Immersive Experience Venues: Definition, Examples, and Best Ways to Promote
The most recent consumer research is demonstrating that consumers are increasingly prioritising experiences over buying ‘stuff’, and it’s a trend that has only grown since the relaxation of covid-19 restrictions which has made people value spending more time with their loved ones.
In a travel report by The Mastercard Economics Institute, published in May 2022, global tourism spending at bars and nightclubs was 72% higher than that recorded in April 2019, while spending at experiential venues such as amusement parks, museums and concerts is 35% above pre-pandemic figures[1].
With people seeking more places, and ways, to create memorable experiences, it’s not surprising that the number of experience venues has been on the increase.
Perhaps you’re wondering ‘what is an immersive experience?’
Or if you already know and have an exciting idea of your own to develop, or have recently opened, you might be wondering how to get message out and reach the right people.
At Access we help a number of clients in the immersive experience market reach new audiences and secure bookings for the quirky side of hospitality through our online booking system and through the Access-owned discovery site, DesignMyNight that generates over 13 million monthly views.
So, in this article we'll define what an immersive experience venue is and examples of some of the popular venues currently out there as well as some handy tips to start promoting an immersive experience event or venue to the right audience.
What is an immersive experience venue?
An immersive experience venue is a place where people actively engage in an activity and interact with others to provide a memorable occasion. Food and drink may be served with additional multisensory effects provided by light and sound and/or involvement in a task or activity.
The hospitality offer in the UK has broadened and diversified to be about more than just eating and drinking and you can expect a large side of entertainment in many venues too – from music and performance art to games and sports. Themed venues based on popular culture where visitors can soak up the atmosphere, engage in escape-room style challenges or get hands-on and learn a new skill and create something unique are now on offer, and in growing demand.
Experience venues are especially popular with Gen Y and Gen Z. A survey by Eventbrite found that 18-34-year-olds were driving the ‘experience economy’ with 66% of respondents saying they felt ‘more fulfilled by live experiences than purchasing an item of the same value’ [2].
With a simple food and drink offering no longer cutting the mustard and an expectation of ‘more’, you might be thinking how you can tap into the experiential market and provide an unforgettable experience for your customers.
What are some examples of experiential event venues?
There’s no set formula when it comes to the success of experiential venues and there are limitless possibilities when it comes to providing an immersive experience for guests.
However, here is a list of some of the most popular examples you can popping up in cities around the UK currently:
Games and sports
From venues based around traditional pub games such as darts and pool to those putting a particular sport, like golf or football centre stage, the sports and gaming theme is a popular one and encourages energetic participation from all visitors. Food, drink and décor will be themed accordingly, creating the desired atmosphere and adding to the overall experience. Tech is also often integrated into the experience to aid and enhance delivery.
Popular culture
Popular films, TV shows, books and shows provide the backdrop for these kinds of immersive experience venues. A venue may be designed in the style of restaurant or café featured in a much-loved TV show or film with serving staff or entertainers dressed as its characters. Dishes may be themed too. Show-themed immersive events encourage crowd participation through singing or dancing along to well-known tunes. Whatever the style, these kinds of venues are fully immersive and offer the additional entertainment, social interaction and unforgettable ‘experiences’ consumers often crave on an evening out.
Food and drink experiences
Eating and drinking remains core to the offering, but the location or interaction will turn it into a more immersive (and maybe more memorable) experience. Think dining while suspended at height over a city, or while on a scenic train journey. The experience might be a food explorer tour taking in multiple food joints for your starter, main and dessert, or take you into the great outdoors to enjoy a gourmet picnic. Wherever guests are taken, the experience will make them remember more than the dishes they’ve consumed.
Challenge and skills
Social interaction, group participation and learning are key elements providing the perfect immersive experience which is something that mystery-solving events and escape-room style challenges offer. Guests will be forced to use their brains and react to their surroundings instead of simply sitting back and consuming some tasty food and drink. The same can be said for skills-based experiences. Gourmet-themed workshops such as cocktail-making or cake decorating encourage hands-on interaction and teach guests something new.
Unique experiences
How would you and your friends like to smuggle some booze into prison and enjoy cocktails in a cell? Or have a boozy night of nostalgia in a giant ball pit for adults? Plenty of venues offer unique experiences that make for a memorable night out and sure to encourage a lot of laughs!
How do you attract the right target audience for an event?
To make sure you get your immersive event or experience in front of the right audience you need to think about who your audience is. When creating an immersive experience event concept, you should have a clear idea about who you’re targeting.
With Gen Y and Gen Z (those born between 1995 and 2010) the consumer segments most likely to seek out experiences, these are the generations you should consider targeting. To do so, make sure your business is present where they are.
One social platform holding the attention of both Gen Y and Gen Z is TikTok. Over 60% of TikTok users are comprised of Gen Z according to an article in Forbes [2] and 30% of Gen Z’ers prefer using TikTok for product research according to Sprout Social[3]. So, ensuring you have a presence on TikTok can be a great marketing strategy.
It is also a good idea to be listed on sites where they might be searching about the latest trends, especially those that offer targeted email promotions too.
Here are our top tips for attracting the right target audience for an event:
- Be where your audience is: Push video content of your concept on TikTok to give Gen Z users a glimpse into your immersive experience.
- Boost your visibility: List your business on a platform like DesignMyNight which provides targeted roundups for users such as ‘Best immersive dining experiences in London’ so it is seen by those seeking immersive experiences.
- Use ticketing: Make it easy for customers to book their space and guarantee a full house by making it a ticketed event. Using event ticketing software makes managing these kinds of events easier for operators as well as creating a sense of demand and anticipation for customers purchasing them.
Ready to create unforgettable experiences?
In this article, we’ve outlined what makes an immersive experience for customers and looked at the growing popularity of experiential events and venues over the last few years. While many new businesses are fully embracing the immersive concept, all hospitality operators can benefit from looking at how they can diversify their offer and attract new audiences into their venues, particularly when attracting a younger demographic who increasingly value experience-led entertainment.
At Access we believe in creating memorable guest experiences and can help you achieve this through user-friendly technology that creates a seamless customer experience from discovery to booking to visiting your venue and beyond.
Find out more about Access Hospitality software solutions for attracting more guests to your venue.
Sources:
[2] Forbes
[3] SproutSocial
