creative and innovative ways to invite attendees to extend their stays and visit you? Caramanna says, “Themed entertainment locations are finally tapping into getting convention guests and families to extend their stays. You can mix business with pleasure with unique experiences, including park or land buyouts, one-of-a-kind dining and dessert parties, and evening partnerships.”

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Dawn Jasper