How to Successfully Engage Your Local Community
October 24, 2023
Having the support of the local community around your attraction is one of your most powerful assets you can have as an attraction manager. There is a kind of symbiotic relationship where your attraction and the wider community work together to benefit each other mutually.
But it’s not always easy to successfully engage the local community, so what can you do to help improve your relationship with them? Read on to find out!
The Importance of the Community for Attractions
There are several benefits to having the local community on board with what you’re doing, especially if you can work out specific ways to help each other.
You want the local residents to feel happy and proud to live nearby your attraction. The most important thing is to for the people around you to enjoy having your attraction there – you want them to have positive things to say and to encourage your growth and development.
This way, when it’s time to expand or undertake construction or development work, the local community are for more likely to agree and support these kinds of projects. Also, their positive reviews and good word could reflect in more business for your attraction, as people always want to visit the highest-rated places!
Plus, attractions like yours can be valuable assets for local councils and businesses as you have the power to attract visitors from all over the region. These visitors will then also visit local businesses on their trip, while those business could direct their customers to you!
Actively Collaborate with Your Community
There are several ways that you could help boost your relationship with the local community.
- Provide Special Tickets for the Local Community
Your attraction thrives when it is busy, so consider giving discounted or special value tickets to the local community so they can enjoy their local activities more often! Alternatively, offer some special additions to any tickets purchased by people within a certain area, such as free animal experiences or event passes.
- Make Your Presence Known
Get involved with local activities through sponsorships or actively seek out schools and groups that you could work with to provide learning or activity spaces. Perhaps you could help teach students about your speciality or help provide a space for markets and independent businesses to show off their work. Look outside your attraction’s theme for inspiration!
- Be a Venue for Activities
It is common for larger attractions to play host to several different types of events like weddings or concerts, but how about providing a space for smaller groups? Perhaps your attraction is perfectly suited for a dance class, sports club, or children’s birthday party!
- Sponsorships and Support
Get behind local initiatives and partner with small businesses to help spread your influence beyond the border of your land. Endorse local produce and be a face for positive change where it is needed and those you help will be looking to return the favour in future!
Real Examples from Vennersys Clients
We’ve provided you with some concepts and ideas that you could use for your attraction, but here are some real solutions that our clients have implemented for themselves!
Blenheim Palace have long provided several unique learning opportunities to schools across Oxfordshire and have held the Sandford Award for their heritage education programme since 1982.
Additionally, Blenheim Palace work with both Experience Oxford and the Oxford Bus Company to launch special travel tickets for visitors. They’ve even worked with local housing developers to fund the construction of affordable housing estates in the area!
As part of their initiative to drive local education, the Hall Place Bird Hide in Hall Place & Gardens was regularly closed throughout the spring and summer of 2023 to allow children to learn more about the wildlife in the area. This helps the attraction provide a more safe and secure learning environment.
As the host of the Pembrokeshire Race for Live three years running, Oakwood Theme Park are proud to partake in and support local charity activities.
Their large and open grounds provide the perfect opportunity to host the annual Cancer Research UK event. This year, they managed to raise almost £14,000 for the charity.
They also offer discount tickets to local businesses to incentivise team-building exercises, with the aim of providing a corporate experience like no other.
Get in Touch with Vennersys for Community Engagement Assistance
Looking to expand your influence in the community you operate in? Vennersys are here to help. Whether you’re looking to add special occasions into your event booking systems or special ticket types as part of your electronic visitor management system, we can do it all!
We provide guidance to our clients on a regular basis, and we have a very collaborative and communicative relationship with everyone we work alongside. Our ticketing and EPoS system is designed to help with all aspects of attraction management, from capacity management to CRM facilities and even the community outreach you’re looking for now!
Reach out to our team today to find out exactly how we could help you – call our office on 01908 735 274 or email our team on contact@vennersys.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
