The tourism industry is one of those that suffered much during the pandemic. Businesses under tourism naturally involve customers coming from place to place. But as the Coronavirus disease spread so easily, people had to stay inside their homes to prevent the virus from spreading, forcing some business establishments to close due to lack of customers. Parks and Zoos were among the establishments that were not exempted from the adverse effects of COVID-19.
But little by little, the said establishments are starting to explore ways to make tourist experiences not only exciting, but most importantly, safe. And here’s where QR Code in parks and zoos definitely helped, because all it takes is a scan from a smartphone. No physical touch is required, thus, it can potentially keep people from contracting and spreading the virus.
What are QR Codes?
QR Codes are square-shaped barcodes that can store large amounts of information. This information is easily accessible by means of scanning. Most people nowadays own a smartphone so they can only download a QR scanner from a trusted source and use it whenever they come across a QR Code.
QR Codes were developed by Denso Wave, an automotive company in Japan. The appearance of the codes were inspired by the Go board, one of the country’s traditional games. These codes were created to save cashiers the trouble of manually encoding information on cash registers, which caused them a lot of strain.
How to Use QR Code in Parks and Zoo
As QR Codes hold a huge amount of information, it has even made interactions more possible. Users can now send messages, call, watch videos, buy, and sell by just a scan. But what can QR Codes offer for business ventures such as parks and zoos? Here are some of the ways:
Book a Ticket
With QR Codes, you never have to worry about waiting in long lines just to get a ticket. One scan is all it takes, fill in the forms, fulfill your payment, and can already enjoy the rides, shows, and other things these establishments offer.
Know Your Way Around Parks and Zoos
Some of these business establishments are too big that customers, particularly children, could get lost. A QR code can direct the user to a map to know where they are at that moment, look for fun and exciting places to go next, and where to go when they are lost or when they need to go.
Know the Park’s Amenities and Features
A QR Code can even provide information about the different features and amenities in an amusement park. With just a scan, you will be able to know how facilities such as rides work, the do’s and don’ts, and what to expect when using them.
Learn about the animals in the zoo
Although there are written signs somewhere in their cages, these can only provide little information about them. A QR Code can provide not just descriptive essays about what these animals are, but also videos that can help you understand their nature deeper.
Scavenger hunts
For a more thrilling park or zoo experience, you can also immerse yourself (or your group) in a game of scavenger hunt and win exciting prizes. QR Codes may contain questions or riddles that lead to the next clues, and can be posted anywhere.
Track the best food hubs
Want to know the finest stops when your stomach starts rumbling? A QR Code can help you with that. These codes can take you to a landing page where you can locate the best or the most affordable restaurants and browse menus for the day.
Call for help
Do you need extra assistance? A QR Code will help you contact customer service for this kind of concern.
Provide feedback
How is the park or zoo experience? You can give them a five-star rating and a written review with a scan. A QR Code can take you to a page where you can provide feedback to the amenities and services of the park or zoo that you have visited.
Benefits of QR Code in Parks and Zoos
Avoid getting fake tickets
The risk of getting fraud or fake tickets can now be lessened with QR Codes. Thousands of QR Codes can be generated, each with its unique numbers that can be authenticated.
Make transactions quick and smooth
By just a scan of a QR Code, you can already book a ticket and pay for it. After all these transactions are made, all you have to do is to prepare for the big day.
No touching needed
By using QR Codes, you don’t need to worry about spreading or getting infected by the virus, since you are only going to use your smartphone to give or get information.
How to Ensure that Your QR Codes are Effective
Creating QR codes does not require advanced skills, specialized tools, and lots of effort. If you have a working smartphone or a computer with a stable internet connection, then you’re good to go.
Qr-cloud.com is one of the best sites to go to when you need to create a unique, personalized QR Code for your park’s features, amenities, and the like. But since much has been written about how to create QR Codes, let us present a few tips to make sure that your QR Code works:
- Engage your users. Add a few instructions that will ensure that your users will scan your code. For example: scan for more information, scan to pay, scan to register, and more.
- One QR, one action. If your QR Code is intended for booking tickets, then implement that action only. Do not add anything else, or do not implement another action so that users will not get confused.
- Optimize your landing pages. Make sure your landing pages are best presented in any type of device, particularly smartphones.
- Use proper contrast. It is better to leave the background white and the foreground dark. This will ensure that your code will be readable.
- Simplify your design. While qr-cloud.com gives you an option to place logos, it is still better if those logos are just small. QR Codes will not work if the logo overlaps them.
- Opt for a dynamic QR Code. Dynamic QR Codes can be updated and tracked. For example, you need to change the information about an animal, or a ride, you can simply revisit your QR Code and change the information.
QR Code in Parks and Zoos
Parks and zoos do not only exist for fun and recreation, but they can also provide meaningful experiences and learning. And with the addition of QR Codes, the experiences are taken to a higher level.
Incorporating QR Codes in this kind of business is a sure way to attract customers and engage them in activities that are more than just viewing and riding. By just a scan, they will enjoy the ease of access, various activities and services, and lessons to learn.