But fear not, I’m not here to join the mob, chasing the latest trend for a few extra clicks—no Barbie or Taylor Swift references from me... yet. I wanted to write this article because I saw the backlash to the Oasis ticket process.

I wasn’t lucky enough to get myself a ticket (I mean, I didn’t actually try to get one, but that’s beside the point).

After the tweets, articles, comments, and videos I’ve seen since Saturday, I think the whole thing is a perfect learning experience to showcase how not to do things for Visitor Attractions. Of course, Oasis, Ticketmaster, their agents and managers might disagree because they are all a fair bit richer now, but I’m talking about customer experience and, ultimately, brand loyalty.

Here are the four things Visitor Attractions can learn from the Oasis ticket saga.

We all know the drill. It’s late, you’ve had a night out, and you’re booking an Uber. The price has increased tenfold because everyone else is doing the same thing. This is thanks to dynamic pricing, or “surge pricing” as it can be known. What they really mean is, “We’re going to charge you a fortune because you’re desperate.”

I’ve discussed dynamic pricing in an article before (read it here), and honestly, I’m actually a fan of it. But I need to clarify what I mean by dynamic pricing first. I don’t think attractions should advertise the price as £30, and then when things are looking busy, suddenly a ticket is £100 at checkout. I think that’s wrong, and that leads to frustration. But I think dynamic pricing (or seasonal pricing) has been fantastically successful for a lot of attractions. I’ve seen first-hand how increasing the price of a ticket at weekends, in August or other holiday periods and then decreasing/reducing it in the week days/winter/off-peak has led to considerable increases in revenue, encouraged off-peak visitors, and has not caused a stir whatsoever.

Why is this good? If you want to sit in the best seats at the theatre, you pay a bit more, and if you visit a visitor attraction in the busiest time of year, most people are okay with spending a bit more. There are two big caveats though. 

One, there is a ceiling price here; it must be reasonable. 

Two, the experience needs to be worth it. People aren’t willing to pay more for less, so consider the current price point and visitor sentiment before thinking about charging more in summer.

What I cannot fathom in this day and age is that when the tech is there plus you’re aware there’s going to be huge demand, why not get ready for massive traffic? One of the most frustrating things (I’m looking at you, Glastonbury) is when you get to the front of an “online queue” and the website crashes, or kicks you out for being a "bot". It’s 2024, and web support is there to ensure this shouldn't happen.

I know an attraction that foresaw a surge in traffic after a prime-time TV appearance. They upgraded their servers, tested them to the limits, and their site held firm when the big day came. Record traffic, record sales, and not a single grumble. Imagine that—being prepared. Maybe, if you’re expecting a rush, give your web team a heads-up. Just a thought. 

If you have a popular event or a TV spot coming up, why not speak to your website team to ensure your site can meet demand? Your potential customers might notice, but they'll be sure to tell you when your website goes down.

So, you think you’re paying £150 for a ticket, and suddenly it’s £600 at checkout? That’s one way to send people running. And rightly so. I’m not sure of many examples where a price tag can suddenly triple, and all the fees are added on last minute too.

One of the biggest turn-offs for visitor attractions is hidden costs. Be upfront. Have a clear price list so visitors know what they’re in for before they hit “book now".

This comes back to the peak pricing. If people see it’s more expensive on weekends/ holidays, etc., they might visit during the off-peak/ quieter times. But, if they want to visit during busier times, they know the price when booking. You might even consider offering a discount for advance bookings—encourage people to commit. This ensures they’ll still visit you if the weather changes (see my article on wet weather marketing ideas).

Finally, this doesn’t mean you can’t include bolt-on options during your booking process. Why not add a “VIP Behind the Scenes Tour” or a “Guidebook”? These are add-ons and are different from the random fees/ admin fees/ booking fees/ bits and bobs fees.

Thousands of fans signed up for the Oasis presale but received radio silence instead of tickets. That’s not how loyalty should be treated—people willing to make an effort should see some reward, not the door.

For Visitor Attractions, your email list should be your most cherished asset. These people want to hear from you, so don’t leave them hanging. I know an attraction that sells out a regular event in minutes, all because they treat their email subscribers like royalty. No social media frenzy, just a well-timed email, and bam—sold out. It’s not rocket science, but it works.

People spend hours on organic social content, developing ideas, designing, and getting the copy precisely right, only for it to get 193 impressions and 2 engagements. Why not spend some of that time instead on email content? You’ll send it to thousands of people, and likely, a lot more eyes who want to see your content will see it!

In the end, what should have been an exciting moment—seeing your favourite band reform—turned sour for many. The event industry, especially Ticketmaster, could learn much from Visitor Attractions. We know how to treat people respectfully and that loyalty should be a two-way street.

I hope my Oasis references haven’t driven you to Cigarettes & Alcohol. Drop us a line if you need help perfecting your booking process or crafting standout marketing campaigns. Or, if you’d prefer to reply with an email full of song titles, I’m game. Whatever.