Record-breaking summer as Continuum Attractions puts savings and flexibility first for guests

Summer is all about making memories together and this year, more families than ever have been able to enjoy days out and discover something new with us.

Following our participation in the Government’s Great British Summer of Savings scheme, we’re delighted to report a positive summer across Continuum Attractions, with both admissions and revenue showing year-on-year growth.

It’s particularly encouraging to see this growth following a tougher start to the year across the tourism industry, and we’re proud that we were able to pass these savings directly on to our guests, with selected attractions going even further to offer additional discounts. By combining these savings with a simpler, more flexible approach to ticket pricing, we’ve been able to make it easier for families to enjoy a day out on their terms.

Making days out more affordable

As part of the Government’s VAT reduction scheme, we introduced savings across all our attractions, passing these savings directly on to our guests.

At selected sites - York’s Chocolate Story, Oxford Castle Prison, Spinnaker Tower and The Loch Ness Experience - we went even further, layering on our own additional discounts to provide even greater value for families during the summer holidays.

The fantastic response has shown that affordability and flexibility matter to our guests. During the summer campaign period, we also took the opportunity to make our ticketing simpler, moving to one straightforward price rather than separate online and walk-up prices. This gave guests greater flexibility, allowing them to decide when and how to book, without paying more simply because they chose to buy their tickets on the day.

This has resulted in an increase in walk-up bookings, suggesting that guests have appreciated the flexibility to make a decision on the day without being penalised by a higher price.

For families, it means greater flexibility to plan their days out around the weather, their plans and how they feel on the day - while still knowing they’re getting great value.

Standout experiences across the group

While the summer has been a success across our portfolio, some of our experiences have performed particularly strongly.

The Real Mary King’s Close in Edinburgh is celebrating a record summer with more than 106,000 guests visiting throughout the summer break. Its unique and high-quality experience among the city’s 17th-century streets, combined with a strong brand reputation, continues to attract guests from around the world.

The range of special tours available at The Real Mary King’s Close has also helped guests explore Edinburgh’s history in even greater depth, offering the opportunity to immerse themselves in particular stories and aspects of life beneath the Royal Mile.

Our newest acquisition, Eden Camp Modern History Museum, has also enjoyed a particularly strong summer. While the warmer weather may have played a part in attracting visitors, the museum’s engaging summer programme has undoubtedly been the driver too. Its Women at War campaign brought an important and fascinating aspect of wartime history to life, while the popular Living History Weekends gave guests the chance to experience the past in a more immersive way.

Looking ahead

The success of the summer shows the appetite for affordable, memorable experiences isn’t going away.

From climbing historic towers to searching for legendary creatures, we’re delighted that our approach to the Government’s savings scheme has helped deliver strong results while supporting our ambition to make our attractions accessible to as many people as possible.

And with so many memorable experiences to discover across Continuum Attractions, there’s never been a better time to start planning your next day out.