This September, the Euro Attractions Show (EAS) ramps up its educational programme, offering attendees more seminars, workshops, forums and presentations than ever before. Leading industry figures have been invited to discuss a variety of pressing issues and hot topics, and with hands-on workshops too, over 20 hours of educational content will be available.
According to Karen Staley, vice-president of IAAPA Europe, the expo is a great way to see where the industry is going, but the educational programmes “actually teach you how to anticipate these developments by learning from best practices and experts from the industry.” Attendees also learn from others’ experiences. “People really look forward to the CEOs Talk and the Leadership Breakfast. Their ways of working, philosophies and visions broaden the horizon for many people,” Staley says.
The three-day event, from 23 to 25 September at the RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, will host 375 exhibitors and an estimated 8,500 visitors. It’s easy to get involved, with a range of educational activities for managers and leaders. “We always try to prepare a programme with a holistic approach, incorporating HR, marketing, new ideas and hot topics,” Staley says. “Based on last year’s feedback, we’ve focused on more practical seminars this year, such as Fright Fest – how to develop, market and manage a haunted attraction – and Old Wine, New Bottles, a panel session on how to refresh existing products and make them more profitable, extremely interesting for both management and executive staff.”
Then, the Institute for Attraction Managers is a regularly held training course with an edition to coincide with EAS. “It’s aimed at industry professionals with three years’ management experience who have demonstrated the potential and commitment to be on your senior management team,” Staley explains. “The programme includes extensive education on attraction finance, marketing, leadership, operations, safety and revenue operations such as F&B and retail.”
There is an event for attendees at an earlier stage in their careers; the Young Professionals Forum, taking place at the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam on 24 September. It’s a great opportunity for those relatively new to the industry to share, network and learn about the steps others have taken to develop a successful career. “We have speakers from Toverland, BRC Imagination Arts and CoasterLab,” Staley says. “Also, Professor Erwin Taets from VIVES Flanders Leisure Academy will share his experiences.”
With the largest exhibition floor in the history of the European event and the strong focus on inspirational and informative parallel sessions, the show looks set to be one of the most exhilarating yet.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2014 issue 3
Editor’s letter: Here comes China
As China opens up to the West, the nation’s attractions are
booming, with existing attractions reporting record attendances and
new museums, theme parks and science centres planned
Teamworking: The Art of Collaboration
Merlin’s Mark Fisher talks about working
with Hollywood studio DreamWorks on
the upcoming Shrek-themed midways,
how to spot a winning IP and the
importance of creative collaboration
Talking Point: Whose Museum Is It Anyway?
Five experts debate how museums
can tackle the controversial issue
of balancing the needs of the visitor
with their curatorial responsibilities
Analysis: TEA/AECOM Enduring Appeal
Theme park attendance for 2013
reached an all-time high, and museums
worldwide performed well. AECOM’s
economics experts crunch the numbers
Theme Parks: Oceans of Fun
Chimelong International Ocean Resort
is a big development on a small island.
Will its proximity to the gambling haven
of Macau be a help or a hindrance?
Museums: Virtual Visits
Europe’s biggest museum conference
looks at how technology and the digital
revolution can enhance the attraction. We
report from the event in Newcastle, UK
Technology: Face Reality
As Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg buys
Oculus VR and its Rift device, we look at
how far VR has come, and ask whether
it has a place in the attractions industry
Profile: Sarah Maltby
As Jorvik turns 30, director Sarah
Maltby talks about keeping archaeology
at the heart of what the Viking centre
does, and moving with the times
Storytelling: Inside Story
Abu Dhabi’s Yas Waterworld draws on
the local culture to create a narrative
journey for its visitors. Atkins Global
tells us about an innovative approach
Interview: Rick Schwartz
San Diego Zoo Global ambassador on the
Tiger Trail and conservation initiatives
Stimulating Seminars Seminar topics range from crisis management to dealing with online reviews. These are some highlights from the educational conference programme schedule 23 September - 13.45 - 15.15 Fun, Fright and Festivals: How to develop seasonal events to increase attendance and revenues The off-season can be tough, especially in European climates. This seminar, presented by park event managers and show designers, explores how the potential of festivals like Halloween can be harnessed to extend your season and boost business later in the year. This seminar also discusses one-off events such as music concerts, giving guidance on how to develop, market and manage special events.
