EV Charging: Improving Visitor Experience at Theme Parks & Zoos

Posted on Friday, Oct 11, 2024

Despite the growing number of EVs on our roads, there is a noticeable absence of EV charging facilities at theme parks and zoos, with the average theme park offering between just two to four electric vehicle charge points. This factor presents a significant opportunity for leisure sites to cater to the increasing number of EV users.

How many theme parks are there in the UK? We are home to 523 amusement and theme parks nationwide.
How many zoos are there in the UK? There are over 350 zoos in the UK, plus many sanctuaries and nature reserves.

With the many leisure sites in the UK, there is an unmissable change to enhance guest experience, and also a substantial market for EV opportunities. Theme parks and zoos can turn EV charging facilities into a profitable venture, with the potential to boost their financial revenue by capitalising on the considerable footfall.

Hosts such as RAW Charging are a significant part of the UK’s EV infrastructure and enjoy successful partnerships with the likes of Merlin Entertainments (Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures, Thorpe Park, and LEGOLAND Windsor, among others. These partnerships are a testament to RAW Charging's expertise and reliability as a leader in the leisure sector.

With RAW, theme parks and zoos can benefit from ownership options that fit the needs of each site, including their popular host ownership package, which requires zero management, includes equipment and installation, and a share of revenue generated.

These facilities have been proven to significantly enhance guest experience and overall happiness. By ensuring visitors leave your theme park or zoo stress-free and content, you offer a unique selling point and prioritise customer satisfaction with effortless EV charging facilities and stress-free contactless payment.

Why are theme parks and zoos with EV charging essential for guest experience?

As mentioned earlier, the sheer volume of electric vehicles in the UK demands easy access to reliable and efficient EV charging. This factor increases the propensity of visitors to spend more time at your site charging rather than leaving to charge at a service staying. In turn, this increases the potential of said visitors spending more on refreshments or gifts as they wait.

By offering this service, your theme park or zoo can stand out in a competitive market, attracting more visitors and increasing revenue.

How destination charging at leisure and hospitality sites has become necessary for UK EV drivers.

A report from SMS revealed that:

45% of EV drivers depend on destination charging.
67% of EV drivers believe EV charging facilities would affect their destination choice.
48% of respondents would only visit a leisure or hospitality site with EV charging.
68% believe that considering the availability of public charge stations during a trip is stressful.
88% believe access to destination charging must improve.

Sites that have already made the transition and future-proofed their business, such as Alton Towers EV charging, have already spoken of the importance of offering facilities for electric vehicles and the benefits it can have on your business.

RAW Charging’s successful partnership with Merlin Entertainments.

Working alongside Merlin Entertainments and within Alton Towers, the UK’s largest theme park, gives RAW Charging indispensable insight into the leisure sector, knowing the ins and outs of operations, dealing with busy sites with constant high traffic and footfall, and knowing what it takes to successfully and efficiently implement EV charging facilities with minimal disruption.

In July 2024, RAW installed 30 EV charging bays across Alton Towers Resort, catering to over two million people visiting the site annually. Strategically-based charging bays were implemented in locations such as the onsite hotel, staff car park and day-guest car park, covering daytime visitors and overnight hotel guests with stress-free and efficient contactless payment and dependable EV charging.

Within one month, the scheme has already garnered much success, including:

Peak occupancy of Hotel and Premium Parking hit 100% in July.
The Alton Towers site for Premium Parking hit 100% capacity within 1 hour and 30 minutes on July 7th, 2024.

These impressive figures highlight the high demand and subsequent success of charging facilities, as working alongside RAW continues to support Merlin Entertainments’ sustainability efforts; it also sets them apart from the competition, setting a benchmark for other leisure destinations. The results gained in such a short period mean that expansion plans for further installations are already underway.

From attracting eco-conscious visitors and earning additional revenue to promoting their brand image, the advantages of EV charging are numerous and clear to see. These success stories testify to the potential of EV charging facilities in enhancing the guest experience and the overall business performance of theme parks and zoos.

Impact of EV charging at zoos and theme parks.

Offers convenience: As the aforementioned survey data has highlighted, accessing public charging can be stressful for many EV drivers. By offering onsite facilities, visitors will have peace of mind with access to dependable and convenient EV charging at their destination. This reassurance can significantly enhance visitor satisfaction, making their experience at the leisure site more enjoyable.
Visitor satisfaction: Zoos and theme parks can exponentially increase customer satisfaction by ensuring they have everything they need upon arrival at their destination in the shape of EV charge stations.
An economical option: Visitors will look to avoid additional costs accrued when parking at a separate site that offers EV charging on top of their admission fees. Leisure EV charging facilities offer value for money, ensuring that visitors can charge when they reach their destination, whether provided for free or included in the site’s admission fee.
Increases visitor loyalty: By offering a convenient and stress-free experience through dependable EV charging facilities, leisure attractions will promote themselves as an eco-conscious brand, growing their reputation alongside returning customers.
Environmentally friendly: The leisure sector is recording an increasing number of eco-conscious guests who prioritise sustainability. Given that a site’s eco-credentials are high on the list of must-haves for such visitors, you can tap into a lucrative demographic of guests by offering EV charging, signposting yourself as an eco-conscious brand. Doing so is not just a trend but a growing expectation among visitors, and meeting it can significantly enhance your site's reputation and appeal.

Factors to consider regarding EV charging at leisure attractions.

EV drivers will commonly look to three primary factors when assessing the viability of a leisure attraction:

EV charge speed: Choosing the right charging technology for your site is vital to ensuring visitor satisfaction.

RAW Charging offers turnkey solutions to fulfil the needs of these EV drivers. With Destination Charging technology, visitors have easy access to reliable EV charging.

Accessibility and availability: Competition for destination EV charge points at popular attractions can be highly contested. Leisure sites should recognise the demand for EV charging and assess the number of EV drivers among their guests by monitoring visiting vehicles or conducting a survey. From here, they can provide ample charge points to accommodate all visitors comfortably.
Pricing: Visiting EV drivers will want to avoid paying high costs for on-site vehicle charging.

Leisure attractions can offer EV charging at an attractive price to combat this pain point, even factoring it into the admission fee and benefiting from increased revenue.

Safeguard the future of your theme park or zoo with EV charging.

Given the above, it is clear that it is now considered essential to offer EV charging facilities at your leisure site.

RAW Charging is experienced and adept at offering destination charging solutions, ensuring that leisure attractions attract eco-conscious visitors, increase revenue, and do their bit towards securing a greener future while promoting themselves as an environmentally conscious brand.