With social distancing likely to be in place as attractions and institutions prepare to open their doors, many are considering how best to maximise the number of potential visitors, while at all times observing social distance guidelines. Signage, staff and volunteers will have a key role to play but technology – such as an audio or multimedia guide – can take away much of the strain and ensure that:

• Important Covid-19 guidelines are explained clearly, to ensure that visitors enjoy their visit safely and responsibly
• Visitors are politely invited to continue moving through the venue (particularly at common pinch points) to ensure that as many visitors as possible can visit and the 2-metre rule can be observed
• Tours can be adapted to add or remove ‘stops’ to reflect which areas are currently open to the public. This is particularly useful where venues are doing phased openings.

In normal times, visitors are often invited to take their time. Research suggests that the typical dwell time for a special exhibition is reportedly between 75 and 90 minutes – much higher than a free permanent gallery where the dwell time is often much less. However, in the current climate many attractions are introducing a shorter version of their tour. The aim is to ensure that key messages are communicated but visitors won’t have an opportunity to dwell too long in each space, going through each of the layers of content.

New Social Distancing Guidelines will need to be adopted in Galleries, Museums and Attractions

A number of our high-profile clients currently have different versions of their tours, which they can switch between depending on how busy they are. A great example of this is St Paul’s Cathedral. In peak periods only a highlights tour is offered. While in the Winter months a fuller tour with more layers is offered. We can learn from this approach to offer a simplified version of your tour – all to ensure that:

• You maximise the number of potential visitors
• The safety of your visitors is respected
• A high-quality visitor experience is delivered

We are also seeing across the industry that times ticketing is being introduced at attractions who hadn’t previously had this in place. This is an excellent way to manage visitors and is likely to be with us for some time to come.

If you would like to learn more about ways to manage visitor dwell time, do get in touch with us to discuss your options on how best to present your offering to potential future audiences.

Reopening to Visitors: Safely and Smartly

ATS are hosting a free 30-minute webinar on how to to successfully reopen to the public this Summer.

Date: Tuesday 16th June – 11am – Zoom

Register your free place today