Britain’s top tourist attractions hit out at weather apps that are ‘costing them millions’ each year by putting off visitors with ‘misleading’ forecasts

A group of Britain’s most popular tourist attractions has attacked weather apps after complaining they cost millions of dollars by distracting visitors.

Chester Zoo is leading a campaign to change the way forecasts are displayed on popular apps, complaining that ‘misleading’ rain icons could cost some venues up to £137,000 in a single day.

The zoo has coordinated a collaborative approach on behalf of more than 80 outdoor attractions, including the Eden Project, RHS Gardens, Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Blenheim Palace.

They warn that a single rain cloud symbol outlining a 24-hour period can create the impression that rain is falling, even if most of the day is dry.

Operators suggest that families make their decisions by quickly glancing at the phone screen, often canceling plans when they see the possibility of rain.

While around 70 percent of people claim to check the forecast before heading out, some sites have reported attendance dropping by as much as 30 percent following a negative forecast.

The group emphasizes that this doesn’t challenge forecast accuracy, but rather how the information is presented visually, particularly by third-party apps that can display overnight rain as a symbol of all-day rain.

Instead, they are calling on the Met Office, the government and major weather app developers to explore practical improvements to how forecasts are shown on screen, giving families greater clarity when planning trips.

If we take the city of Derby as an example this week, the symbol for tomorrow in the Met Office application is ‘rain’; whereas rain is actually expected only from 14:00 in the afternoon.

If we take the city of Derby as an example this week, the symbol for tomorrow in the Met Office application is ‘rain’; although in fact rain is expected only from 14:00 in the afternoon

The improvements they suggest include separate day and night weather icons, clearer written summaries such as ‘showers earlier, brighter later’ and indicators showing the proportion of dry hours expected.

Dom Strange, chief operating officer of Chester Zoo, said: ‘When families see a rain cloud symbol, most people stay at home. In reality, there may be a brief shower at 6am, but the symbol indicates that the rain will stop.

‘As the national zoo and one of the UK’s leading attractions, we champion the wider visitor economy and the thousands of jobs dependent on spontaneous visits, from heritage sites to theme parks.

‘The Met Office is the UK’s most trusted weather authority and is in a unique position to pioneer clearer forecasts for other apps to follow.

‘With today’s data and technology, there is an opportunity to deliver predictions that better reflect how the day will actually feel.’

Olly Reed, marketing director at tourism consultancy Navigate, said: ‘We work with more than 50 visitor centers and destinations across the UK, giving us a broad and representative view of sector performance.

‘Across the sites we support, engagement patterns are closely tracked with forecast data and the picture is consistent; When a negative weather icon appears, visits can drop by around 30% on average.

‘This is reflective of analysis across a broad portfolio of heritage sites, gardens, zoos and theme parks. Reservations don’t just change based on the weather, they change based on how the weather is framed.

‘In an industry driven by spontaneity, small design choices in forecast delivery can lead to disproportionate economic consequences. Thank you to Chester Zoo for helping to shed light on this issue.’

The Eden Project (pictured) is also among the attractions that drive change

Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort also backed the call for clearer forecast presentation.

James Cox, director of marketing, sales and public relations at Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort, added: ‘We think it is important to add our support to the letter from the Met Office to Professor Endersby on behalf of the UK visitor economy and to continue constructive dialogue about how forecast data is presented.

‘We know very well that in the current economic climate, families see spending their free time outdoors as a considered investment rather than the discretionary expenditure of old. They cautiously wait for all the deciding factors to align to ensure their investment guarantees the best day possible.

‘The influence of weather forecasts is therefore particularly intensified for outdoor events. A significant portion of our bookings come in the 24 hours before any given day because people trust this weather icon.

‘Accurate reports with images that better reflect general conditions are vital. ‘This will help families plan with confidence and provide greater stability for the attractions and wider visitor economy that depend on accurate forecasts for successful trading.’

A Met Office spokesman said: ‘We are working to develop an engagement plan. [the tourism sector] integrating this into our existing plans for tourism and improving weather services more generally.

‘We know that weather forecasting is an important part of planning, especially in the UK; ‘Therefore the Met Office has implemented a number of improvements, with further developments planned to improve the delivery of weather information that can support the visitor economy.’