For decades, the attractions industry operated on a simple model: sell a ticket, let people in, hope they buy a hot dog and a stuffed animal on the way out. Admission revenue was the headline number, and everything else was gravy.
That model is breaking down. Admission prices have hit psychological ceilings in many markets, cost inflation keeps squeezing margins, and guests increasingly judge value by experience quality rather than access alone. The attractions thriving in this environment have fundamentally rethought what they’re selling.
The Experience Premium
Consider two zoos in the same metropolitan area. Zoo A charges $25 general admission. Zoo B charges $22 general admission but offers a $45 “Keeper for a Day” package, a $15 giraffe feeding encounter, a $30 sunset safari tour, and a $12 behind-the-scenes animal hospital visit. Zoo B’s average revenue per guest is $38 — 52% higher than Zoo A’s — and their guest satisfaction scores are higher too.
The paradox of experience pricing is that guests feel they’re getting more value even when they’re spending more money. A $25 general admission feels like a commodity. A $15 giraffe feeding feels like a once-in-a-lifetime memory. The emotional calculus is completely different.
Digital Tools Enable Experience Sales
The operational barrier to experience sales has always been logistics. How do you sell timed encounters, manage capacity, coordinate staff, and handle day-of changes without creating a nightmare for your operations team?
This is precisely where digital platforms shine. In-app booking for premium experiences, real-time availability displays, automated capacity management, and push notifications about upcoming openings make the entire system seamless — for guests and staff alike.
A family walking past the giraffe enclosure gets a notification: “Two spots just opened for the 2:30 giraffe feeding! Book now in the app.” That notification converts at rates traditional upselling could never match because the timing and context are perfect.
The Food and Beverage Opportunity
Dining is the single largest untapped revenue opportunity at most attractions. The typical attraction captures only 40-50% of its potential food revenue because guests can’t find the restaurant they want, don’t know what’s available, or hit a line that’s too long and give up.
Mobile ordering solves all three problems simultaneously. Guests browse menus from anywhere in the park, place orders in advance, and pick up without waiting. Attractions that implement mobile ordering typically see food revenue increase 20-35% — not because prices went up, but because friction went down.
Merchandise Beyond the Gift Shop
The traditional gift shop model forces all merchandise revenue through a single bottleneck, usually near the exit. By the time guests reach it, kids are tired, parents are ready to leave, and browsing is minimal.
Digital platforms enable distributed merchandise awareness throughout the visit. Viewing the lion exhibit? The app can subtly feature related items — adoption certificates, plush toys, conservation books — available for purchase with in-park pickup or home delivery. This contextual merchandising reaches guests when their emotional connection to a specific animal or experience is strongest.
The Recurring Revenue Model
The ultimate evolution is from transactional revenue to recurring revenue. Memberships, annual passes, and subscription-based premium access create predictable income that smooths the seasonal roller coaster.
Digital engagement is the engine that makes recurring models work. Without it, memberships are just discounted tickets. With it, memberships become relationships — ongoing value exchange that justifies the annual commitment and drives renewal rates above 70%.
The attractions that will thrive in the next decade aren’t the ones with the highest ticket prices. They’re the ones that have reimagined what they’re selling — and built the digital infrastructure to deliver it.