‘We’re an antidote’: Boss of Legoland owner on the thrill of theme parks in a world of technology | Theme parks

ARedical Intelligence is in the process of developing business models of companies around the world, but when it comes to a global theme park of $ 100 billion (£ 73 billion), the excitement of “Big Metal” Rollercoasters is still the biggest draw.

Fiona Eastwood, the boss of Merlin Entertainments, the second largest operator of the industry, says that in a world dominated by wars during the screen time, it is ı real life experiences that provide phones and digital technology panidships ”.

“Tech absolutely has a role, but you cannot overcome the real experience of height, speed, large metal and this real life experience – because if you are not careful, technology can be everywhere.”

Eastwood, which has 130 attraction centers in 22 countries, includes about a dozen Legoland, Thorpe Park and Alton Towers, and recalls to leave the virtual reality headphones on the Galactica journey in Alton Towers after the TEMA Park goers have not experienced experience.

“What we discover is that people’s getting away from being together may have been at home, they feel on their own, or he says. “Of course, technology has a role, but this role is not only for cheating. [life] The experience we deliver. “

Eastwood, a member of the Board of Directors of the Industrial Organ Ukorpitality, joined Merlin ten years ago and became a temporary general manager in November, and then starred in February.

Before Merlin, Eastwood spent 18 years in marketing at BBC, then moved to the company’s commercial branch, BBC Studios, where he had responsibility for Doctor Who Franchise.

Competition in the UK and the European Theme Park sector, Hollywood Studio and theme Park Giant Universal, the US parent company Companal, is building a theme park in Bedford in 2031.

The park, which promises a high 115 -meter role in Europe, received significant support from the government to initiate economic growth by Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

At the end of last month, some of the support of the project for the project, some of the 500 million pounds to be built in a new train station, the railway and road infrastructure appeared to include public investment.

Eastwood welcomes competition, but says that any “special treatment için for other park operators should be taken into consideration for universal.

“A great opportunity for the general market, or he says. “I am a big fan of a rising tide lifts all boats’.

“Planning permission in the UK is not easy. Therefore, if any universal treatment is given, we must make sure that this special treatment is given to the whole sector.”

Eastwood accelerated the changes in Merlin, and the expanding global work aimed to simplify as a single company to operate more.

“Merlin has grown as separate sites operating independently for many years, or he says. “The big change in our operating model was to be a company.

This weekend, Merlin’s latest attraction center, Legoland Shanghai, is in the world’s second largest theme park market.

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Eastwood says, “It is very important to us, many years have passed in production,” Eastwood says. Bir It will be the world’s largest park in the opening, a big moment. A real fusion of the East and West. We will have 75 driving, a lot [interactive experiences]And at the gate of 55 million people living in a two -hour drive. “

In addition to LEGOLAND STAPLES, such as Castle and Dragon Coaster, it has a more special attraction centers for local and regional tourists. These are a boat experience based on real world trips from Yangtze Lower Delta’s water towns and a Lego Monkie Kidride, inspired by the King of the Monkey and the Western Journey.

LEGO is a consortium managed by the family who controls the block -making empire, and is a consortium in cities, including Madame Tussauds, Sea Life and London.

Merlin – rivals such as Disney and Universal – make consumers more and more selective about what they will spend their income as they continue to reach their household budgets.

Last month, Merlin, the number of visitors rose to 63 million last year, while revenues decreased by 3.2% and generally reported that the enterprise reported 492 million pounds before tax. This watched a loss of 214 million pounds in 2023.

Most of the losses in the last two years can be attributed to the fees of non -cash value of approximately 600 million pounds at the value assigned to some attraction centers, which is re -evaluating the difficult trade conditions and the growth rate of new parks.

Legoland parks in New York and Korea have been written in the last two years, while the 20 Madame Tussauds Waxworks site were accused of a £ 163 million in vulnerability last year.

Merlin, where the corrected profits fell 15% last year, responded by increasing the marketing budget from £ 10 million to £ 100 million and increasing increasing promotions and discounts.

The company also hired Craig Inglis, who made Christmas ads a cultural phenomenon during his time at John Lewis, and Tui’s global brand and content director Toby Horry and supported the marketing firepower.

When the war reaches the fire field for the attention of consumers in the digital age, Merlin is a madness to secure intellectual property crown jewels to exploit in the world parks.

The global game of Microsoft’s global game Franchise Minecraft and recently a global game of $ 110 million Hollywood Franchise Jumanji, a $ 110 million agreement with Microsoft’s franchise, made agreements with Sony’s right holders. US media company PAW Paramount for Patrol.

I can say that our biggest opponent is entertainment at home, or that there are more and more bedrooms where children can access games and internet, East Eastwood says. “What is in our favor is when you look at all the research, more and more parents of children from six to 12 years of age see the house as a battlefield.

“They are trying to remove their children off the screens. We know which parents have the opportunity to be together and experience a world outside the home. We are almost a antidote to telephone and digital technology. This escape we delivered.”