Cinema admissions reached a record peak for the first time since first lockdown restrictions were lifted, with over 376,000 Australians visiting the cinema in the last full week of data, a 26% increase on the previous week.
The past week’s results exceeded previous post-lockdown records, despite cinema closures currently in place across Melbourne. The previous peak aligned with the last school holiday period and spanned Melbourne’s post-first lockdown cinema opening.
“The results are thrilling, but not surprising. This is a culmination of 7 weeks of continuous audience growth within our cinema environments.
“The returning cinema audience are mainly young and affluent, whose eagerness to return to normality presents a valuable audience opportunity to advertisers,” Mr Guy Burbidge, Managing Director of Val Morgan said.
The admissions also closely mirror Val Morgan’s latest research, which shows that an overwhelming segment of the Australia population are seeking experiences that offer them a sense of escapism and return to normal life.
“Australians are content and experience hungry. Uniquely, cinema provides both. We anticipate this steady audience growth will continue into Q4, with a strong content slate ahead including No Time to Die, which is shaping up to be 2020’s biggest release,” Mr Burbidge said.
The highly anticipated Bond instalment launches cinema’s peak admission period of pre-Christmas, Boxing Day and more generally, summer, when Australians look to escape the confines of the home and seek out amazing entertainment experiences.
