Visitor attractions

SAVILLS INSIGHT

Indoor experiences bring year-round trade

“The persistent economic challenges felt across the industry remain in the visitor attractions sector, with the impact of the budget in October yet to fully play out. National living wage increases and changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions due in April will increase costs at a time when disposable income and leisure spend remains squeezed.

“The great British weather has again had an effect, with two mixed summer seasons and recent severe weather events forcing many outdoor attractions and visitor sites to close. This was often at short notice, with regularly overlooked knock-on effects of needing to reset facilities to maintain standards and ensure the customer experience is not impacted long-term. Indoor attractions have fared better, and where opportunities exist to diversify offers under cover, providing a wet weather alternative can help iron out these bumps and ensure consistency in trading through the year.

“There are reasons to be optimistic, however, with consumers continuing to favour high-quality and innovative experiences that allow them to spend time with family and friends. The importance of communicating the emotional benefits of a visit and connecting with the visitor at key touchpoints has been shown to have the greatest impact.”

Industry Insight

“The pandemic has cast a long shadow, and we are still not out of it. However, on a positive note, the visitor attraction sector is very resilient and creative – and by Christmas 2024, many attractions saw record numbers attending seasonal events.

“In terms of rebuilding businesses to pre-pandemic levels, attractions need to firstly ask themselves who already visits, who doesn’t, and what are we are going to do about it? Secondly, how do we better monetise what we have already got, and thirdly, how do we build better creative partnerships with experts and suppliers to support us and add value?”

Bernard Donoghue OBE, Director, Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA)

“The good news is that the Scottish attractions sector has experienced a modest 4.2% growth in visitor footfall in 2024. However, the months of April, June, July, August and September were all neutral or declining in numbers. November 2024 was down by 8.4%.

“The World Economic Forum ranks the UK 113 of 119 countries for price competitiveness. As we look forward, the changes to National Insurance will increase the cost of business, making Scotland more expensive to visit.

“However, despite what remains a challenging climate, there is deserved reason for pride and optimism. Attractions are innovating to suit the market, with new offerings such as premium products, new tours, new retail offerings, technology, inclusion and more. The strength of connection in our sector and commitment to world-class experiences will be important over the coming year.”

Michael Golding, CEO, Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA)

2024 IN NUMBERS

EVENTS INDUSTRY NEWS

Martyn’s Law, received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025 and has become the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. It aims to improve preparedness for potential terrorist attacks in venues, events and public spaces where large groups gather. It is anticipated the government will give a 24-month implementation period.

Key principles

• Risk Assessments and Action Plans: Venues must conduct regular assessments of terrorism risks and devise response strategies.
  
  
• Proportional Approach: A two-tier system introduces basic security measures for smaller venues (capacity over 200) and more stringent requirements for larger venues (capacity over 800).
  
  
• Enhanced Collaboration: Encourages cooperation between venue operators, local authorities, and counter-terrorism police.
  
  
• Public Awareness: Venues will also be expected to raise public awareness of terrorism risks and self-protection measures.

⁶ALVA Benchmarking Data 2024, ⁷UK Domestic Travel Sentiment Tracker | VisitBritain.org, ⁸ASVA

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