Tourism marketing case study
How an ancient cave attraction rocked the digital world
Stump Cross Caverns is one of Yorkshire's most distinctive natural attractions. But in an increasingly competitive tourism landscape, even a 300-million-year-old cave system needs a modern digital strategy.
Our task: increase visibility, improve the user experience and turn online searches into real-world visits.
The result to remember
93%
organic traffic increase
June 2023 vs June 2024
Project profile
The client
Stump Cross Caverns
Stump Cross Caverns is unique – an ancient cave system born before the dinosaurs and buried deep beneath the Yorkshire Dales. Now, thanks to the careful efforts of its owners, this natural treasure lives on as a family-friendly visitor attraction.
One of the best-known Yorkshire attractions
Designated Site of Special Scientific Interest
Educational programmes to engage and inspire
The problem
An outdated digital presence that didn't do justice to the real thing.
Stump Cross Caverns had heritage, history and natural spectacle on its side. What it didn't have was a digital presence that reflected the rich, engaging guest experience it offered.
Its website was outdated, uninspiring and under-optimised. Not only did it fail to capture the attraction's appeal, but it was also failing to capture local tourism-related search traffic.
What's more, Stump was keen to expand its educational ventures and attract more school visits. However, this dream, too, was scuppered by its underperforming website and digital strategy.
Our solution
A joined-up website, SEO and content strategy focused on inspiration and education.
Outdated website with a poor conversion track record
Fresh, responsive website with:
Clear, engaging messaging focused on the visitor experience
Updated visuals to reflect the compelling real-world attraction
Conversion-led design to streamline ticket sales and enquiries
Mobile-friendly UX to capture on-the-go tourism searches
Limited search visibility
Targeted SEO strategy with:
On-page optimisation aligned to high-intent local searches
Eight monthly blogs optimised for local tourism searches and educational discovery
Technical improvements for crawlability and performance
Underperforming on Key Stage 2 school visits
Brand-new education portal:
Aligned with the Key Stage 2 curriculum
Optimised for relevant keywords
Featuring engaging, interactive content and storytelling
Project timeline
Client calls My Digital Hero
Initial discovery meeting
Strategy presented and approved
Website keyword research complete
Website content written
Website design complete
Website testing and approval
Website goes live
Blog strategy rolls out
Roadblock…
Tourism marketing is highly seasonal and fiercely competitive – even in the vast, sparse wilderness of the Yorkshire Dales. With other natural attractions vying for visitors' attention, it would take more than a cosmetic overhaul to stand out.
…Averted
What those other attractions didn't have was targeted SEO. We aligned our content and website structure with the way visitors actually searched, ensuring Stump Cross appeared at the right moments in the decision-making journey.
93%
organic traffic increase
from June 23 to June 24
1,600+
top-10 rankings achieved
on Google UK, as of February 2026
57%
school trip revenue increase
within 6 months
'The website you created for Stump Cross Caverns has completely transformed the way we do business. We've seen an incredible boost in our SEO rankings thanks to the thoughtful, human-written content and the sleek, user-friendly design.
'What really sets your team apart is your responsiveness—no matter the issue, you're always on hand at a moment's notice to provide support. It's a pleasure working with such a dedicated and talented group.'
Oliver Bowerman, Stump Cross Caverns
Get in touch
Ready to take your attraction to the top?
Stump Cross isn't our only tourism marketing success. Simon, our founder, handled digital marketing for a popular local theme park – and he understands the industry like few others on Earth. Get in touch today to discuss how our creative, joined-up strategies can help you turn digital wins into real-world footfall.
