We're delighted to announce a new partnership with Colchester Zoo to launch a new guest-facing mobile app. As well as delivering improvements to the guest experience, the new app will also play a key role in keeping guests safe on-site, thanks to one-way route navigation and targeted messaging capabilities.
Set in 60 acres of parkland and lakes in Essex, UK, and home to over 220 species, there is a lot for guests to explore at Colchester Zoo. An interactive map and wayfinding will make it easy for guests to find their way around. While social distancing measures remain in place, new one-way routes will help manage footfall around the site and help guests maintain a safe distance.
Closures and capacity restrictions as a result of COVID-19 restrictions have hit zoos particularly hard. Without revenue from admissions, covering their high overheads to look after the animals has been increasingly challenging, sadly leaving many zoos now fighting for their survival. Ensuring a strong recovery by increasing admissions and securing more animal adoptions and donations will be vital.
Reassuring guests that it’s safe to visit will be vital to increase visitation and grow all-important admissions revenue.
Colchester Zoo will be able to trigger specific updates to on-site guests about how to keep safe during their visit. The app can also prompt users for feedback and encourage positive reviews from guests, which could be very valuable in reassuring more people that it’s safe to visit.
Encouraging fundraising support and donations from guests can often be a challenge for zoos, but the app can provide an engaging and personal way to raise awareness and communicate to guests about how they can get involved.
The app can serve up tailored messaging using a wide range of targeting criteria and even trigger push messages such as adoption offers to individual guests based on specific interests and behaviours, providing a unique means to identify and target the most relevant audience for the message.
Mark Locker, CEO of Attractions.io said; “We’re really excited about the possibilities the app will bring to Colchester Zoo. As well as helping to keep guests safe whilst social distancing remains a priority, the app will be instrumental for improving the guest experience and creating new fundraising opportunities both now and longer-term.”
Melissa Dench, Business Development Manager at Colchester Zoo added; “Although the mobile app project has been in the pipeline for some time, Attractions.io were really responsive and happy to adapt to our changing priorities. We’re confident the app will play a key role in helping us to stay open safely and securing a strong and successful recovery.
Find out how our mobile app solutions can help zoos and wildlife attractions improve communication and enhance the guest experience by downloading our factsheet:
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