LDP’s experience analyzing holiday programming associated with lodging properties indicates that successful events can also support the wider resort business. Seasonal attractions can generate incremental leisure demand during periods when group demand may soften and can contribute to stronger transient occupancy and room rates. Other potential benefits extend beyond overnight guests, including local and regional day visitors, additional on-site food, beverage and retail spending, and the marketing exposure generated by a visually distinctive, highly shareable event. Outdoor winter light trails and large-scale illumination or projection-mapping events offer another effective model. These experiences can transform gardens, zoos, heritage attractions and parks at times of year, or times of day, when their underlying physical assets may traditionally have less drawing power. Increasingly, European-style Christmas markets, seasonal food and beverage, entertainment and social spaces are broadening these events beyond the light display itself. The result can be an experience that encourages guests to spend more time on site and positions the attraction as a social destination. However, more programming is not necessarily better programming. As attractions add Halloween events, winter light trails, Christmas markets, food festivals and other limited-time experiences, there is a risk of programming simply for the sake of having something new to promote. To generate a genuinely incremental visit, an event needs to feel sufficiently different from the normal operating experience. Quality and originality therefore matter more than the sheer number of events. The strongest programs build on the character of the attraction while transforming the guest experience through distinctive entertainment, theming, food and beverage, nighttime operation or other elements that guests would not encounter during a typical visit. The investment required to make an event genuinely special therefore needs to be considered against the incremental admissions, food and beverage, retail and other revenues it can generate.
belong here?” Programming connected to an attraction’s brand, physical setting, cultural identity, story or intellectual property can create a stronger and more defensible proposition than a generic seasonal overlay. Ultimately, the goal should not be to fill every available space on the calendar. It should be to
develop a smaller number of high-quality experiences that guests recognize, anticipate and eventually incorporate into their own annual traditions. Done well, seasonal programming can broaden audiences, encourage repeat visitation, extend the useful life of existing assets and give guests a compelling reason to rediscover a place they thought they already knew.
Every additional event also introduces operational and financial complexity. Seasonal programming may require temporary infrastructure, specialized entertainment, additional staffing and training, extended operating hours and different approaches to guest circulation and capacity management. Weather can be a significant factor, particularly for winter and nighttime events, while production costs can rise quickly when an experience depends on extensive lighting, décor, performers or highly themed environments. The investment required to make an event genuinely special therefore needs to be considered against the incremental admissions, food and beverage, retail and other revenues it can generate. Perhaps the most important question is whether an event creates demand rather than simply redistributing it. A successful program might attract a new audience, encourage an additional visit from an existing customer, extend the operating season, activate a quieter day part or support premium pricing and higher secondary spending. By contrast, if guests who would have visited anyway simply move their visit to the event period, the incremental attendance benefit is more limited. Understanding where event attendance comes from is therefore more meaningful than looking at headline visitation alone. Differentiation is becoming increasingly important as seasonal programming proliferates. In some markets, guests can now choose among numerous light trails, pumpkin festivals, haunted attractions and Christmas markets. What once felt novel can quickly become commonplace. The strategic question is therefore not simply “What seasonal event can we host?” but “Why does this event Programming connected to an attraction’s brand, physical setting, cultural identity, story or intellectual property can create a stronger and more defensible proposition than a generic seasonal overlay.
Why Attractions Matter People build visitor attractions for many reasons – and at LDP, we understand them all. Whether it’s about maximizing return on investment, fuelling tourism, or shaping a destination’s identity, attractions play a critical role in economic and community growth. • Driving ROI – Attractions generate revenue and can be very profitable in their own right • Spurring Tourism – They bring visitors, boost local businesses, and create lasting experiences • Creating Jobs – From operations to hospitality, attractions drive employment across industries • Elevating Real Estate Value – Integrated attractions enhance footfall, and brand value • Filling Hotel Beds – Attractions drive overnight tourism and synergies with hospitality • Strengthening City Identity – Iconic attractions shape reputations and foster civic pride Attractions don’t just entertain—they transform economies, cities, and real estate landscapes. At LDP, we help clients unlock their full potential through data-driven strategy and expert insights. In this edition of the Experience Economist we explore some of the impacts of this extraordinary industry in the Americas.
COTALAND Austin Texas. Photo credit COTALAND
20 THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMIST: AMERICAS EDITION 2026 | © LDP
THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMIST: AMERICAS EDITION 2026 | © LDP 21
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