Secrets of the visitor attraction world: how to use culture & leisure to lenghten stay and increase spending ?

Shopping centers and visitor attractions may seem worlds apart, but they share many of the same goals.  Both want to get as many visitors as possible, and keep them as long as possible, while they spend as much as possible.  Over the years, visitor attraction companies have developed many tools to increase length of stay and spending per visitor. Now, they will share some of those secrets with you!

Moderator: John Sullivan- head of Consulting, Dcinex UK Ltd (UK)

Speakers:  Fatima Ouali- International Project manager, Universcience (France)

Jan Reuvers- Leisure parks project Director, Compagnie des Alpes Management
(The Netherlands)

John Sullivan’s key thoughts:

• Established market for Cinema Industry : North America, Europe, Australie
• New markets: South America, China, Far East, Middle East, Africa
• Convenient experience vs aspirational experience: Now, cinemas are a veritable theme park.  New cinema needs interior design, technology, and a high visual experience

Fatima Ouali said there were 2 key recipes for success:

• recipe 1 : there is always something going on – each individual depending on his profile has a dedicated activity or program.
• recipe 2 : every centre needs a special area for children – a concept where we qualify education with a motive: “ Having fun, share and learn about science”
• Cooking recipe 3 : A shopping mall in a museum, as in Vill’Up project. Culture and shopping is becoming more and more the trend

 Jan Reuvers key findings:

• Why is there a marriage between shopping and leisure? Answer : each activity benefits from the other in terms of traffic, it allows to reinforce each other’s value –  exploiting the same target group of families with young kids, it provides a fun entertainment center for the non-shopper
• Question: What are the concerns for an indoor concept located around a retail area or in a mall? Answer: A Large part of consumers come for shopping not for indoor park, the time spent is limited to 3-4 hours.
• Question: What are the key success factors for an indoor concept? Answer : you need to do a survey about the good client’s target group, choose the right positioning, build an adapted and consistent park content (around a local story) with a high level of innovation. Create events to attract visitors and provide flexible and clever pricing strategy.

Johanna Berebi est jeune diplomée d’un Master 1 de Gestion de l’Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne et aussi du Diplôme Universitaire Mobilité Internationale et Professionnelle de Paris 1. Elle est actuellement dans la formation du Master 2 GESIIC avec l’intérêt dans la promotion immobilière.

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