The National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA) has announced its support for a cross industry campaign calling for weather forecasting platforms and app developers to review how their information is visually presented to consumers.
The campaign, led by Chester Zoo and supported by more than 80 visitor attractions across the UK, is seeking constructive discussions with the Met Office and weather app providers about how forecast information can better reflect actual conditions throughout the day.
Weather has a large role to play in consumer behaviour around events. Many outdoor events rely on visitors making decisions on the day or in the days immediately beforehand, meaning the way forecast information is presented can have a significant impact on confidence and attendance. When a single weather icon suggests persistent rain, despite only a short period of poor weather being forecast, consumers may choose not to travel, regardless of the conditions they are actually likely to experience.
NOEA believes this issue extends beyond visitor attractions and affects festivals, agricultural shows, outdoor performances, sporting events, community celebrations and countless other outdoor experiences across the UK. The association has been working with its members to better understand the relationship between weather forecasts, visitor behaviour and commercial performance.
Early findings from NOEA’s industry survey suggest that the presentation of weather forecasts is having a measurable impact on outdoor events. More than four in five organisers said admissions are the area of their event most affected by weather forecasts, while one in three reported visitor losses of over 50% based on this information.
Importantly, respondents did not simply call for more accurate forecasts; they overwhelmingly highlighted the need for clearer, more actionable weather information, rating improved forecast communication 4.8 out of 5 for importance. The findings reinforce the campaign’s central message that helping consumers better understand the weather they are actually likely to experience could improve confidence, protect attendance and reduce unnecessary commercial losses.
Susan Tanner, CEO of NOEA, commented, “This is not just about challenging the accuracy of weather forecasting. It is about understanding how forecast information is interpreted, through apps, by the public and ensuring it provides the clearest possible picture for consumers making decisions about their leisure time.
“Outdoor events are highly resilient and operate successfully in a wide range of weather conditions. However, when a single weather icon can create the impression that an entire day will be wet, despite only a brief period of rainfall, it is important that we explore whether information can be presented more effectively.”
