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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 Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 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
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [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 Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 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
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.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
Mexican operator, Solmar Hotels and Resorts, is hosting a series of events in celebration of
Global Wellness Day, including a Temazcal ceremony at its Playa Grande Resort and Spa in Los
Cabos.
Mandarin Oriental has announced a standalone residence brand, Mansions, which will debut at
Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Mansions, Abu Dhabi, in 2029.
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
