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Travel planning for fans and audiences in the sport and live entertainment sector is undergoing a transformation, driven by cutting-edge technologies that help streamline operations and promote sustainability. From journey optimisation tools to carbon footprint calculators, these innovations are reshaping how spectators can travel to live events, enhancing both the audience experience and environmental responsibility.
Integrating technology to drive valuable data insights
With the increasing integration of carbon footprint calculators with bespoke audience journey planning tools like that from You.Smart.Thing, stand-alone fan engagement platforms on travel such as that from Lowr and more general sustainability platforms that trade on fan affinity from the likes of Pledgeball individuals and organisation can now quantify the environmental impact of travel choices, fostering greater awareness and responsibility. Additionally, the growing availability of data insights provides event organisers and venues with valuable information on travel patterns and preferences. This combination of tools allows organisations to better assess the landscape of sustainable travel, enabling organisers to implement targeted solutions that reduce emissions, optimise transport options, and promote eco-friendly practices among attendees.
In an industry where spectators come from various locations with different transport options and preferences, the use of journey planning apps, real-time data integration, and customised travel routes for example, can significantly enhance travel logistics. For instance, mobility as a service Apps like Breeze, which fans can now use to travel to sports venues in south Hampshire, allow attendees to navigate routes, explore public transport options, and consider walking or cycling. It also enables users to track live public transport and purchase tickets for various modes of travel throughout the region. By providing personalised and greener travel alternatives, these tools not only assist organisations in their planning for sustainable and accessible travel, but can also lead to a reduction in transport congestion and user confusion.
Addressing travel challenges with innovative solutions
The travel challenges encountered by live event organisers can be considerable, especially when trying to balance operational efficiency and convenience with sustainability. Factors such as travel distance, venue accessibility, and transport options can contribute to increased emissions and hinder attendance. However, technology provides solutions to some of these challenges.
For instance, You.Smart.Thing’s Travel Assistant tool serves as a map-based personalised journey planner, enhancing the spectator experience by offering carbon-busting options with real-time travel data and updates. Venues that utilise Travel Assistant have reported an average 30% reduction in carbon emissions. This approach not only makes sustainable travel options more accessible and user-friendly but also helps organisers minimise environmental impacts while ensuring smooth logistics.
Other technologies such as Better Points and Lowr which reward attendees for opting for low-carbon transport choices and logging these journeys, are effectively reducing emissions related to events. By encouraging greener travel choices, Better Points, for example, has notably eased traffic congestion and lessened reliance on personal vehicles, contributing to the avoidance of nearly 19 million kilograms of carbon emissions.
These successes highlight how innovative travel solutions can enhance sustainability at events while still ensuring convenience and enjoyment for participants.
The benefits for organisers and spectators
For event organisers, the benefits of adopting technologies that influence people’s travel behaviour are twofold: enhanced audience convenience and environmental sustainability. By integrating tech-driven travel solutions, organisers can reduce the need for extensive parking, alleviate traffic, and achieve significant cost savings. Spectators, meanwhile, enjoy a more streamlined travel experience, with reduced stress and even financial savings and potentially incentives for sustainable choices. Additionally, marketing events as eco-friendly can attract eco-conscious audiences and partners, fostering stronger engagement and repeat attendance.
The integration of cutting-edge technologies in event travel planning is not only elevating the attendee experience but also supporting the sustainability goals of the live events industry. Emerging innovations such as AI-powered journey assistance, which can provide real-time, personalised guidance and support — especially for individuals with accessibility needs — have the potential to transform the way people travel to and from events. Additionally, technologies like predictive analytics can help optimise travel flows by anticipating demand surges and suggesting alternative routes, while real-time data sharing between transport providers can enhance system efficiency and reduce delays.
Other advancements, such as the use of autonomous vehicles, smart mobility hubs, and immersive technologies like augmented reality for wayfinding, have the potential to further reshape the audience travel experience. These innovations are expected to play an increasingly central role in creating seamless, eco-friendly transport systems for events and venues. Future blogs will explore these technologies and their growing impact on event mobility in more depth.
STRIVE: Helping understand the role of behavioural technologies in planning for fan and audience travel
In the Round’s STRIVE consultancy service is uniquely positioned to help event organisers understand the role of and embrace these technological advancements and integrate them into broader sustainability and transport efforts.
STRIVE can help organisations determine which technologies, will provide the best return on investment in this area. By offering expert guidance and tailored solutions, STRIVE can help event planners incorporate the latest technologies that best achieve their specific goals within the context of a broader travel strategy for spectators. In order to build a jigsaw you need to know what the whole picture looks like first if you are to achieve the vision.
With our STRIVE consultancy service, we aim to help venue operators and event organisers understand the role of these cutting-edge solutions within their overall plan. We can then work with our partners to mobilise the identified solutions, to deliver an overall fan and audience travel strategy that most effectively contributes to a greener, more sustainable future.