Good Weather Helped, But the Calendar Did More 

Let’s get this out of the way: yes, the weather was decent. But that’s not what moved the needle. Easter Sunday fell at the end of the school holidays in most areas, which meant one thing: built-in urgency. The holiday began quietly for many, with footfall lagging across sites. But visitor numbers surged in the second week, particularly in the lead-up to the Bank Holiday weekend. Key drivers behind this surge? In many regions, school holidays broke early, giving families more flexibility. Easter landed towards the end of the break, allowing excitement to build, and the weather was favourable, meaning nearly two weeks of sunshine, with only brief interruptions.

Families took their time, waited for the right moment, and came out in force. Attractions that adjusted their messaging and prepared for this surge came out ahead.

The trend of spontaneous visitors continues to rise. During the Easter period, bookings often came just days in advance. Whereas over the Bank Holiday weekend, lead times stretched a bit further, even with premium pricing across some sites.

And it wasn't just about pre-booking, walk-ups surged too, driven by good weather and last-minute decisions. Attractions that leaned into agile, reactive digital campaigns (think Paid Media, Performance Max, TikTok, Google Display) reaped the benefits. Those sticking rigidly to long-lead marketing struggled to cut through. The lesson being it's vital to meet visitors when they're ready, not just when it suits your schedule. In fact, paid media was the Performance Multiplier. The gap between “good” and “great” came down to paid media. Digital campaigns weren’t a bolt-on; they were the engine. We saw a +38% increase in sales for one venue without increasing ad spend. Some smaller brands are even outpacing bigger ones through sharp targeting and creative testing.

With the weather apps continuing to work against us in many ways (if you follow me on LinkedIn, you’ll know this), the weather held fast. While the sunshine helped drive footfall, dynamic ticket pricing helped maximise revenue. Lower prices in early weeks encouraged visits during quieter periods, and premium pricing at peak demand (near the Bank Holiday) drove higher yields.

Interestingly, visitors were willing to pay premium prices for the right experiences. But many families chose one big day out over multiple smaller trips, highlighting that budgets remain tight, even as demand for great experiences stays strong.

Some attractions were caught off guard by just how busy certain days became. The winners? Those who adapted quickly, rolling out extra activities, pop-ups, and ways to keep crowds engaged. One heritage site even invented a new interactive game mid-Easter to manage the crowds.

Attractions that invested early in Easter-specific programming, pop-ups, and family-focused experiences increased footfall and boosted visitor satisfaction, secondary spend, and loyalty. Meanwhile, more traditional attractions like gardens and museums benefited from the great weather, reminding us that Britain's love for a day out never wanes when the sun shines.

So, what's next?

In our next article, we'll take these learnings and explore how you can apply them to make summer 2025 even more successful. Read the next article here.