Visitor attractions across the South West are preparing to welcome back guests once again with online ticketing proving vital to ensuring safe and successful re-opening. 

Many are looking at the way others across the country are making changes to ensure they can open safely.

An environmentally-themed visitor attraction called Conkers, located at the heart of the National Forest in the East Midlands, and the National Brewery Centre in Burton-on-Trent, are using ticketing software to ensure that anxious guests have a good experience when gates open. 

Both are operated by Planning Solutions, the UK’s fastest-growing leisure management business and have developed more sophisticated ticketing solutions through software from TygTickets of Cumbria. 

Christopher Williamson from Planning Solutions said: “We feel the visitor attraction industry will be more important than ever this year. Kids have had to deal with so much through the Covid-19 pandemic and we can’t wait until we have families once again making memories at our attractions. 

“Without the TygTickets system we would not have achieved our “Good To Go” status from Visit Britain last year and during this most recent lockdown we took the opportunity to explore and use more of the ticketing system functionality. 

“We hadn’t been using it to its full potential before but we now see that by taking advance bookings online we can prevent queues and ensure that our visitors have a great day when we are open again. 

“It is helping us to schedule staff time, be prepared for peak times and enabling us to up-sell items in advance. At Conkers families can order and pay for food for the ducks or book time on the High Ropes and they appreciate being able to plan their day in advance. 

“We particularly like the TygTickets system as it works across all types of mobile phones. It will help us to open in a controlled way and keep both Conkers and the National Brewery Centre compliant with the ongoing adaptions to guidance from the Government.” 

Maureen Huck, Operations Manager of TygTickets, said: “There is huge excitement that hospitality and events will start once again. Conkers and the National Brewery Centre both have ticketed events with tribute acts planned; season card holders and day visitors and use the system to support all of those. 

“There is a 900-seater arena at Conkers and around 210,000 visitors a year as well as education visits, so managing the flow so that everyone has a good experience when they get there is all possible with our ticketing software. 

“Many customers that have used basic ticketing in the past are now coming to us to find out how we can help them with their more advanced needs now that social distancing and timed visits are part of normal life.” 

Conkers is primed to open from April 12 as it is an outdoor attraction with the National Brewery Centre set to open on May 17. 

More information on TygTickets can be found at www.tygtickets.com. Conkers can be found at: www.visitconkers.com; National Brewery Centre at: www.nationalbrewerycentre.co.uk.