The North America Museums, Historical Sites, Zoos, And Parks Market size is estimated at USD 25.05 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 52.79 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 16.08% during the forecast period (2024-2029).
As a result of lockdowns and other emergency measures, Museums, Historical Sites, Zoos, And Parks worldwide were obliged to keep, their doors closed to the public due to the health catastrophe caused by COVID-19. Attendance at major cultural institutions fell sharply in North America due to the closures. Roughly two million people visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., respectively, in 2021, which is still significantly below pre-pandemic levels. Besides reducing visitors and, thus, income, the health crisis and the adoption of additional hygienic measures might have also had a role in influencing the way people experience such facilities.
In contrast, public comfort with visiting museums, historical sites, zoos, and parks in North America improved significantly post covid compared to the first two years of the pandemic. The proportion of adults who would feel comfortable visiting a museum had increased by more than 50 percent.
The removal of government restrictions in their nations following COVID-19 increased visitors to museums, historical sites, zoos, and parks, fueling industry expansion. The market is growing thanks to the digitalized experiences of museums, historical sites, and galleries. Also, the expansion of the market is indirectly fueled by the surge in international tourism.
In America, museums provide roughly 726,000 jobs. The museum brings in around 25-30% of the US economy annually. Sixty-six percent of all leisure travelers from the United States engage in cultural or historical pursuits, such as touring museums. These tourists spend 60% more on average than regular leisure tourists. Around $12 billion in tax income is generated by the economic activity of museums, with 33% going to state and municipal governments. The museum industry generates $16,495 more in new tax income for every job it creates. Every direct job at a museum supports a different job outside the museum's walls. In comparison to many other industries, this rate is higher. Museums contribute to the country's economy and create jobs for millions of people, driving market growth.
Even for zoos, the adoption of digitalization offers a solution. By having an internet presence, zoos may reach a far larger potential audience. A zoo's internet presence is better positioned as the "rest of a lifetime chance" rather than intended to replace the once-in-a-lifetime experience. The benefit of digitalization in this approach is that if a consumer has already visited a zoo, the online presence can build on their experience; however, if a consumer has not yet visited a zoo, the online presence will encourage them to visit for the once-in-a-lifetime experience. The most popular methods zoos utilize to digitally reach visitors, in order of popularity, are websites, social media, on-demand virtual experiences, and live-streaming cameras. Almost 100% of zoos worldwide have websites and social media. Animal-related content has been one of the most popular choices of the global community since the dawn of the digital age.
The Smithsonian's National Zoo, commonly referred to as the National Zoo, is one of the oldest zoos in the United States and is part of the Smithsonian Institution. Through the Smithsonian National Zoo's giant panda cam, consumers can watch giant pandas Tian Tian and Mei Xiang chomp on bamboo and tumble in the grass.
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden rolled out an innovative "Home Safari Resources" series for customers' enjoyment. Now that the zoo has reopened to the public, consumers can still find the home safari archive on their website. This collection of videos shows a wide variety of species and is curated by zoo staff.
The San Diego Zoo is widely recognized as a leader among conservation organizations and pioneered the development of more humane, cage-free enclosures. It remains the most visited zoo in the United States. The zoo has several fun animal cams with live video feeds and a large archive of recordings from their previous giant panda residents, Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu. This zoo has several live cams monitoring their furry and feathered friends, including penguins, koalas, and elephants. Houston Zoo has webcams focused on gorillas, giraffes, rhinos, elephants, leafcutter ants, and more for consumers viewing pleasure.
The market is expected to be concentrated with a large number of players. Some of the major players present in the market are the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Art Gallery of Ontario, Museum of Anthropology at UBC, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, The American Museum of Natural History, USS Midway Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago, among others. The market is expected to remain competitive over the forecasted period.
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