Five key takeaways from the DCMS Participation Survey 2024

Thought leadership blog:
In an economic squeeze, clarity is king: overpromise or overprice at your peril!

January is often framed as an opportunity to pause – a time when people take stock of their finances, habits and priorities. During a month where pay day feels like it will never arrive, and ‘Blue Monday’ chat brings an extra dollop of gloom, familiar narratives resurface; stretched household finances, post-Christmas regret, and a renewed resolve to be more careful with money. Yet this picture of constraint sits uncomfortably alongside another reality: even as many feel under pressure elsewhere, UK consumers continue to prioritise leisure and experiences. It seems that planning enjoyable activities and days out remains hugely important regardless of the economic climate.  For brands and organisations, this contradiction matters. The rise of experiential spend does not point to carefree indulgence, but to a more deliberate and demanding consumer – one acutely aware of value, effort and return. Spending may still happen, but it is more considered and more closely scrutinised than ever. At DJS Research, we’ve been exploring how this tension is playing out within the leisure sector. We surveyed over 1,000 UK adults, through our in-house research panel Opinion Exchange, and interviewed 30 leisure-goers to explore this landscape in detail. Our primary objective was to look beyond ticket prices alone and examine how people weigh enjoyment, effort, alternatives and risk when deciding whether a day out is worth committing to. The findings offer timely insights for organisations navigating an increasingly complex value equation. For me, one of the most compelling insights was just how far price transparency has shifted from a 'nice to have' to something closer to a hygiene factor. In a context where pricing has such a dominant influence on decision making, we’ve found that people look for this information early. Clear, unambiguous pricing – alongside realistic cues about what the experience will actually be like – reduces friction and lowers the perceived risk of committing to a visit. When that clarity is missing, uncertainty fills the gap, and uncertainty is rarely a friend to conversion. Our research has shown there is little merit in attempting to obscure costs, quietly build in extras or oversell the experience. People are increasingly alert to these tactics and, more importantly, actively averse to them. Even eager leisure-goers often scrutinise value and, rather than protecting revenue, a lack of pricing transparency often undermines trust before the experience has even begun. This piece of research generated some fascinating insights and led to some interesting conversations about experiential expectations (and disappointments) here in the office too. One colleague recalled how a local ‘Light Trail’ – which had absolutely no trail, and very few lights as it turned out – soured her experience so much, she felt compelled to complain – as did most other people according to the press coverage! A prime example of overselling gone wrong; state what you do offer, and steer clear of alluding to something don’t. You can view some of the key takeaways from this piece of research in our value perceptions in UK leisure infographic. To receive the full research study, which includes our recommendations and reflections for UK attractions, please email culture@djsresearch.com and we'll send the entire report sent directly to your inbox. And if you’d like to discuss what our findings could mean for your organisation – or how they might be applied to your specific challenges – please do get in touch. We'd love to chat or find out more about our experience in the culture, heritage & leisure sector. 

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