PGAV Destinations’ publication, Delicious Data, summarizes research conducted with H2R Market Research that focused on revealing the food, beverage, and retail desires of attraction visitors.

• Visitor Spending Up. Research shows that visitor spending was up at attractions this year, with admission costs accounting for 48% of spending at an attraction, merchandise accounting for 25% and food and beverage 29% of spending. When asked what actions visitors took at an attraction, nearly 60% indicated that they purchased a meal, 50% a snack, 70% a drink, and 37% a retail purchase.
• Visitors Plan to Keep Spending. Site-spending is up all around, but food and beverage noted the largest increase. Thirty-five percent spend more on food and beverages at attractions than before the pandemic. Around three fourths of respondents indicated that they would continue to spend at attractions in the future.
• What Visitors Want. Visitors want a variety of menu options, available seating, menu options for kids, alcohol, local ingredients, and live entertainment. Over half of visitors plan to purchase food before they arrive at the property, so they want to know what is available before getting there.
• Barriers to Visitor Spending. The top five barriers to spending on food and beverage indicated by visitors is unaffordability (46%), low quality (44%) uncleanliness of seating areas (42%), a lack of seating (40%) and a lack of variety (39%). Barriers to retail spending are unaffordability (56%), low quality (48%), and not enough variety (45%). Around 28% of people say they have made an online retail purchase after visiting and one-third tried to purchase something but were unable.

(PGAV Destinology, 10.12.22)