The Optimization Opportunity: Why Destination Performance Is the New Growth Strategy

We’ve seen this story before. Hotels, malls, city centers, even attractions — chasing attention, attendance, spend and relevance during an economic blip. 

But this isn’t a downturn. It’s a wake-up call.

And the destinations that win next won’t necessarily be the ones who throw capex at the wall. They’ll be the ones who perform better.

Let’s Start With the Numbers

U.S. tourism is solid, but it’s not the same:

• International travel to the U.S. is still down 18% compared to pre-pandemic levels (U.S. Travel Association, 2024).
• Average spend per visitor has risen, but length of stay is shrinking, putting pressure on per-minute engagement.
• Visitor expectations have changed dramatically. In a recent Destination Analysts report, 71% of travelers say “the vibe of a place” is as important as its attractions.
• 63% expect mobile-first planning tools, real-time info and seamless logistics. A guest’s favorite kind of service is “self” — at least in the planning and booking stage.

Here’s the problem: Most destinations are still operating like they have since the early 1960s. They’re focused on what they offer, not how they perform.

Discovery Isn’t the Problem. Delivery Is.

You can’t advertise your way into relevance anymore. Guests have endless options, tighter windows, fractured attention and zero tolerance for friction. 

One bad restroom, one too-full parking lot, one disengaged staffer, one dead zone in your experience flow. And your online reviews go stale, your intent-to-recommend drops and your return visitation cycle gets longer.

Marketing brings people to the gate. Destination Performance determines what they do next — and whether they come back.

The Hidden Costs of Guesswork

Leaders know something’s off (guest satisfaction is flat, sales are uneven, team morale is slipping), but they don’t know what to fix. Or worse, they invest millions in the wrong fix.

Destinations repave walkways instead of retraining frontline staff. They build new digital maps when the wayfinding system is fundamentally broken. They even add entertainment while basic hospitality falls apart.

You need The Playbook.

Not theory. Not architecture. Performance intelligence.

From Attractions to Urban Cores: This Is a Category Shift

ICON Park in Orlando is a family entertainment center. The Florida Aquarium is a cultural attraction. Downtown Disney is a branded retail, dining and entertainment district. They have little in common — except this:

Each one is a living, breathing guest experience. And each one must perform:

• Staff engagement isn’t optional. It’s part of the experience.
• Wayfinding isn’t decoration. It’s revenue.
• Safety optics, shade, restrooms — these aren’t facilities. They’re emotional drivers of dwell time, satisfaction, spend and the all-powerful positive Tripadvisor review.

Destination Performance is about understanding that connection. Measuring it. Fixing it. And designing for it every day.

The Strategic Shift No One’s Making

Most destinations still prioritize physical capital over performance capital.

They have $10 million for concrete.

But nothing for story. Nothing for staff. Nothing for the touchpoints that make a visit unforgettable.

And here’s the kicker: The destinations that invested in guest experience during COVID — staff training, placemaking, program enhancements — didn’t just survive. They outperformed. They saw higher spend and shorter return cycles, and they built loyalty while competitors were idle.

[Related: Aquarium and Zoo Exhibit Design: 4 Examples of Effective Interactive Exhibits]

There’s No More “New Normal” Curve To Wait For

The next disruption may not be a virus. It’ll be the economy, irrelevance or otherwise.

Destinations that aren’t emotionally sticky, operationally fluid and strategically aligned with a powerful brand will lose to the ones that are.

So here’s the question:

Are you delivering an experience people remember or just a stop along the way?

What To Do Next

Start here:

• Walk your property like a guest. What moments break the magic?
• Audit your touchpoints. Are they functional or memorable?
• Ask your staff where they get stuck and what works great. Do they already know?
• Then, bring in a framework that makes sense of it all.

We built the IDEAS Performance Playbook for exactly this purpose.

It’s a structured, observation-based assessment of your destination’s real-world performance, with specific, ranked opportunities to improve without capex. It’s not built around some algorithm — it’s based on decades of design, marketing and operating experience. 

It’s for parks, entertainment districts, museums, aquariums, cruise ports, RDE destinations and any place that lives or dies on constantly improving the guest experience.

Are you ready to elevate your guest experience and achieve lasting growth? Let’s start the conversation.

Take a look at our work with destinations of all kinds.