Operator Takeaways:
- Two in five travelers will visit a cultural site or monument because they have always wanted to
- Traditional channels, such as recommendations from friends and family are of more importance
- Price has become more important for travelers when making decisions
Travelers are less interested in visiting famous cultural sites or monuments than before the pandemic, new Arival research has found.
Those surveyed say that they are more likely to go to sites that they have always wanted to visit than they were in 2019.
Only 37% of travelers surveyed said they wanted to visit a monument because it was famous, with 41% saying they would visit because they had always wanted to go.
This is a decrease of 15% when compared to 2019 for famous cultural sites, and an increase of 8% for bucket-list attractions.
Arival’s new report from the Traveler Path to Purchase Series, Cultural Sites & Monuments, examines how travelers’ attitudes have changed during the pandemic.
The also presents actionable recommendations for cultural sites and monument operators to consider as travel continues its recovery.
Visitors are also basing more of their decisions on where to visit based on traditional channels, such as recommendations from friends and family, and on what they read in guide books, magazines, and newspapers.
Price has become a more important factor, doubling from 12% of respondents in 2019 to 24% in 2021.
There has been little change in preference on location or whether a site is easy to get to.
Arival surveyed 1,000 U.S. “active travelers” on their travel intentions for the next 12 months.
Active travelers are adults aged 18 years or over who have taken at least one trip 100 miles from home with an overnight stay since January 2019.
They have engaged in a qualified tour, activity or attraction. They also have planned or intend to travel between July 2021 and June 2022.
Arival fielded the study in June 2021 and weighted for gender and age.
The report was carried in association with the multi-attraction pass provider, GoCity.
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