Time is money: How guest dwell drives revenue

A small increase in guest dwell time can drive big revenue gains—but most attractions overlook this hidden opportunity to turn minutes into profit.

The stuck-in-the-airport effect 

Remember the last time your flight was delayed and you found yourself wandering into that airport bookshop? You had no intention of buying anything—you were just killing time. Yet somehow, you walked out with a bestseller, a travel pillow, and snacks you didn't know you needed.

That's the power of dwell time in action.

What happened at that airport is a microcosm of a proven business principle: the longer guests stay in your space, the more money they spend. For attraction and hotel operators, understanding and optimizing dwell time represents one of the most overlooked opportunities to boost revenue, enhance guest satisfaction, and build brand loyalty.

What exactly is dwell time?

Dwell time measures how long guests stay at your location. Research consistently shows that longer dwell leads to higher satisfaction and increased spending. When guests extend their stay at your venue, it signals they're enjoying your experience—and reaching for their wallets more frequently.

According to new research by Path Intelligence, there's a direct correlation between dwell time and revenue. Their study found that increases in average daily dwell time of just 1% were associated with increases in daily sales of 1.3%. While seemingly small, this incremental increase in time spent on-site results in significant revenue growth when multiplied across all guests and locations.

For attractions and hotels, this means that keeping guests engaged for even a small additional period can substantially impact your bottom line.

The quality vs. quantity equation

The study also revealed something fascinating about shopping centers: it's not just about getting more people through the doors—it's about the quality of their visit. As research shows, "Shoppers vote with their feet, hence the length of time they spend in a center is a key indicator of the quality of a consumer's overall shopping experience."

Think about the parallel in the digital world: a website might boast 100,000 monthly visitors, but if the average session lasts just 10 seconds with a 90% bounce rate, that traffic is virtually worthless. Meanwhile, a competitor with 20,000 visitors averaging 5-minute sessions and exploring multiple pages is building real engagement and conversions. It's the difference between people actually browsing your online store versus simply opening and immediately closing the door.

This principle applies perfectly to physical attractions and hotels. While foot traffic matters, it is the quality as well as quantity of visits that count. A thousand guests spending 30 minutes each at your attraction will generate far less revenue than 500 guests spending 2 hours each—despite the higher headcount in the first scenario.

Factors that influence guest dwell time

Let’s move away from the website analogy. Unlike digital behavior, there are several key factors that directly influence how long guests stay IRL:

1. Crowd management

There's an inverse relationship between foot traffic and dwell time—when venues become overcrowded, shoppers cut short the time they spend. The research hypothesized that when centers feel "crowded," guests leave before completing their shopping. Smart crowd management through digital solutions can help prevent this revenue-killing congestion.

2. Entertainment and events

Guests respond positively to events and entertainment—dwell time consistently increases on days when special events take place, although further research would be valuable to identify exactly what types of events are most effective.

3. Atmosphere and design

Empty retail spaces and a "run down" appearance negatively impact dwell times. Guests don't enjoy visiting venues in decline, and they'll spend less time (and money) in spaces that feel neglected.

4. Day of the week patterns

The research uncovered a clear pattern showing guests tend to stay longer at the beginning of the week and have shorter dwell times on weekends (particularly Saturdays). This gives operators clear guidance on when to focus efforts to extend stays.

Smart maps: A key tool for extending dwell time

One powerful way to increase dwell time is through smart map solutions. Unlike traditional paper maps, smart maps serve as comprehensive guest experience enhancers.

"After working with hundreds of operators across Japan and Hawaii, what surprised me most is how often guests actually check their digital maps—every 15-20 minutes during their visit," says Takashi Nakaguchi, Nutmeg Co-founder and CEO. "That's when I realized these aren't just navigation tools, they're the main way parks talk to their guests."

Digital maps have evolved significantly from being simple park guides. They are now vital tools that enhance guest experiences, making visits smoother and more enjoyable. As guest expectations grow, attraction operators must elevate their digital map offerings.

Today's smart maps enable guests to:

• Browse menus, place food orders, and schedule pickups, reducing wait times
• View event schedules and create personalized itineraries
• Receive real-time wait estimates and filter attractions by wait times
• Access 24-hour guest support through AI concierge features

These capabilities address barriers that often cut visits short, such as long lines, difficulty navigating complex venues, or uncertainty about scheduling.

Practical strategies to increase guest dwell time

Based on best practices, here are practical approaches to extending guest dwell:

1. Focus on weekday experiences

Guests tend to stay longer at the beginning of the week, making Monday through Wednesday ideal for implementing strategies to extend visits. Consider special weekday programming or offers to maximize this natural tendency.

2. Create weather refuges

The research found that shoppers tend to stay longer in centers on days when it rained. For mixed indoor/outdoor attractions, creating comfortable weather refuges can transform weather challenges into dwell time opportunities.

3. Manage crowd flow

Congestion directly reduces dwell times. Use smart maps with live heatmaps and dashboards to monitor guest movement patterns and deploy staff to alleviate bottlenecks before they impact the guest experience.

4. Host strategic events

Events positively influence dwell time. Consider hosting events during naturally lower-dwell periods (like weekends) to counteract the tendency for shorter stays during these times.

5. Collect and leverage guest feedback

Guest feedback data provides invaluable insights into what's working and what isn't. Use in-app surveys and real-time feedback tools to identify friction points that may be cutting visits short.

Measuring success: Turn data into action

Once you implement strategies to extend dwell time, how do you measure success? Look beyond simple revenue metrics to these key performance indicators:

• Average dwell time by day of week
• Correlation between dwell time and per-guest spending
• Guest satisfaction scores and their relationship to dwell time
• Event attendance and its impact on overall dwell
• Dwell time variation by guest segment (families, couples, etc.)

Smart map solutions can provide powerful operational intelligence through live heatmaps and dashboards that show real-time guest movement patterns, helping you identify both problems and opportunities.

The bottom line: small changes, big results

Remember that 1% increase in dwell time that drives a 1.3% increase in sales? For attractions and hotels operating at scale, this seemingly small improvement can translate to hundreds of thousands in additional annual revenue.

As you consider your guest experience strategy, ask yourself: What steps am I taking to measure and maximize dwell time? The answer could unlock significant untapped potential.

"The Japanese attractions operators taught me something key," says Takashi. "It's not about complex technology, it's about solving real problems that make guests want to stay longer. Sometimes that's just showing them the shortest lines nearby."

By implementing smart maps and creating engaging, personalized experiences, you can encourage guests to stay longer, spend more, and develop lasting loyalty to your brand—turning dwell time into one of your most powerful revenue drivers. 

Ready to turn every extra minute into revenue? Learn more about our smart map solutions. 

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