Why visitors need to plan to boost their mental health and how you can help them
Travel is a well-known mental health boost. Holidays can help lower stress levels, increase creativity and activity levels and mix up the status quo of everyday life.
But did you know that the simple act of planning a trip or experience is good for mental health too? Planning a trip is an act of self-care, helping to foster a vital sense of purpose and hope. And having something to look forward to is something that many people have sorely missed during the pandemic.
Recent research* shows that most people are planning on some kind of holiday this year (73%), with 38% saying they are currently looking at holiday options because they need something to look forward to – for their mental health more than anything else.
But planning a holiday is easier said than done right now. UK holidaymakers hoping to break the monotony of the lockdown months as coronavirus restrictions ease are faced with uncertainties over international travel, fears of a third wave, pricey Covid tests on return to the UK for those who do manage to holiday overseas, and a lack of supply to meet the growing demand for domestic holiday accommodation. For most people, staying close to home will be the only option in 2021 and visitor attractions will be more important than ever to the domestic holiday market.
As Dan Archer, Marketing Director at digital product studio Freestyle, points out, “With huge demand set to be placed on domestic holiday options (holiday parks, rentals and hotels), there won’t be enough options to satisfy the demand so the next option people will be considering is creating ‘threaded experiences’ – the booking of multiple, short-hop activities like visitor attraction venues … With a very successful vaccine program, with Covid levels currently in the ‘under control’ tier, we’ve no reason not to expect to enjoy a traditional British summer here in the UK. Visitor attractions have the opportunity now to ensure they capitalise on the demand and ensure they can facilitate as many visitors as is safe and possible, helping them to re-coup much of the lost revenue of the past 12 months.”
Here’s how you can help boost visitors’ mental health by enabling them to plan an experience at your visitor attraction.
1. Consider collaborating with local tourism businesses to create holiday-like packages
In the absence of available overnight accommodation, holidays that are quite literally from home look set to fill the gap. You could work with local tourism businesses such as restaurants, transport providers, tour guides and other visitor attractions with a similar target market to create a full day out that feels more like a ‘proper’ holiday experience.
2. Introduce new and unexpected experiences to your visitor attraction’s offer
The pandemic has seen a surge in interest in ‘soft’ adventures and learning experiences, such as cycling, hiking and virtual interest-based classes. Is there a way your attraction can help people explore their lockdown hobbies more deeply, or put an intriguing twist on an everyday activity? These could be the sort of adventures more usually associated with holidays abroad, perhaps involving non-native wildlife or food and drink experiences. Take inspiration from Eagle Heights Wildlife Foundation. Their alpaca trekking and huskie hiking experiences are perfect for ramblers looking to add some spice to walks close to home!
3. Encourage visitors to book ahead – and make it easy for them.
You don’t want anything putting the brakes on visitors’ dreaming and planning processes. That means making sure your booking platform runs smoothly, with a smooth transition across all stages of the visitor experience. Ideally, all aspects of the visit are pre-bookable, from entry and food to any extra on-site activities. Our recent webinar on running your VA in a post-Covid world will help.
4. Share your plans with your audience.
Use professional photos and your social media channels and newsletters to shout loud and proud about your new experiences and packages. The brighter and bolder your vision, the bigger and better your visitors’ dreams and plans for future day trips! Also, encourage your audience to share their experiences of days out at your attraction, to inspire their friends, family and colleagues to visit your attraction soon. You could even run a competition to win a day out at your VA; it will plant the seed of an idea for a great day out for all those who enter, regardless of whether they win. It’s all about stoking that dream of future days out!
* carried out by Freestyle and based on 2,018 UK adults between 19th-24th February 2021.
