Ticketing and e-commerce platform Merac is marking a clear milestone this month, reflecting on twelve months of product development and business expansion following its acquisition in 2025.
Having transitioned to new leadership, the software provider has spent its first year building on its established industry presence to evolve into a fully connected operational ecosystem.
For many years, the brand was a familiar name across the UK visitor economy, helping operators manage daily admissions, visitor transactions, and memberships. Following the buyout, the newly assembled team identified an opportunity to restore momentum by investing heavily in product integration and expanding beyond traditional entry systems.
Connecting the visitor journey
The core focus over the past year of progress has been on connecting previously siloed departments. Today, the system links ticketing, retail, catering, and guest engagement into a single platform. This approach is designed to help attraction operators gain a clearer understanding of visitor behaviour, reduce day-to-day operational complexity, and uncover new revenue opportunities across their sites.
A key driver of this recent growth has been the launch of a new food and beverage kiosk solution. Within two months of its introduction, the system has processed more than £500,000 in catering sales. The data gathered during this period highlights a shift in consumer habits, with attractions using the solution reporting an average 30 percent increase in transaction value compared with traditional till-based ordering. This demonstrates how self-service technology can encourage greater spend while simultaneously reducing queues.
Removing operational friction
The past year has also seen the introduction of self-service ticket kiosks, which are designed to streamline visitor arrivals and ease the pressure on frontline staff during peak periods. To complement this, the business has rolled out mobile point-of-sale solutions to allow flexible selling across different areas of an attraction, alongside new member portals that simplify account management, bookings, and renewals.
To support these onsite operations, the company launched Merac Engage. The tool allows operators to build stronger relationships with their guests through automated, personalised communications that are driven by real engagement data.
Andy Povey, Managing Director of Merac, reflected on the progress made since the acquisition.
“When we acquired Merac, I saw a business with an incredible heritage, a loyal customer base and enormous untapped potential,” Povey said.
“Over the last year, we have focused on listening to our customers, investing in the product and building solutions that solve real challenges for attraction operators.”
Building for the future
The development strategy is firmly rooted in changing how operators view their internal systems to match the realities of a day out better.
“Guests do not experience attractions in departments,” Povey explained. “They move seamlessly from buying tickets to purchasing food, drinks, retail products and memberships. For too long, the technology supporting those interactions has been disconnected. Our focus has been on bringing those experiences together, helping attractions better understand their guests, remove friction and create more meaningful connections at every stage of the visitor journey.”
Looking ahead to its second year under current ownership, the company plans to continue its investment in platform development, guest engagement tools, and deeper software integrations.
“I am incredibly proud of what the team has achieved in such a short period of time,” Povey added. “We have laid strong foundations for the future, and this is only the beginning.”
