Lund is the great grandson of Lund Gruppen’s founder / Photo: Lund Gruppen
Norway’s largest theme park, Kongeparken, is investing heavily in solar energy, as it looks to power the park’s operations using more sustainable resources. According to Lund Gruppen owner Håkon Lund, the park plans to source a third of its energy needs from solar power by the end of 2023.
As part of its energy strategy, Kongeparken has installed 1,100 solar panels on its land, which are being used to generate power for the park’s operations, from popcorn stands and concessions to large rides.
The park’s Zierer Wave Swinger carousel, for example, will be operated entirely on solar energy – the first of its kind in the world.
“We’re very excited to unveil our Zierer Wave Swinger, which will operate on 100 per cent solar energy,” Lund said, when they announced the project, adding that the park will also focus on promoting the need for more sustainable energy strategies.
“To raise awareness about the importance of green energy in tourism, Kongeparken will establish an information centre showcasing the industry’s transition towards eco-friendly practices,” he said.
“This initiative will inform and inspire our guests to support sustainable travel.
First opened in 1986, Kongeparken was acquired by the Lund family in 1997. A family attraction targeting children aged three to 12 years, the park has more than 50 rides.
Here we speak to Lund about lobbying government, supporting small businesses, and the unexpected effect the pandemic had on the company’s approach to sustainability.
Why did you decide to invest in solar power? For a long time, electricity has been dirt cheap in Norway. Last year, electricity prices skyrocketed. Instead of waiting to see how this would affect us as a company, we said, Okay, if we’re serious about our environmental footprint, we must also be serious about how we create energy. Even though we already have 100 per cent sustainable energy in Norway (from hydropower), we realised we could increase the production of sustainable energy and help the nation to export more green energy, and that would affect power prices for everyone.
Real estate is a big part of operating a theme park or attraction. We saw that we could activate our real estate in ways we hadn’t done before, utilising spaces that wouldn’t normally be used by putting solar panels on them. We didn’t get any support from the Norwegian government – there were no subsidies whatsoever – but as a family company that’s been in business since 1895, we saw this as a long-term play. We now think our payback time will be around eight to 10 years for the solar panels we’ve installed.
How is your approach to sustainability evolving? I can divide our approach to sustainability into two; before COVID-19 and after COVID-19.
Before the pandemic it was all about recycling and energy consumption. During the pandemic, we came to the realisation that we could dramatically change our carbon footprint and create a win-win situation for us as owners and operators, for our guests and for the environment.
In Scandinavia we have very short seasons – we invest a lot for 100 days of operation. We’ve always worked on extending the season with Christmas and Halloween events, but during the pandemic it became evident that we had guests who wanted to spend longer in the park and experience more as part of their trip.
For us it became a new thing – encouraging guests to stay with us not for one day, but for two or three days. That has been a huge success – feedback has improved immensely and we’ve found that guests are happier staying longer, paying more and experiencing more. It helps reduce our environmental footprint – guests are just making one journey, rather than coming for multiple short trips. Also it really helps us as operators – if guests spend longer with us, it means more optimal and longer use of our venue and all of our infrastructure – restaurants, staff and so on – that would otherwise have been used for just part of the day. That was a real awakening for us.
What changes does the industry need to make? It’s really important for IAAPA and the industry to ensure we’re not just reacting to new regulations, but that we’re at the forefront of change.
A good example is the EU regulation around using disposable cups and containers. That’s a huge challenge for us – attractions companies are big consumers of disposables. As an industry we need to help each other. Instead of scrambling to see what new regulation means, the bigger parks need to take time to publish White Papers with best practices, and we need to work closely with the EU and the UN on our sustainability goals.
Can you tell us about your lobbying work? We’re lobbying the Norwegian government for support on behalf of the tourism industry, particularly for small tourism attractions. Take solar power as an example. In Norway, tourist attractions are in full swing during the summer, at a time when we have sun for 24 hours a day. It’s ironic that these companies have no support or grants for solar power, while farmers do. We’d like that to change.
We’re looking at how we can we support smaller operators to improve their sustainability.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2023 issue 3
Editor's letter: Learning to listen
Young people were involved in every stage of planning for the new Young V&A. Is this the start of a real shift in the way children’s museums are planned?
