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The U.S. Travel Association's National Council of Attractions (NCA) has joined with The George Washington University's International Institute of Tourism Studies to create the National Attractions Barometer; a NEW one-of-a-kind online tool that allows attraction professionals to compare attendance trends of U.S. based attractions.

How It Works

The Barometer was developed at the request of U.S. Travel's attraction members not only as a member service, but also as a benefit for the entire U.S. attraction industry. It is a much awaited means for giving attraction sales and marketing professionals, owners and managers the ability to compare their attraction's attendance performance with other attractions around the country on a regular basis. The functionality of the Barometer allows a participant to select comparisons based on similar attractions, all types of attractions, or attractions in a certain geographic region or state. The National Attractions Barometer is the only online resource that offers a free and confidential platform for domestic-based attractions to access aggregate attendance trends 24/7.

To make the data as rich as possible, both U.S. Travel member AND non-member attractions are encouraged to participate. The more attractions included in the Barometer, the more valuable the data will be. While participation is free the first year, a nominal fee may be required in succeeding years to offset operating costs. U.S. Travel is exploring sponsorship opportunities, however, to assure that the Barometer is cost-effective for all types and sizes of attractions. 

Confidentiality

Because confidentiality is of utmost importance, aggregate attendance information will only be displayed if data for a minimum number of attractions has been submitted in each possible category – type of attraction, state, or geographic region – thereby protecting the identity and confidentiality of a particular attraction. U.S. Travel retains ownership of data maintained in the Barometer and may use the information in aggregate form in national studies and reports. U.S. Travel may on occasion release certain aggregate data to third parties for use in selected studies or reports. Under no circumstances will specific data for an individual attraction ever be disclosed.  Information posted in the Barometer will remain in the strictest confidence.

Getting Started

To start benefiting from this exciting new tool, simply go to www.NationalAttractionsBarometer.org, create a profile, enter your attendance figures for a minimum of 13 months and in turn access aggregate attraction-based attendance trends for like months and years for which you have entered attendance figures. Once you have entered 13 months of passed attendance data, you will be reminded on a monthly basis by e-mail to return to the website to enter attendance figures for the previous month.

Who Can Participate

To determine whether your organization qualifies to participate in the Barometer, please refer to the following list of attraction categories:

• Amusement  (theme, water, family entertainment centers)
• Aquariums/Zoos/Wildlife Parks
• Casinos  (casino resorts, non-hotel casinos, tribal)
• Cultural and Entertainment  (dinner theatres/shows, dinner trains, festivals/fairs, performing arts,wineries/breweries/distilleries, wedding chapels)
• Historic  (battlefields/military parks, churches/cemeteries, heritage areas, historic districts/towns, houses/farms, landmarks/monuments and memorials)
• Museums  (anthropology/natural history, art, children's, history, living museums, science/technology/planetaria, specialized)
• Natural/Scenic  (gardens/arboreta/botanical, byways/canals/parkways, caves/grottos/caverns, nature centers, parks—national, state and private)
• Sightseeing  (air/flightseeing, boat, city tours, observation towers/decks and aerial trams, scenic railroads)
• Retail  (shopping centers/malls, outlets/factory stores)
  

Please contact Patten Wood with any questions.