This issue, we reveal the latest updates from two dynamic and innovative organisations – Therme Group and the Eden Project.
Both have incubated groundbreaking, concepts and are now in the thick of global rollouts, both spoke to Attractions Management from COP26 in Glasgow and both are focused on creating a sustainable future for people and planet.
Therme Group has the potential to be a category killer and disruptor across multiple sectors, blurring the boundaries between attractions, wellness, hospitality, fitness and art – via Therme Art – creating new synergies between them.
Starting out as a thermal spa operator in Germany before diversifying, the company is building vast ecologically-based properties globally, with new developments underway in Canada and the UK, as well as plans outlined for additional facilities across the US, Asia and Europe.
Therme Group’s philosophy is that environmentalism must be the bedrock of any business and that wellbeing is about fun, culture and socialising, as much as it is about waterpark thrills, massages and steamrooms – its new carbon positive resorts will feature waterslides and wave pools, thermal spas, immersive art installations, vertical farms, sustainable food offerings and innovative technology.
The way Therme is straddling sectors, coupled with its scale – locations will welcome 7k people a day – makes it a company to watch, as the boundaries between markets continue to blur.
The Eden Project is also going global, building on the success of the original UK attraction to reach a wider audience, with the message that individuals and governments must act now to protect the future of the planet.
In addition to its work on geothermal power, Eden has seven locations underway globally, partnering with ‘like-minded organisations’ and CEO, David Harland, told Attractions Management it’s vital they’re built and operated in line with the Eden ethos. “You have to work with people, rather than just criticise from the outside,” he says.
The way Eden’s powerful environmental message is resonating with consumers, 20+ years since it was founded, shows how environmentalism is hitting the mainstream, while its growth illustrates how sustainability contributes to commercial success by reducing costs – something all attractions can work towards.