People: Karin Hindsbo
The head of Scandinavia’s largest museum is set to take over as Tate Modern’s new director. She shares her plans
People: Sean Decatur
It’s a big year for the American Museum of Natural History, as its new president takes over and it launches a major new centre
People: Håkon Lund
As Norway’s largest theme park embraces solar energy, Lund Gruppen’s owner tells us why the industry needs to be at the forefront of change
Interview: Andreas Andersen
As Gothenburg’s Liseberg theme park celebrates its 100th anniversary, its CEO talks celebrations, challenges and COVID-19 with Magali Robathan
Museums: And still we rise
Charleston’s long-awaited International African American Museum opens, reclaiming one of the US’s most painful and sacred spaces. IAAM president Dr Tonya Matthews speaks to Attractions Management about the long road to opening
Aquaria: A fresh start
The team behind New Orleans’ Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium used the COVID-19 pandemic to rethink their offer.
We check out the result, which brings both institutions under the same roof for the first time
Museums: Power of youth
Investing in creative confidence in our young has never been as important as it is now, argues Young V&A director Helen Charman
Science centres: Axel Hüttinger
From the creation of a new science centre in Angola to an indoor/outdoor children’s gallery in Barcelona, Huttinger Interactive Exhibitions is keeping busy
Research: Mixed blessings
Attractions have been helping revitalise shopping centres for many years, but how is this market changing?
Awards: Good lookers
Some of the world’s most beautiful and innovative new museums have been celebrated by Architizer’s A+ Awards. We take a look at the winners
Sponsored: Red Raion
Red Raion has emerged as an industry leader in the realm of digital
attractions, captivating audiences worldwide with its CGI movie
experiences.
Lund is the great grandson of Lund Gruppen’s founder / Photo: Lund Gruppen
Norway’s largest theme park, Kongeparken, is investing heavily in solar energy, as it looks to power the park’s operations using more sustainable resources. According to Lund Gruppen owner Håkon Lund, the park plans to source a third of its energy needs from solar power by the end of 2023.
As part of its energy strategy, Kongeparken has installed 1,100 solar panels on its land, which are being used to generate power for the park’s operations, from popcorn stands and concessions to large rides.
The park’s Zierer Wave Swinger carousel, for example, will be operated entirely on solar energy – the first of its kind in the world.
“We’re very excited to unveil our Zierer Wave Swinger, which will operate on 100 per cent solar energy,” Lund said, when they announced the project, adding that the park will also focus on promoting the need for more sustainable energy strategies.
“To raise awareness about the importance of green energy in tourism, Kongeparken will establish an information centre showcasing the industry’s transition towards eco-friendly practices,” he said.
“This initiative will inform and inspire our guests to support sustainable travel.
First opened in 1986, Kongeparken was acquired by the Lund family in 1997. A family attraction targeting children aged three to 12 years, the park has more than 50 rides.
Here we speak to Lund about lobbying government, supporting small businesses, and the unexpected effect the pandemic had on the company’s approach to sustainability.
Why did you decide to invest in solar power? For a long time, electricity has been dirt cheap in Norway. Last year, electricity prices skyrocketed. Instead of waiting to see how this would affect us as a company, we said, Okay, if we’re serious about our environmental footprint, we must also be serious about how we create energy. Even though we already have 100 per cent sustainable energy in Norway (from hydropower), we realised we could increase the production of sustainable energy and help the nation to export more green energy, and that would affect power prices for everyone.
Real estate is a big part of operating a theme park or attraction. We saw that we could activate our real estate in ways we hadn’t done before, utilising spaces that wouldn’t normally be used by putting solar panels on them. We didn’t get any support from the Norwegian government – there were no subsidies whatsoever – but as a family company that’s been in business since 1895, we saw this as a long-term play. We now think our payback time will be around eight to 10 years for the solar panels we’ve installed.
How is your approach to sustainability evolving? I can divide our approach to sustainability into two; before COVID-19 and after COVID-19.
