Introduction
Fairytale Farm in Oxfordshire is a sensory and learning wonderland for all the family. Mixing classic fairy tales, animals and adventure play, it offers an inclusive, sensory experience for the whole family.
Keen to embrace tech to offer visitors more, Director Nick Laister approached Fluff Software after hearing about the launch of Huntly, and its potential to enhance visitor experiences across the tourism sector.
The Challenge
Nick and the team at Fairytale Farm have built a successful business with an impressive array of attractions and a loyal customer base. As with many businesses of this nature, Nick found that whilst school holidays and peak season were busy, Fairytale Farm needed something to attract families at off-peak times.
The business was also keen to extend dwell times, allowing visitors to get more out of the experience and, as a result, spend more at Fairytale Farm’s café and gift shop.
Finally, Nick and the team were looking for something that could be offered to visitors for free to complement the existing range of activities on-site, but which did not require additional staffing.
The Solution
Huntly is an app developed by Fluff Software to enhance the way school-age children interact with technology. The free-to-download platform transforms outdoor exploration into an interactive game for children, merging physical exploration with digital adventure through a series of quests.
Having met with the team at Fluff to discuss options, it was clear that a bespoke quest on the Huntly app could help Fairytale Farm provide something different for visitors that would help to boost numbers during off-peak times, and encourage people to stay for longer periods.
Nick and the team at Fairytale Farm worked closely with Fluff Software to create a quest within the Huntly app, fully branded for the business with 19 different things to find, each with its own fun fact.
Families are encouraged to download the app when they book their tickets online, or via the QR codes on-site, to take advantage of the free scavenger hunt that uses tech to promote wholesome fun and exploration. Fairytale Farm also promotes Huntly via its website, newsletter and social media channels.
The Outcome
With the Fairytale Farm quest launched at the end of 2023, Huntly has already proved popular with visitors. The business has received plenty of positive feedback about the app from families looking to get more from their visit.
Huntly has helped Fairytale Farm to increase visitor dwell times as children explore, play and learn using tech to document their adventure, earning rewards in the form of badges as they go.
During those off-peak times, Fairytale Farm has something different to offer from its competitors – all at no extra cost to the customer and without the need for the business to pay for additional staffing.
“We have no problem during school holidays but we were looking for something to encourage more visitors all year round. The Huntly app allows our visitors to do a quest at any time of year - it enhances the visit, gives them a reason to stay longer and encourages them to spend more.
“Our customers like it because it keeps their children entertained – the ‘scavenger hunt’ just adds to the whole experience. It also means people are taking their time to engage with every element of the site.
“There are no staff costs. Operators like us are always looking for something to enhance the experience that isn’t resource heavy, so Huntly is perfect.”
Nick Laister, Director, Fairytale Farm
