AusLeisure

Over 90% of visitors to Chinese theme parks want to pre-book their entire trip before arrival and many are also keen to use technology to enhance their visit, according to the new Theme Park Barometer survey.

The research was conducted by resort destination and retail software company Omnico and appears in their first Theme Park Barometer, which analyses the interactions of more than 2,000 people in the US, UK and China.

Omnico Group Chief Executive Mel Taylor explained “visitors overwhelmingly want a single, connected experience where the resort is doing everything it can to make their enjoyment its priority by removing all the difficulties and complications.”

Taylor sees that guests also expect theme park operators to use technology to give them that experience, such as using their smartphones or cashless wristbands to pay for everything in a theme park.

The survey also found that 65% of consumers in the UK, US and China expect theme parks to be using virtual reality within three years and 49% of Chinese say it is likely that fast-developing technologies, such as robotic personal assistants, will be in use.

 Taylor added “with so much innovation in the home, it is hardly surprising that visitors now expect theme parks to adopt cutting edge technology to provide enhanced experiences and levels of service.”

Taylor concluded “the results of our Theme Park Barometer show that operators must ensure they are meeting customers’ expectations for convenience and forward-planning.

“Visitors want operators to use technology to give them a stress-free experience that is memorable for the right reasons.”

The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) estimates that the number of theme park visits by Chinese customers will surpass 320 million a year by 2020, overtaking the United States.

Image: Guests at Chimelong Water Park, Guangzhou, China.

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