Before the pandemic it was all about recycling and energy consumption. During the pandemic, we came to the realisation that we could dramatically change our carbon footprint and create a win-win situation for us as owners and operators, for our guests and for the environment.
In Scandinavia we have very short seasons – we invest a lot for 100 days of operation. We’ve always worked on extending the season with Christmas and Halloween events, but during the pandemic it became evident that we had guests who wanted to spend longer in the park and experience more as part of their trip.
For us it became a new thing – encouraging guests to stay with us not for one day, but for two or three days. That has been a huge success – feedback has improved immensely and we’ve found that guests are happier staying longer, paying more and experiencing more. It helps reduce our environmental footprint – guests are just making one journey, rather than coming for multiple short trips. Also it really helps us as operators – if guests spend longer with us, it means more optimal and longer use of our venue and all of our infrastructure – restaurants, staff and so on – that would otherwise have been used for just part of the day. That was a real awakening for us.
What changes does the industry need to make? It’s really important for IAAPA and the industry to ensure we’re not just reacting to new regulations, but that we’re at the forefront of change.
A good example is the EU regulation around using disposable cups and containers. That’s a huge challenge for us – attractions companies are big consumers of disposables. As an industry we need to help each other. Instead of scrambling to see what new regulation means, the bigger parks need to take time to publish White Papers with best practices, and we need to work closely with the EU and the UN on our sustainability goals.
Can you tell us about your lobbying work? We’re lobbying the Norwegian government for support on behalf of the tourism industry, particularly for small tourism attractions. Take solar power as an example. In Norway, tourist attractions are in full swing during the summer, at a time when we have sun for 24 hours a day. It’s ironic that these companies have no support or grants for solar power, while farmers do. We’d like that to change.
We’re looking at how we can we support smaller operators to improve their sustainability.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2023 issue 3
Editor's letter: Learning to listen
Young people were involved in every stage of planning for the new Young V&A. Is this the start of a real shift in the way children’s museums are planned?
People: Karin Hindsbo
The head of Scandinavia’s largest museum is set to take over as Tate Modern’s new director. She shares her plans
People: Sean Decatur
It’s a big year for the American Museum of Natural History, as its new president takes over and it launches a major new centre
People: Håkon Lund
As Norway’s largest theme park embraces solar energy, Lund Gruppen’s owner tells us why the industry needs to be at the forefront of change
Interview: Andreas Andersen
As Gothenburg’s Liseberg theme park celebrates its 100th anniversary, its CEO talks celebrations, challenges and COVID-19 with Magali Robathan
Museums: And still we rise
Charleston’s long-awaited International African American Museum opens, reclaiming one of the US’s most painful and sacred spaces. IAAM president Dr Tonya Matthews speaks to Attractions Management about the long road to opening
Aquaria: A fresh start
The team behind New Orleans’ Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium used the COVID-19 pandemic to rethink their offer.
We check out the result, which brings both institutions under the same roof for the first time
Museums: Power of youth
Investing in creative confidence in our young has never been as important as it is now, argues Young V&A director Helen Charman
Science centres: Axel Hüttinger
From the creation of a new science centre in Angola to an indoor/outdoor children’s gallery in Barcelona, Huttinger Interactive Exhibitions is keeping busy
Research: Mixed blessings
Attractions have been helping revitalise shopping centres for many years, but how is this market changing?
Awards: Good lookers
Some of the world’s most beautiful and innovative new museums have been celebrated by Architizer’s A+ Awards. We take a look at the winners
Sponsored: Red Raion
Red Raion has emerged as an industry leader in the realm of digital
attractions, captivating audiences worldwide with its CGI movie
experiences.
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.
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’
planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–
Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism inv
+ More news
COMPANY PROFILES
Sally Corporation Our services include: Dark ride design & build; Redevelopment of existing attractions; High-quality [more...]
TechnoAlpin Indoor TechnoAlpin is the world leader for snowmaking systems. With the Indoor snow division, TechnoAlpin c [more...]
IDEATTACK IDEATTACK is a full-service planning and
design company with headquarters in
Los Angeles. [more...]
DJW David & Lynn Willrich started the Company
over thirty years ago, from the Audio Visual
Department [more...]
