Predictions for 2022 in the Leisure Industry

In this article, we underline some of our predictions for 2022 for the attractions industry, but not only.

The year 2022 seems to be a good opportunity to summarise and implement the lessons learned in the previous year. We have experienced changes in our ordinary ways of working, travelling, learning, creating, and collaborating. The new habits and skills that we learned along the way set the road to a continuous journey in reshaping our world.

Hybrid experiences will have a more common presence in themed spaces, cultural institutions, and retail.

The term “hybrid experience” is most certainly not a new one; we have been working with it for many years. However, the concept of this term is gaining new dimensions, especially with the expansion of the “metaverse” and its rising accessibility. Technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality will be more present. As customers own more goods in virtual forms like NFTs and cryptocurrency, they will expect to have more integrated experiences that combine their physical world and digital assets. They will also wish to switch between these two mediums seamlessly.

Creating a sense of public safety will become an advantage for those who succeed to do so.

As more attractions reopen and return to their usual schedules, we assume that they will continue to keep some of the pandemic safety measures for a while. The sense of safety, supported by transparent communication between guests and employees, will become another factor that drives guest experiences.

Employer branding will evolve at a new level, including openness for hybrid work.

The Great Resignation, also called The Big Quit, which is predicted to slow down in 2022, has raised many questions concerning employee experience. Undoubtedly remuneration has been a significant cause; however other factors included lack of communication, work environment, unwillingness from the employer to adopt a hybrid work approach. An elevated employer experience will embrace an extended brand narrative that also covers the employee narrative; it will implement more transparent, cross-departmental communication, deep listening, and hybrid work. 

Highly immersive live experiences will lead the competition for guests’ time.

Creating unique visitor experiences with immersive design has been a leading approach in the theme park industry, as well as in retail and museums and cultural heritage. Combining excellent storytelling with spatial design and technology integration, we see the year 2022 producing some of the most remarkable immersive experiences.

We’re expecting to see brilliant examples in the long-awaited Studio Ghibli Park, due to open in Japan later this year, or the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opening this summer at Disney’s Epcot theme park.