Why do some attractions thrive year after year while others struggle to stay afloat? Often, it comes down to how they make money. The most successful operators don’t just rely on foot traffic, they use well-structured revenue models to maximize guest spend, encourage repeat visits, and stay agile in a changing market.
In this article, we’ll explore the most effective revenue models for attractions and entertainment venues, compare their strengths and trade-offs, and help you decide which approach might work best for your business. Whether you’re just getting started or considering a shift in strategy, this guide will give you the clarity you need to move forward.
What is a revenue model?
A revenue model is the framework a business uses to generate income. It describes the method by which you sell access to your products or services, whether it’s per visit, by subscription, or through bundled experiences.
For attractions, choosing the right revenue model isn’t just a financial decision. It directly affects how guests interact with your venue, how often they visit, and how much they spend.
Common revenue models used by attractions
Attractions of all types, from trampoline parks and museums to zoos and indoor play centers, use a variety of revenue models. Some focus on single-entry ticket sales, while others lean into long-term loyalty through memberships. Here are the most common models used by attraction venues:
Pay-per-entry or ticket sales
This is the most traditional model. Guests pay a fixed price for admission, often based on age or time of day. It’s straightforward, easy to understand, and works well for venues with high walk-in traffic or single-use experiences.
However, this model can be limited in its ability to generate recurring revenue and may not fully capitalize on frequent visitors.
Read more: Electronic Ticketing for Attractions: A Complete Guide for Venue Operators
Membership and subscription models
Memberships offer guests unlimited access (or discounted access) over a set period in exchange for a recurring fee. Subscriptions are similar, often including additional perks like exclusive events or discounts on food and merchandise.
These models work best for attractions with high repeat visitation or strong community engagement. They help smooth out cash flow and build customer loyalty—but they require more robust systems to manage billing and renewals.
Read more: 10 Membership Benefits Ideas To Attract and Retain More Members
Freemium models with paid add-ons
In some venues, entry may be free or low-cost, with additional experiences available as paid upgrades. This model is common in arcades or play cafes where guests pay for individual experiences, like games or workshops.
It lowers the barrier to entry, which can be a strong draw, but requires careful planning to ensure enough guests convert to paying customers.
Bundled experiences
Bundling admission with other offerings—like meals, merchandise, or extra attractions—can increase average spend per guest while simplifying the decision-making process. For example, a "family day pass" that includes tickets, food vouchers, and arcade credits can feel like better value for money and encourage larger transactions.
Advertising and sponsorship-based models
Attractions with strong brand recognition or high visitor traffic can tap into advertising and sponsorship as an additional revenue model. This might include offering branded experiences, featuring local business promotions in digital signage, or partnering with corporate sponsors for events or exhibits.
Sponsorship revenue is especially effective for venues that attract families, schools, or large group bookings, as it gives businesses access to a well-defined audience. Digital screens, website space, ticket stubs, or guest communications can all be monetized through brand placements or co-promotions.
This model can be a powerful complement to core revenue strategies, but it requires thoughtful alignment to avoid compromising the guest experience. The most effective sponsorships feel like natural extensions of the attraction’s brand, adding value for guests while generating passive income for the venue.
Subscription vs. ticket sales: Which is better?
Ticket sales and subscriptions (or memberships) each have unique strengths, and the right choice depends on your business model and guest behavior.
Pros of ticket sales
- Easy to implement and understand
- Suitable for one-off or tourist-heavy attractions
- Little commitment required from guests
Cons of ticket sales
- Ongoing revenue can be unpredictable
- Less incentive for guest loyalty or repeat visits
Pros of subscriptions and memberships
- Encourages repeat visits
- Provides stable, recurring revenue
- Increases customer lifetime value
Cons of subscriptions and memberships
- Not all venue management and POS systems can tackle billing and renewals
- May lead to overuse during peak times if not managed carefully
When to use a hybrid model
Most successful venues use a combination of both. For example, a trampoline park might offer day tickets for casual visitors and memberships for locals who come regularly. This hybrid approach captures both types of guests: those who want to try before they commit, and those who are ready to invest in an ongoing experience.
