Move beyond assumptions: let insight lead the strategy 

Each attraction has its own ecosystem – demographics, seasonality, competition and trading environment. 

Too often, attractions jump straight to tactics – local radio promotions, leaflet drops, social ads – without clearly defining objectives or understanding their specific audience. The result? Inefficient spend, ineffective campaigns and, at worst, a diluted brand experience. 

“The approach should be to reverse-engineer campaigns from the outcome, understanding what channels and tactics will best align with your specific objectives,” says Stuart.  

“What exactly are you trying to achieve through your local marketing activity? How many extra visits do you need to generate? What ROI are you aiming for? Are you targeting a certain age group, period or season? Then, you can work backwards to determine the right channels, messages and partnerships for your audience segment. It’s not just about footfall – it’s about making the right impression on the right people at the right time.”

"It’s not just about footfall – it’s about making the right impression on the right people at the right time."

That means building from insight, not assumption. An effective strategy uses a mix of quantitative and qualitative data – postcode analysis, ticketing behaviour, digital analytics, visitor reviews, behavioural science and social listening – to understand who your audience really is and what motivates them. 

Today’s local visitor might be a remote worker, a UK-based holidaymaker, an Airbnb guest or a family discovering your attraction for the first time. Micro-targeting – especially around school holidays, local events or weather-driven surges – consistently outperforms broad regional outreach. 

“Different demographics connect with different channels,” Stuart explains. “We’ve had great success with Spotify, for instance – targeting specific audience segments in precise geographic windows. It’s personal without being invasive – and it performs.” 

Crucially, all of this should be grounded in existing data. Your visitors are already telling you how and when they engage. The role of marketing is to listen, learn and act. 

Design experiences people want to talk about 

Your greatest marketing asset is the experience itself. Visitors may be drawn in by a promotion or a partnership, but it’s the atmosphere, emotional impact and attention to detail that shapes how they remember – and share – their visit. 

 “A great experience isn’t just enjoyable – it’s shareable,” Stuart expands. “It makes people want to recommend you, leave a review or even bring someone else next time.” 

That requires alignment between marketing, operations and service delivery. Every interaction – from signage and arrival, to food, staff and exit – contributes to how visitors feel. Those feelings, in turn, drive action. 

“The most successful attractions don’t just sell a day out. They create moments of delight. Whether that’s a free queue jump, a thank you voucher at the gate or a spontaneous surprise, these aren’t gimmicks – they’re emotional touchpoints that build brand affinity. You want them to leave saying: Why would I go anywhere else?” 

"You want them to leave saying: "Why would I go anywhere else?""

That’s where guest reviews and social sharing become invaluable. They’re not an afterthought – they’re the real-time public proof of how your experience made people feel. 

“Reviews are now part of the search journey,” Stuart explains. “People are comparing options in the moment. Your star rating and most recent comments might appear before your homepage does. If you’re not managing that space, you’re already behind.” 

Review generation should be embedded in the experience itself – through timely nudges, QR codes at key points, staff engagement and automated follow-ups that make sharing easy. Not only do they help generate buzz, but they boost visibility in search rankings across platforms like Google and TripAdvisor. 

In the same way, attractions should be intentionally designing moments that guests want to share on social media – whether that’s an unforgettable visual, a unique interactive element or an unexpected surprise. These organic shares serve as powerful word-of-mouth and visual proof of your brand promise.  

“It’s not just about having a selfie spot – it’s about creating moments that feel worth sharing,” Stuart notes. “That’s how you turn real-time delight into digital reach – and revenue.” 

"People trust what other people say. So give them something to talk about – and make it easy for them to say it."

By focusing on experience quality – not just return incentives – attractions create environments that naturally spark advocacy, build reputation and earn attention. That’s local marketing at its most authentic. 

Build smarter partnerships and local connections 

Local marketing isn’t just about paid media or partnerships – it’s about building a network of influence that includes the businesses, communities and, most importantly, the guests themselves. 

Local marketing thrives on meaningful collaboration. But this requires strategic selection, not scattergun outreach.  

“You can’t partner with everyone,” Stuart advises. “Attractions should cherry-pick the organisations that align with their audience and brand – that’s where the real value is.” 

Local schools, charities, hotels and businesses can all open new access points to your target audience – but the key is in choosing partnerships that create mutual benefit and meaningful reach. For example, Warwick Castle’s initiative offering free school visits for local pupils helped build long-term community ties while generating powerful PR and trust among families, schools and educators alike.  

"Local marketing thrives on meaningful collaboration."

Larger-scale campaigns can deliver local resonance too, when executed thoughtfully. Kellogg’s long-running partnership with Merlin Entertainments, offering free tickets to top UK attractions with cereal purchases, is a powerful example of national reach meeting local impact. The campaign drives footfall to Merlin sites across the country, but with regional targeting and family-friendly positioning that align with how UK audiences actually plan and spend leisure time. 

These partnerships work because they’re aligned to audience needs, brand positioning and regional behaviours – not just because they’re visible. 

Embrace the future: technology, AI and the experience economy 

As the landscape evolves, local marketing is adapting. Three key shifts are already reshaping the space. 

First, AI is changing how attractions approach searchability and data strategy. It’s no longer enough to simply pay for top placement in search results – visitors now use AI as an intelligent research tool to plan their trips, days out, and activities. Brands must adapt to ensure their content gets found. Visibility will increasingly depend on how well information is structured, tagged, and crafted with discoverability in mind. 

Second, seasonal and experiential campaigns are key revenue drivers. Events aligned with school holidays, community calendars or even spontaneous weather shifts help create urgency and cut-through. When paired with dynamic targeting and local relevance, they can significantly boost engagement and footfall.

"Done well, local marketing supports the big picture – while helping you show up more intelligently in every moment that matters."

Third, experience design remains a key differentiator. Every part of the visitor journey – from online booking to queue signage and exit prompts – is an opportunity to reinforce your brand, deepen connection and create points of difference. These operational moments are no longer separate from marketing – they are marketing.  

“It’s all connected,” says Stuart. “Your digital presence, your physical space and your audience data all feed into the same goal: relevance.” 

Critically, local marketing should never undermine a national brand; compliance and consistency should always guide partnership strategy.  

“It’s about adding depth, not deviation. Done well, local marketing supports the big picture – while helping you show up more intelligently in every moment that matters.”