23 September - 15.30 - 17.00 Branded Goods: Is using intellectual property the right choice for your facility? More and more parks are investing in IP, and it’s often a surefire way to attract new customers and boost profits. But intellectual property rights can be a complex area with potential disadvantages and pitfalls as well as its advantages. The panel here — attraction designers, IP license-holders, park operators, industry consultants — will share their experiences and advice on this popular subject.
24 September - 12.45 - 14.15 Old Wine, New Bottles: What mature attractions can do to renew and refresh their facilities It’s vital in the attractions industry to renew our offerings and tempt customers to return, and perhaps most germane to those more mature attractions. This session will be conducted by a panel of planners, designers, operators and owners who will share a five-point strategy to growing attendance at older attractions, and present case studies to illustrate their insights in practice. top-class talks
23 September - 17.00 - 18.00 CEOs Speak: A quartet of CEOs talks about the industry past, present and future Learning from the experts who possess a wealth of experience can be invaluable, and it’s central to the EAS ethos. Continuing the CEOs Speak series of talks this year, the event has invited four heads of family-oriented amusement parks to share their knowledge and insights with fellow attendees. The panel will be made up of Andreas Anderson of Liseberg Amusement Park, Sweden; Roderick van Zuylen of Duinrell Park, the Netherlands; Mascha van Till of Walibi Holland and Tolga Alisoglu of Vialand, Turkey.
24 September - 8.30 - 9.55 EAS Leadership Breakfast Breakfast features Plopsa Group CEO Steve van den Kerkhof as the keynote speaker. Van den Kerkhof, chairman of the board of Belgian children’s TV company Studio 100, who owns the Plopsa parks, will talk about the relationship between Studio 100 brands and the parks, with the Plopsa sites attracting fans of the studio’s characters and creating further marketing and merchandising opportunities. practical programmes & Fascinating forums
21-23 September Institute for Attractions Management IAAPA’s management development training course is in session at the Heineken Experience, giving mid-career professionals the chance to learn new skills.
24 September - 15.00 - 19.30 Fifth Annual IAAPA Europe Waterpark Forum This forum held at Center Parcs Eemhof involves presentations, a park tour and a briefing on the waterpark industry.
25 September - 9.45 - 15.00 Family Entertainment Centre / Indoor Play Centre Programme Exclusively designed for FECs and indoor play centres, with a series of activities and seminars dedicated to these sectors.
This September, the Euro Attractions Show (EAS) ramps up its educational programme, offering attendees more seminars, workshops, forums and presentations than ever before. Leading industry figures have been invited to discuss a variety of pressing issues and hot topics, and with hands-on workshops too, over 20 hours of educational content will be available.
According to Karen Staley, vice-president of IAAPA Europe, the expo is a great way to see where the industry is going, but the educational programmes “actually teach you how to anticipate these developments by learning from best practices and experts from the industry.” Attendees also learn from others’ experiences. “People really look forward to the CEOs Talk and the Leadership Breakfast. Their ways of working, philosophies and visions broaden the horizon for many people,” Staley says.
The three-day event, from 23 to 25 September at the RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, will host 375 exhibitors and an estimated 8,500 visitors. It’s easy to get involved, with a range of educational activities for managers and leaders. “We always try to prepare a programme with a holistic approach, incorporating HR, marketing, new ideas and hot topics,” Staley says. “Based on last year’s feedback, we’ve focused on more practical seminars this year, such as Fright Fest – how to develop, market and manage a haunted attraction – and Old Wine, New Bottles, a panel session on how to refresh existing products and make them more profitable, extremely interesting for both management and executive staff.”
Then, the Institute for Attraction Managers is a regularly held training course with an edition to coincide with EAS. “It’s aimed at industry professionals with three years’ management experience who have demonstrated the potential and commitment to be on your senior management team,” Staley explains. “The programme includes extensive education on attraction finance, marketing, leadership, operations, safety and revenue operations such as F&B and retail.”
There is an event for attendees at an earlier stage in their careers; the Young Professionals Forum, taking place at the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam on 24 September. It’s a great opportunity for those relatively new to the industry to share, network and learn about the steps others have taken to develop a successful career. “We have speakers from Toverland, BRC Imagination Arts and CoasterLab,” Staley says. “Also, Professor Erwin Taets from VIVES Flanders Leisure Academy will share his experiences.”