How to choose the right model for your venue
Your revenue model should align with your venue’s goals, guest behavior, and operational capacity. Here are a few key factors to consider:
- Visit frequency: Do your guests tend to visit once or return regularly? Frequent visits support a membership model, while occasional use may be better served by ticket sales or bundles.
- Guest demographics: Families, students, and tourists may each respond differently to pricing and access models. Understand what motivates your audience.
- Operating hours and capacity: Are there quiet periods you could fill with lower-cost offers? Do you need to manage peak demand more effectively?
- Technology: Does your current technology support your preferred membership model? A modern venue management system can simplify the rollout of memberships, manage recurring payments, and support flexible pricing strategies, giving you the tools to test and evolve your model as needed.
Read more: Revenue Management for Attractions: Maximize Profit with Smarter Strategies
How to evolve your model over time
Revenue models don’t need to stay the same forever. As your venue grows, guest preferences shift, or new opportunities arise, it often makes sense to revisit your approach.
Use data to test and refine
Data and analytics can help you spot trends and make confident decisions. Look at which days, times, and offerings are performing best, and consider how guests are responding to different options. Are memberships driving more repeat visits? Are bundled experiences getting picked more often than single-ticket options?
You don’t need to make sweeping changes overnight. Try small experiments—like introducing early bird pricing or limited-time offers—to see what works before committing to long-term changes.
Reassess as your business grows and changes
Many operators start with a simple ticket-based model and expand into memberships or add-on services once they build a guest base. For instance, a play center might begin by charging per session, then introduce a weekday membership to boost off-peak traffic.
Other venues pivot after operational challenges. For example, a business with long queues and frustrated staff might adopt self-service kiosks and encourage pre-booking to smooth the experience and raise per-capita revenue.
Stay flexible and guest-focused
The most successful attractions are those that adapt their revenue models to reflect guest needs and business realities. That might mean adding tiers to your membership program, offering flash discounts during slow weeks, or bundling tickets with a food voucher to raise order values.
Whatever the tactic, staying flexible, and rooted in guest experience, is key.
Read more: Revenue vs Profit: Are You Really Running a Profitable Venue?
Conclusion
Choosing the right revenue model is one of the most impactful decisions an attraction operator can make. Whether you focus on subscriptions, ticket sales, or a blended approach, the goal is the same: make it easy and rewarding for guests to engage with your venue, and ensure your operations are set up to support growth.
If you're ready to put smarter strategies into action, Book a demo to see how ROLLER can help you streamline operations, increase revenue, and deliver an outstanding guest experience.
Frequently asked questions about revenue models
What are the 3 main types of revenue models?
The three most common types of revenue models are transaction-based, advertising and sponsorship revenue, and subscription or recurring revenue.
- A transaction-based revenue model includes direct sales, such as ticket purchases, merchandise, or one-time bookings.
- Advertising and sponsorship revenue comes from third-party brands that pay to promote their products or services within your venue or marketing materials.
- Subscription and recurring revenue models include memberships or monthly passes that provide consistent, ongoing income over time.
How do you calculate a revenue model?
To calculate a revenue model, you need to estimate how much income each part of your business generates. Start by identifying your different revenue streams, like ticket sales, memberships, and food and beverage, and determine the average transaction value and frequency for each. Then, multiply the number of expected transactions by the average value to project monthly or annual revenue for that stream.
By doing this across all streams within your model, you can assess the overall potential of your revenue model and identify opportunities for growth.
What is an example of a revenue model?
An example of a revenue model is a subscription-based model used by indoor play centers. In this model, guests pay a recurring monthly fee for unlimited access to the venue. This approach creates a predictable stream of revenue for the business and encourages frequent visits from guests, which can lead to increased spending on food, merchandise, or special events during each visit.
What is the difference between a business model and a revenue model?
The difference between a business model and a revenue model is that a business model explains how a company creates, delivers, and captures value overall (covering things like target audience, operations, marketing, and partnerships) while a revenue model focuses specifically on how the company earns money.
In other words, the revenue model is one component of the broader business model.
