We might be the playground company most likely to be recommended by schools and early years settings but did you know that we’re also one of the leading companies supporting the leisure industry? Even better, working alongside our sister companies as part of idverde, we’re able to support you with everything from landscaping to installing a playground to making sure everything is maintained throughout your busiest (and quietest) periods.
We’ve been thinking about what families want from their staycation venue. With last year’s uplift in bookings at UK holiday, caravan and camping sites set to continue, now is the time to consider whether you want to develop the facilities you have - and in particular, to improve your outdoor space.
A little while back, anticipating the growth swing we spoke to a number of young families about the things they feel are important about outdoor and play space in the camping and holiday sites, pubs, farm parks/family attractions, restaurants and cafes that they might visit when on holiday.
What we found out:
- Having excellently landscaped outdoor space was considered one of the most important decision-making factors for those planning a family day out or choosing somewhere to go on holiday.
- Having a good quality playground was also considered important when meeting friends with children - it’s particularly important for family events and holidays, so there’s space for the children to have fun, away from the adults.
- When we asked about the impact a good quality playground has on a visit, 82% said they would be more likely to visit as a whole family, as opposed to having a fleeting visit. 76% said it was a critical influence in whether they recommended it to friends. 71% said they would stay longer and 58% said they would almost certainly purchase food and drink, on the premises, in order to stay longer.
- Across the board the people we spoke to felt that the leisure industry needed to ‘up its game’ in terms of the quality of its outdoor space.
- Over 50% of all respondents rated the play areas they’d visited recently as below average. This is a real opportunity for holiday, caravan and camping sites to stand out.
- Keen to know more we asked these families what made play areas stand out. Variety of equipment was the number one reason. Making sure it was age appropriate was the second most important factor. Having enough places for parents to sit, without being too far away, was also important, as was having themed ‘zones’ to allow children to play in different ways.
- We then asked them what they look for in an exceptional play area. The most important factor was that it was well-maintained (80%). Having obvious safety features and a range of age-appropriate equipment were joint second (74%). Zoning and imaginative equipment were joint third (67%).
If you’d like some advice on getting the best return on your outdoor space, why not book a free consultation with one of our experts today? You can call us on 01604 261690 or click here.