The show was the normal balancing act of trying to squeeze in visits to Orlando attractions to see what’s new, attend parts of the conference, meet with current and prospective clients and get the most from all the wonderful networking opportunities.
Museums Day on the Monday included some interesting talks with speakers drawn from all sectors of the industry, proving how much we can all learn from each other.
The first session explored how museums manage their brands. Melissa Felder of the California Academy of Science discussed the importance of delivering on its brand promise. The museum has defined its brand personality as hip, intellectual, modern and accessible. Research indicates they’re delivering on the first three but still have to work on accessibility.
The importance of the latter is shown by visitor research which indicates that satisfaction increases by five per cent when a visit includes some interaction with scientists/museum specialists. Rob Gallas of Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) reported on the need to get buy-in from staff to ensure the experience aligns with the brand. MOSI has brought together a cross-discipline team of brand champions on a Brand Council, which meets bi-monthly and is charged with ensuring that the museum keeps to its brand promise.
The second session explored what museums and science centres can learn from urban renewal. Museums expert Mac West reviewed cases where museums had been re-located to act as anchors for urban re-development projects. The benefit for the museum in each case was a new and improved building, often in a central location and often enabling the museum to re-locate alongside other museums and institutions, to create a cultural destination.
Examples given included The Exploratorium in San Francisco which moved to the waterfront as part of the re-development of Piers 15 and 17, the Museum of Nature and Science which moved to the Dallas Art District, and Peoria, Illinois where a number of museums were relocated to create a new Museums Square in an area which had started to decay.
These and other sessions touched on some of the key issues for visitor attractions today, including:
- Aligning your brand experience to your brand promise – stressing how important it is to deliver brand promises throughout the visitor experience and understanding that brand delivery needs to go far beyond just marketing and communication.
- Recognising the power of experiences – in the 80s attractions started to recruit from FMCG to bring marketing skills into the industry, now the retail and FMCG sectors are starting to recruit from the attractions industry
- It’s all about me – the technical ability to make sense of customer profile and usage data is helping attractions to deliver on the desire of visitors to tailor their experiences at attractions, and influence the experience itself.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2014 issue 1
Editor's letter: Creating Wealth
Great companies like Merlin Entertainments generate whole
ecosystems around themselves, with employees and their families,
shareholders, investors, suppliers, stakeholders and customers
benefiting from the wealth, energy and opportunity they create
Profile: Alberto Zamperla
The Italian ride entrepreneur is
attracting international attention for
his ambitious plans to build a new
cultural attraction in the heart of
Venice. Liz Terry finds out more
Planetariums: Science in the sky
We talk to Techmania's CEO Vlastimil
Volak and designer Glenn Smith
about the opening of the first 3D
Planetarium in the Czech Republic
Museums: Sea Views
Exploring underwater museums with
eco-sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor
Lesley Morisetti, director, launched Morisetti Associates in 2010 to work with visitor attractions and experience providers, building on nearly 30 years of international operational and consultancy experience. Web: www.morisettiassociates.com
Museums Day at IAAPA included talks on urban renewal and importance of branding
COMPANY PROFILES
Clip 'n Climb
Clip ‘n Climb currently offers facility owners and
investors more than 40 colourful and unique
Cha [more...]
Alterface
Alterface’s Creative Division team is
seasoned in concept and ride development,
as well as storyte [more...]
Sally Corporation
Our services include: Dark ride design & build; Redevelopment of existing attractions; High-quality [more...]
IAAPA EMEA
IAAPA Expo Europe was established in 2006 and has grown to the largest international conference and [more...]
The show was the normal balancing act of trying to squeeze in visits to Orlando attractions to see what’s new, attend parts of the conference, meet with current and prospective clients and get the most from all the wonderful networking opportunities.
Museums Day on the Monday included some interesting talks with speakers drawn from all sectors of the industry, proving how much we can all learn from each other.
The first session explored how museums manage their brands. Melissa Felder of the California Academy of Science discussed the importance of delivering on its brand promise. The museum has defined its brand personality as hip, intellectual, modern and accessible. Research indicates they’re delivering on the first three but still have to work on accessibility.
The importance of the latter is shown by visitor research which indicates that satisfaction increases by five per cent when a visit includes some interaction with scientists/museum specialists. Rob Gallas of Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) reported on the need to get buy-in from staff to ensure the experience aligns with the brand. MOSI has brought together a cross-discipline team of brand champions on a Brand Council, which meets bi-monthly and is charged with ensuring that the museum keeps to its brand promise.
The second session explored what museums and science centres can learn from urban renewal. Museums expert Mac West reviewed cases where museums had been re-located to act as anchors for urban re-development projects. The benefit for the museum in each case was a new and improved building, often in a central location and often enabling the museum to re-locate alongside other museums and institutions, to create a cultural destination.
Examples given included The Exploratorium in San Francisco which moved to the waterfront as part of the re-development of Piers 15 and 17, the Museum of Nature and Science which moved to the Dallas Art District, and Peoria, Illinois where a number of museums were relocated to create a new Museums Square in an area which had started to decay.
These and other sessions touched on some of the key issues for visitor attractions today, including:
- Aligning your brand experience to your brand promise – stressing how important it is to deliver brand promises throughout the visitor experience and understanding that brand delivery needs to go far beyond just marketing and communication.
- Recognising the power of experiences – in the 80s attractions started to recruit from FMCG to bring marketing skills into the industry, now the retail and FMCG sectors are starting to recruit from the attractions industry
- It’s all about me – the technical ability to make sense of customer profile and usage data is helping attractions to deliver on the desire of visitors to tailor their experiences at attractions, and influence the experience itself.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2014 issue 1
Editor's letter: Creating Wealth
Great companies like Merlin Entertainments generate whole
ecosystems around themselves, with employees and their families,
shareholders, investors, suppliers, stakeholders and customers
benefiting from the wealth, energy and opportunity they create
Profile: Alberto Zamperla
The Italian ride entrepreneur is
attracting international attention for
his ambitious plans to build a new
cultural attraction in the heart of
Venice. Liz Terry finds out more
Planetariums: Science in the sky
We talk to Techmania's CEO Vlastimil
Volak and designer Glenn Smith
about the opening of the first 3D
Planetarium in the Czech Republic
Museums: Sea Views
Exploring underwater museums with
eco-sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor
Lesley Morisetti, director, launched Morisetti Associates in 2010 to work with visitor attractions and experience providers, building on nearly 30 years of international operational and consultancy experience. Web: www.morisettiassociates.com
Museums Day at IAAPA included talks on urban renewal and importance of branding
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
+ More news
COMPANY PROFILES
Clip 'n Climb Clip ‘n Climb currently offers facility owners and
investors more than 40 colourful and unique
Cha [more...]
Alterface Alterface’s Creative Division team is
seasoned in concept and ride development,
as well as storyte [more...]
Sally Corporation Our services include: Dark ride design & build; Redevelopment of existing attractions; High-quality [more...]
IAAPA EMEA IAAPA Expo Europe was established in 2006 and has grown to the largest international conference and [more...]
