Holiday footfall adds extra pressure to operations, and Christmas feedback tends to highlight the moments that matter most to families making memories. Reflecting on this year’s trends is essential for laying the groundwork for next year.
We analysed over 5 million data points from guest feedback surveys across the leisure and tourism industry, including theme parks, family entertainment centres, zoos, museums, aquariums, and immersive experiences. When compared with 2024, clear shifts appear in how visitors think, behave, and share feedback.
Beyond headline metrics like NPS (Net Promoter Score) and CSAT (Customer Satisfaction), the deeper patterns reveal what truly drives today’s guest experience and where operators can focus to improve visitor satisfaction and operational performance.
Sample Source:
This analysis is based on Avius’ aggregated global dataset of feedback responses collected in 2025 and 2024. The sample spans multiple attraction categories across Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Middle East.
Here are the four most important hidden trends we identified.
1. Guests Have Less Tolerance for Queues
Queue-related sentiment declined across many high-footfall venues, even as most other customer experience metrics improved. This is one of the strongest behavioural signals in this year’s data.
What the feedback shows:
- Guests are becoming less patient with waiting
- Even short delays influence guest satisfaction more than before
- Visitors increasingly compare queue experiences with fast, digital, “frictionless” services in other industries
This shift suggests that queue management is now a core part of the overall attraction experience, not just an operational necessity. Good queue flow and clear communication can meaningfully lift satisfaction, while poor queuing can overshadow an otherwise positive day.
2. Cleanliness Is Still King — Especially Restrooms
Across global attractions, cleanliness standards continue to be one of the strongest predictors of customer satisfaction. Restroom cleanliness consistently scores lower and remains the area guests judge most critically.
The insights show:
- Restroom ratings often sit 10–15 percentage points below other cleanliness categories
- Even small dips in restroom cleanliness have a noticeable impact on NPS and guest perception
- Cleanliness issues are one of the most common triggers for negative guest feedback
Guests may forgive longer queues or operational glitches, but restroom cleanliness is a make-or-break factor. Cleanliness remains the clearest path to building trust and elevating the guest experience.
3. Staff Recognition Drives Morale and Company Culture
A standout trend in the 2025 dataset is the consistently high performance of customer service scores. Across millions of responses, guests frequently praised staff customer service.
This aligns with operational insights:
real-time feedback and staff recognition have a bigger impact on morale and company culture.
Positive guest comments support:
- Stronger service culture
- Higher staff confidence
- Better team engagement
- More consistent guest experience delivery
When teams see immediate recognition through real-time customer feedback, they feel valued — and that directly improves how they interact with guests.
4. Parents Give More Feedback with More Honesty
One of the clearest demographic trends appears when we analyse who is most likely to leave feedback.
Avius data from millions of surveys shows that the most vocal group tends to be ages 35–44, and around 20% of them have children under six (read relevant article). These visitors are planners, decision-makers, and the primary storytellers of the family experience. Their expectations — and frustrations — strongly influence the family’s perception of value for money and overall satisfaction.
Key behavioural patterns:
- Parents provide more guest feedback than any other demographic
- They are highly attentive to safety, cleanliness, queuing, signage, and staff behaviour
- Feedback stations in family areas consistently generate higher engagement
- Parents tend to leave more detailed and honest comments
This makes families one of the most reliable and insightful feedback groups, giving operators clear guidance on where to improve the family experience.
What Millions of Survey Responses Reveal About Today’s Guest Experience
When we combine these trends, a stronger picture of modern guest expectations emerges.
1. Queue expectations are higher than ever.
Guests want better queue management, movement, and communication.
2. Cleanliness remains the foundation of visitor satisfaction.
Restrooms continue to shape overall trust and experience quality.
3. Staff are the heart of the guest experience.
Real-time recognition drives morale and better service performance.
4. Parents are the most influential and engaged feedback providers.
Their insights highlight what matters most during a family day out.
