Holiday parks are being offered a powerful new tool to communicate with customers, encourage higher spending, and gain valuable insights into their guests’ behaviour.

It comes in the form of a newly developed digital offering from Poundbury-based Key Digital, the UK’s largest provider of website and other digital services to the holiday park sector.

Called Holidaymaker, it enables park businesses to offer the ultimate guest experience, and manage all of their digital interactions with guests from one single and easy-to-use platform.

But, says Key Digital, as well as simplifying what are becoming increasingly complex tasks, it also provides the park with a host of new marketing opportunities.

Once Holidaymaker’s app is downloaded by customers, it can allow the park to gain a valuable insight into customer behaviour patterns and to target them with bespoke offers and incentives.

And in order to encourage guests to install the app, it provides a raft of useful and easily accessed information both before and during their stay.

Features can include a pre-arrival welcome pack with news of upcoming events, interactive maps, helpful videos, and the booking of activities or ordering of takeaway food.

The app also integrates with most online booking systems, so customers have an at-a-glance update of all their holiday arrangements, including any balance outstanding.

David Lakins, Managing Director, Key Digital, pictured left, said that Holidaymaker was the result of a year’s development work by his team and based on his company’s detailed knowledge of park operations.

He added: “Our aim is to allow parks to get closer to their customers using a range of different information systems which can be very time-consuming to manage individually.

“As such, Holidaymaker is a one-stop shop for engaging with guests even before they check-in and allows the business to fine-tune its marketing propositions to them.

“At the same time, app users find their holiday experience enhanced by being able to plan aspects of their stay in advance and to receive personalised messages and offers.

“The app has been trialled this summer at Beverley Holidays in Devon and both we, and the park, are now convinced that it is a game-changer for this sector,” added David.

Claire Flower, Director, Beverley Holidays, said: “We are delighted with how well this app has been received, and the great reviews it is attracting.

“We believe it is unique in the holiday park sector.

“Around 90 per cent of guests at Beverley Holidays are arriving on their park with the app already installed-– which means there is already a relationship made with our guests before they have even arrived.

“Launching our first ever app was a bit of a leap into the unknown for Beverley.

“However, the 2,000-plus downloads and five-star reviews we’ve seen in just the first few weeks has shown that this is a great new tool for us to connect with our guests, and is a worthy addition to our suite of digital channels.”

• More information about Holidaymaker can be found at www.holidaymakerapp.co.uk