Conference Review
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Seminar
Soundbites Conference highlights from DEAL Dubai (WWA Symposium unless stated otherwise)
“Our highest selling retail product is a burkini [all in one swimming costumer covering the
Randy White, White Hutchinson Group, presents at Foundations Entertainment University
resort from Polo Consulting of India. Speaking at the WWA event, Polo’s Balwant Singh Chawla revealed his recipe for success, which involves packing in low paying guests in large numbers. “The West doesn’t see the big market,” he remarked.
New Waterparks By definition, Ice Land’s pricing will not be as competitive as Polo’s Fun ‘n’ Food facilities in India, but it does boast massive capacity, which is why Chawla confidently predicts a maximum waiting time of 15 minutes for any of its attractions. Maybe this will become a new standard for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as, according to WWA vice-chairman Glenn Davidson, that is the target in Abu Dhabi, where Davidson is helping Aldar Properties with its plans for a waterpark at Yas Island, home of Ferrari World. Sharing his experiences from Wahooo! Waterpark
in Bahrain, Damien Latham explained the challenges of developing a water-based attraction on the top of a shopping mall: “If there are any leaks the first person who will come knocking on my door is Debenhams [department store] down below!” Thanks to its “must see” location on The Palm
Jumeirah, Aquaventure at Atlantis has become a popular Dubai attraction since it opened 18 months ago. During his presentation, waterpark manager Scott Deisley gave an honest account of some of the fine tuning he and his team have made along the way. Symposium guests could discover Atlantis first hand during a behind-the-scenes tour that night, followed by a networking dinner.
Networking Events The next day’s seminar programme kicked off with a presentation on leadership by Beth Standlee of Trainertainment, followed by a session on guest service from Shaun McKeogh of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. Shaun’s colleague Wayne Meadows chaired a panel discussion on creating a culture on safety, followed by a closing Q&A with contributions from Wild Wadi’s Chris Perry, Wahooo! Waterpark’s Chris Trickler and Farah Leisure Parks’ (Ferrari World) Victor Pelsmaeker. WWA attendees were then free to pop downstairs
to tour the DEAL show floor, or join optional tours to Sega Republic and Kidzania at the Dubai Mall. Later
JUNE 2010 WWA delegates visit Atlantis 21
WWA delegates go behind-the-scenes at Aquaventure waterpark at Atlantis
that evening, the WWA rounded off proceedings with a tour and get-together at Wild Wadi, networking being an important part of the association’s business. Back at the DWTC, no sooner had the WWA left
the Ras Al Khaimah suite, than Randy White, Frank Seninsky and their colleagues were moving in for the Foundations Entertainment University, the first edition of this FEC-focused conference to be held outside the USA. Over one-and-a-half days, April 25 and 26, delegates attended sessions on ten pin bowling, definitions of location-based entertainment, feasibility and development, training, arcade and redemption games, food & beverage, theming, design and brand development. Foundations has two more, US-based, events
planned for this year including three-day sessions in Chicago (July 13 to 15) and Dallas (September 21 to 23). The World Waterpark Association, meanwhile, will hold its 30th annual Symposium in San Antonio, Texas, from October 6 to 10, including a supporting trade show on October 8 and 9. A third Middle East Symposium is muted for spring 2011, details to be confirmed.
www.waterparks.org www.foundationsuniversity.com
head]” Damien Latham from Wahooo! Waterpark explains how guests protect their modesty in Bahrain
“We opened during Eid and it was like getting smacked in the mouth, we just weren’t ready for it” Scott Deisley from Aquaventure at Atlantis details the pressure of launching a new attraction over a busy holiday period
“We have 460 CCTV cameras. We’ve heard there may now be a shortage of CCTV cameras in the UAE!” Victor Pelsmaeker from Farah Leisure Parks reveals the full extent of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s surveillance technology
“In America people aren’t going to the stores anymore, so entertainment is driving people to the mall. However, we are dealing with a different type of consumer and many of the concepts developed five years ago do not work anymore” Randy White, White Hutchinson Leisure, explains the relationship between entertainment and retail (Foundations University)
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