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It’s summertime, at least in the northern hemisphere, and the sun is shining. Summer makes people think about the possibility of holidays, getting out, and maybe getting a little entertainment in their lives. What’s more, since many countries and regions have seen decreased infection rates and increases in vaccinated people, there is an excellent chance of actually doing those things. With a few additional measures, you can make getting people back to your vacation spots, entertainment venues and planning events a breeze. Scheduled entertainment is the way forward.
Let’s get the summer season started!
Picking up the Pieces or Starting Afresh?
It doesn’t matter whether you’re trying to recover an existing business or you’re starting a new venture. For much of the event and entertainment industry, Summer 2021 will be like starting over. There will be new rules, new operating procedures, and a new backup plan if it ever happens again.
Vacation or Staycation – There’s always something to do!
Some countries are embracing testing and vaccinations to encourage visiting foreign tourists. However, others are still quite strict about people visiting and returning from their vacation spots. In either case, there is a massive opportunity for holiday providers and event organisers to welcome the summer tourist trade. It doesn’t matter whether they are tourist vacationers or home-loving staycationers.
Even in places where they’re allowing international travel, there’ll still be people who prefer to wait for better times. They would rather stay put than risk enduring interminable testing and quarantine. It’s the perfect time to appeal to your local market in your country or region.
If you operate in a tourist destination, you’ve been waiting for the return of the tourists, but don’t overlook your locals. Everyone needs a break, and encouraging your local market will help your business grow beyond a tourist-only reliance.
Don’t worry about sticking to the residual measures. We’ve got your back with limiting capacity and helping to create fun, eventful and safe experiences for everyone.
Scheduled Entertainment & Events
Let be honest. It’s not just the tourist season coming up; it’s also the summer holidays for children and students. They’ve already lost one Summer to COVID and its restrictions. There’s no reason for them to lose another when the situation is improving.
Scheduled entertainment and events could mean a better summer for everyone – clients and businesses alike.
Cultural Cities and Destinations
At the height of the tourist season in culturally significant destinations, tourists need to be sure that they are up and queueing for the hotspots as early as possible.
The Louvre, The Sistine Chapel, The Galleria dell’Accademia, The Pantheon and the Uffizi Gallery are all massively popular cultural attractions in tourist destinations. You couldn’t get close without queueing. What if tourists could book a slot to visit without having to queue (possibly even in hot weather)? Wouldn’t it be better not to have people crowding the entrance? Well COVID has forced a technological solution to an old problem. Tickets are not just recommended, in some places a booking is mandatory.
If they are doing it, why shouldn’t you?
Perhaps your visitors would like the option to walk around and view exhibits alone, while others would like to be with a guided tour. You never want too many people in these places, but with scheduled slots, you can keep those numbers at optimum levels without the added work of counting people in and out. Scan an online ticket at the door, already paid and allowed to enter – no queueing, no wasted holiday time. That ticks all the boxes.
What about all the other places that people have never visited? Lived in Seattle for ten years and never been to The Space Needle? Perhaps this year’s staycation could be a good time. I’m just as guilty as anyone, 30 years in the UK and never visited any of the major tourist spots in London.
2021 is the perfect time to reintroduce the people to the wonders of their own city or country. Get them to make an appointment; it’s a far better use of their time and your operating hours.
Scheduled Excursions, Tours and Day Trips
Not everyone wants to stay put on their holidays, and they don’t always want to be searching around for different excursions and day trips when they reach their destination. A holiday is usually a finite amount of time away from the hustle and bustle of daily routine. No one wants to spend that time searching for the right kind of thing when they good be doing something exciting or fun.
Maybe you do vineyard tours of the local wine country, with tasting and historical information. If people can find your business before they even arrive, they can make the most of their holiday.
How many people can your tour include, and can you secure priority entry for your pre-booked groups on a tour schedule?
By making your excursions pre-bookable online, you free up your target market’s holiday time, and you also manage to reach them more quickly than waiting for them to find you when they get there. What’s more, you even manage to free up your own time by not dealing with phone calls or keeping people in an office to field in-person queries.
Let’s not assume you want to cater to foreign tourists. Maybe you want to draw in your local market. What are some of the undervalued and underrated treasures of your local area? Do you have a thriving craft ale scene or a hub of talented artists with galleries? Almost everywhere has some undiscovered gems, even to people who have lived there all their lives.
Scheduled Entertainment Aiding the Transition
While we all look forward to the inevitable easing of the restrictions that have plagued our lives and businesses for the past 15 months, we need to make it gradual. Not everyone is vaccinated or can have the vaccination. Testing is not 100% accurate, and neither is the vaccine 100% effective. While we transition from uncontrolled global pandemic to manageable co-existence, there has to be a middle ground.
Scheduled entertainment, events, and excursions are the middle ground that will keep life happening but in a safely controlled manner. Yet sometimes, the tools we use to get through provide a better alternative to the original.
Entertainment and event scheduling is more than crowd control.
Sure, use a booking website to control the numbers who can enter your building, join an excursion, or attend an event. Use a booking system to collect valuable data for contact tracing and customer details for future contact and marketing.
But do more. Set up a booking website to help customers find you. Use it to secure visitors (whether payment in advance or a deposit) and revenue. integrate it with new channels via Google, Facebook, or Instagram. People love to take pictures of their adventures and experiences – use that.
However, don’t let the benefits of scheduled entertainment for the client pass you by. Compare two visitors to a culturally significant city, Paris, Rome, Athens (there are so many more). One has booked their tours around the most famous exhibits, museums and galleries and still has time for some relaxation. While the other doesn’t schedule their visits, has spent hours waiting in queues and only managed to do half of the sights. They are also completely exhausted and need another holiday to get over the trip.
While event and entertainment booking might be an interim measure, don’t expect it to disappear. Some clients will love the convenience and they will demand it well into the future, even after reaching a point of minimal COVID.
Here’s hoping that’s sooner than later.