Christmas comes early for LaplandUK visitors with a smooth booking process

Expian, has successfully supported LaplandUK through its busiest booking period. The festive family attraction in Berkshire expected more than 150,000 people to log on and book tickets when admissions opened at midday on Monday 18^th March 2024. Expian delivered a booking system that could support high volumes of sales in a short period.

With activities including toy building, gingerbread decorating, and ice skating, LaplandUK has established itself as a must-visit Christmas destination. Many families return every year to meet Father Christmas and experience the magic of the festive season. Celebrity visits from the Beckhams, Tom Hardy, Rosie Huntington-Whitely and even the Prince and Princess of Wales, have further fuelled demand, adding pressure to the ticket sales system.

Expian streamlined the booking process, reduced wait times and ensured customers stayed happy with its easy-to-use ticketing technology. Customers were given the option to wait online with their browser window open or to leave their details so they could be emailed when they reached the front of the queue. Here they were given 25 minutes to complete purchases.

Working with LaplandUK, Expian developed a robust booking solution designed to offer a variety of experience tickets for various prices, specific dates and set timeslots. In anticipation of a huge rush of site visitors logging on at the sametime, Expian also managed the through-put of the queue into the booking platform. When visitor volumes peaked on launch day, the system let in 1,050users per minute allowing 8,750 users to select and purchase tickets concurrently. Within three hours, 95% of tickets had been sold.

Matt Battle, Head of Brand at LaplandUK, says: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have delivered a smooth booking experience to the upcoming guests of 2024. As popularity has soared in recent years, it has been a real challengeto keep up with this technically, however, the team at Expian delivered exactly what we have been striving for on launch day. Monday’s booking experience was something we as a company can be proud of and it was wonderful to receive so many positive comments on social media praising the system. With a great booking experience delivered and a sold-out show, our attention can now immediately return to making this the most magical year yet.”

Yiannis Maglaras, Managing Director at Expian, comments: “We are delighted that our partnership with LaplandUK has delivered such a fantastic start to the season. Family attractions, events and experiences, such as a visit to LaplandUK’s snowy village, have a fond place in people’s hearts. Tickets are highly prized; therefore, customers anticipate demand and a bit of a wait, they also have an emotional attachment to purchasing tickets. It is our job to preserve the magic, keep the system functioning and serve as many people as quickly as possible so they can secure their visit for this Christmas.”

BigFolk also benefit from being able to edit bookings with ease, to effortlessly tailor bookings, adding those delightful touches that transform moments into cherished memories.

As LaplandUK's diligent Elves weave their magic to unveil this year's mystical forest adventure, Expian's team has also developed a bespoke flow reporting tool. Monitoring the movement of visitors, the tool ensures a seamless journey through the wonder-filled realms. By diminishing wait times and orchestrating the symphony of experiences, it ensures every guest's journey is a tapestry of delight, enhancing the very essence of consumer joy.