Even the best venue can lose guests before they ever set foot inside. Every unclear price, slow website, or unanswered call is a small piece of friction. Individually, none of them feel like a crisis, but added together, they stop guests from choosing your venue.
ROLLER's 2026 Pulse Report, based on responses from 1,500 attraction-goers across the UK, USA, and Australia, takes a close look at the friction points pushing today's guests away. Here's what we learned about where venues are losing guests, and what operators can do to fix it.
Your online presence is the new front door
Long before a guest steps through your doors, they're forming an opinion of your venue online. For many guests, that first impression is where the decision gets made.
The 2026 Pulse Report found that 53.20% of guests have decided not to visit a venue because its online presence didn't give them enough confidence. Once they do land on your website, you don't have long to convince them — 85.80% expect to find key information like pricing, activities, and how to book within 60 seconds.
That means the moments before booking matter as much as the visit itself. A slow site, outdated photos, or a social channel that hasn't been touched in months can cost you bookings you didn't even know you were competing for.
Key takeaway:
Treat your digital presence like your physical front door. Audit your website and social channels regularly. If a guest can't find what they need in 60 seconds, they'll find it somewhere else.
Hidden pricing is the #1 online frustration
When guests do reach your website, they're not just looking at activities or photos. The Pulse Report found that 32.87% of guests say hidden pricing is the most frustrating thing about how venues present information online. Another 28.53% say it's difficult to get a clear sense of what the experience includes.
When a guest gets excited about a visit, starts the booking process, and then watches the number jump at checkout, the trust breaks. Most won't try again, they'll close the tab and find a venue that's upfront about it.
Key takeaway:
Show pricing clearly and describe exactly what the experience includes. Transparency builds trust before booking and a smoother path to checkout.
Missed calls are missed bookings
According to the Pulse Report, 73.94% of guests have tried to call an attraction and been unable to get through. And the consequences are real: 75.53% of guests would be more likely to choose another venue if they couldn't get through to yours.
That's three in four guests handing their booking to a competitor, just because no one answered.
Key takeaway:
Every unanswered inquiry is a competitor gaining a booking that should have been yours. AI chat and 24/7 booking tools close that gap so your team doesn't have to.
Price increases without visible improvements push guests away
The Pulse Report found that 26% of guests have stopped visiting a venue they once loved because prices increased beyond what they felt was fair. Another 10% stopped because the venue hadn't changed or improved over time.
The pattern is clear: guests don't mind paying more for an experience they value. But when a price increase isn't paired with a visible upgrade (something new to do, a better atmosphere, a smoother visit) the math stops working in their favor.
Key takeaway:
Every time you raise prices, ask: what's new since last year? What's better? What are guests getting now that they weren't before? If the answer is "nothing," the price increase is likely to land badly.
Final thoughts
Most of the friction points highlighted by the 2026 Pulse Report are smaller, everyday choices that add up. A slow website. An unanswered call. A hidden fee. A price increase without anything new to show for it.
The good news is that every one of these friction points is fixable. Clearer pricing, faster response times, smoother booking flows, and visible improvements over time can all close the gap between what guests expect and what they're getting.
Want even more insights into what guests want from venues in 2026? Download your free copy of the 2026 Pulse Report now.
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