With the largest exhibition floor in the history of the European event and the strong focus on inspirational and informative parallel sessions, the show looks set to be one of the most exhilarating yet.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2014 issue 3
Editor’s letter: Here comes China
As China opens up to the West, the nation’s attractions are
booming, with existing attractions reporting record attendances and
new museums, theme parks and science centres planned
Teamworking: The Art of Collaboration
Merlin’s Mark Fisher talks about working
with Hollywood studio DreamWorks on
the upcoming Shrek-themed midways,
how to spot a winning IP and the
importance of creative collaboration
Talking Point: Whose Museum Is It Anyway?
Five experts debate how museums
can tackle the controversial issue
of balancing the needs of the visitor
with their curatorial responsibilities
Analysis: TEA/AECOM Enduring Appeal
Theme park attendance for 2013
reached an all-time high, and museums
worldwide performed well. AECOM’s
economics experts crunch the numbers
Theme Parks: Oceans of Fun
Chimelong International Ocean Resort
is a big development on a small island.
Will its proximity to the gambling haven
of Macau be a help or a hindrance?
Museums: Virtual Visits
Europe’s biggest museum conference
looks at how technology and the digital
revolution can enhance the attraction. We
report from the event in Newcastle, UK
Technology: Face Reality
As Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg buys
Oculus VR and its Rift device, we look at
how far VR has come, and ask whether
it has a place in the attractions industry
Profile: Sarah Maltby
As Jorvik turns 30, director Sarah
Maltby talks about keeping archaeology
at the heart of what the Viking centre
does, and moving with the times
Storytelling: Inside Story
Abu Dhabi’s Yas Waterworld draws on
the local culture to create a narrative
journey for its visitors. Atkins Global
tells us about an innovative approach
Interview: Rick Schwartz
San Diego Zoo Global ambassador on the
Tiger Trail and conservation initiatives
Stimulating Seminars Seminar topics range from crisis management to dealing with online reviews. These are some highlights from the educational conference programme schedule 23 September - 13.45 - 15.15 Fun, Fright and Festivals: How to develop seasonal events to increase attendance and revenues The off-season can be tough, especially in European climates. This seminar, presented by park event managers and show designers, explores how the potential of festivals like Halloween can be harnessed to extend your season and boost business later in the year. This seminar also discusses one-off events such as music concerts, giving guidance on how to develop, market and manage special events.
23 September - 15.30 - 17.00 Branded Goods: Is using intellectual property the right choice for your facility? More and more parks are investing in IP, and it’s often a surefire way to attract new customers and boost profits. But intellectual property rights can be a complex area with potential disadvantages and pitfalls as well as its advantages. The panel here — attraction designers, IP license-holders, park operators, industry consultants — will share their experiences and advice on this popular subject.
24 September - 12.45 - 14.15 Old Wine, New Bottles: What mature attractions can do to renew and refresh their facilities It’s vital in the attractions industry to renew our offerings and tempt customers to return, and perhaps most germane to those more mature attractions. This session will be conducted by a panel of planners, designers, operators and owners who will share a five-point strategy to growing attendance at older attractions, and present case studies to illustrate their insights in practice. top-class talks
23 September - 17.00 - 18.00 CEOs Speak: A quartet of CEOs talks about the industry past, present and future Learning from the experts who possess a wealth of experience can be invaluable, and it’s central to the EAS ethos. Continuing the CEOs Speak series of talks this year, the event has invited four heads of family-oriented amusement parks to share their knowledge and insights with fellow attendees. The panel will be made up of Andreas Anderson of Liseberg Amusement Park, Sweden; Roderick van Zuylen of Duinrell Park, the Netherlands; Mascha van Till of Walibi Holland and Tolga Alisoglu of Vialand, Turkey.
24 September - 8.30 - 9.55 EAS Leadership Breakfast Breakfast features Plopsa Group CEO Steve van den Kerkhof as the keynote speaker. Van den Kerkhof, chairman of the board of Belgian children’s TV company Studio 100, who owns the Plopsa parks, will talk about the relationship between Studio 100 brands and the parks, with the Plopsa sites attracting fans of the studio’s characters and creating further marketing and merchandising opportunities. practical programmes & Fascinating forums
21-23 September Institute for Attractions Management IAAPA’s management development training course is in session at the Heineken Experience, giving mid-career professionals the chance to learn new skills.
24 September - 15.00 - 19.30 Fifth Annual IAAPA Europe Waterpark Forum This forum held at Center Parcs Eemhof involves presentations, a park tour and a briefing on the waterpark industry.
25 September - 9.45 - 15.00 Family Entertainment Centre / Indoor Play Centre Programme Exclusively designed for FECs and indoor play centres, with a series of activities and seminars dedicated to these sectors.
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.
