Cuskinny Court · Cobh · County Cork
A historic house that multiplied its Christmas revenue by 6 in twelve years
In June 2013, the founders of Cuskinny Court asked a simple question: How could they give new purpose to an elegant Irish period home without compromising its character? The answer was called the Cork North Pole Outpost Experience, and today it’s a Christmas tradition that welcomes thousands of families every December.
Start the story-
+500 %
Christmas business growth since 2014
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12 years
As a TuriTop client (2014 – today)
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2013 first year
December · event launch
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365 days
Now operating all year round, not just Christmas
1 · The Context
A Georgian house in Cobh looking for a new purpose
EIn June 2013, the founders of Cuskinny Court approached TuriTop with a straightforward question: how to use the historic family home to create something meaningful and generate income without turning it into a conventional tourist attraction.
The property, an elegant period home in Cobh (County Cork), was brimming with charm but lacked a bookable purpose. The discussion with the team led to the launch in December of that same year of an experience that would later become known as Cork North Pole Outpost Experience.
It was an instant success. And with that success came a very specific challenge: how to manage extremely high seasonal demand (six weeks a year, with peaks on weekends) without compromising the theatrical aspect of the experience. In 2014, Cuskinny moved to the TuriTop booking system looking for two things: capacity control per session and corporate and general public sales within the same system.
2 · The Catalog
Six moments that make up the visit
Cork North Pole isn't just a ticket booth and a walkthrough. It's a theatrical production with six separate scenes that each family experiences in order. The entire catalog is managed through the TuriTop dashboard, and visitors book the entire time slot without seeing the internal details.
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MEET & GREETEncuentro con Santa
Cork historic house · Santa + Mrs. Claus
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TALLERThe Toy Workshop
Toy making · artisan elves
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TEATRALElf Explorers
Scout elves · painted theatrical set
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ÍNTIMOEscribir a Santa
Intimate room with lamp and paper · personal moment
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PARTICIPATIVOMrs. Claus's Kitchen
Christmas kitchen · baking with kids
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CIERREToy selection
Final selection of a toy at the end of the visit
Actual set design for Cork North Pole 2024 · Images courtesy of the client.
3 · The Starting Point
The Christmas rush brought the operation to a halt
Between 2013 and 2014, the event went from being a local curiosity to a Christmas staple in the Cork area. And with that came two issues that needed to be resolved before the next season began.
Demand Concentrated on a Few Dates
Six weeks of intense activity between late November and December, with peak crowds on the weekends. With no seat availability per session, the theater experience turned into a long line.
Corporate and family members mixed together
Companies were booking entire groups weeks in advance, while the general public was buying tickets for individual families. Two different processes with different rules, but a single schedule.
This growth would not have been possible without TuriTop.
Cuskinny Court Team Cork North Pole Outpost Experience
4 · How They Solved It
Four components of the system that brought about the change
Cuskinny didn't request custom development. They activated four standard TuriTop features in their first year and are still using them twelve seasons later.
Flexible scheduling
Sessions adapt between peak and low-demand days. Cuskinny opens more slots on December Saturdays and fewer on weekdays without doubling admin workload.
Smart capacity control
Visits are organized by family unit and by individual ticket. Each group gets its own time with Santa, without crowds or waiting in rooms.
Corporate and public in one system
Corporate groups and general public sales coexist in the same backoffice without two separate calendars. A single availability state for everything.
Reliable support when it counts
In twelve years they've barely needed to open a ticket. When they have, the response arrived fast during the highest-pressure season.
5 · Twelve Years, Four Moments
From the first sketch to operate year-round
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2013
The original question
June · the founders reach out to TuriTop to find out how to give purpose to the family house without giving up its historic character.
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2013
Cork North Pole is born
December · first launch of the seasonal event at the Cuskinny property. Instant hit with Irish families.
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2014
Migration to TuriTop
The booking system absorbs seasonal demand and frees the team to focus on the theatrical experience.
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2025
+500% growth
Twelve years later, the Christmas business has grown fivefold. The property now operates nature experiences and school programs all year round.
6 · Lessons Learned
What to Wear When Hosting a Seasonal Event
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The building's history is an asset, not just a backdrop
The Georgian house in Cuskinny doesn't compete with theme parks in terms of scale. It competes on authenticity. The experience was created with respect for the property, and that respect is part of the product.
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The limited seating per performance is what makes a theatrical experience magical
If too many families come in at once, seeing Santa turns into a long line. If just the right number come in, seeing Santa becomes a personal moment. The difference comes down to five people per time slot.
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The corporate and public sectors coexist more effectively within the same system
Separating the two workflows into different calendars sounds like a good idea, but in practice it leads to errors. A single availability status prevents the same session from being closed twice.
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A well-run seasonal event sets the stage for the rest of the year
The visibility generated by the Cork North Pole led Cuskinny to launch nature experiences and school programs throughout the year. The Christmas event was the driving force behind everything else.