The expo is on target for its esti- mated audience of two million people during its six months
ABOUT FLORIADE 2012
Floriade from an old fashioned show into something more compelling and theatrical, which would inspire people and get them involved. We wanted to make it interactive rather than just showing them things. The stakeholders’ priority was to create a
better impression of horticulture in Holland and the region and to ensure the main sponsors should benefi t from the expo. That’s logical, these are the underlying fac- tors, but our main focus is the guest. The story strategy we developed for Floriade is to give visitors the feeling that they are the stars in the theatre of nature. They become the main players in a drama about the planet and get closer to the quality of life.
HOW DID YOU TELL THAT STORY? Normally when you do theme work, you take people by the hand and lead them on a personal journey through the story. Floriade’s storyline is about the beauty
of life and nature, but we couldn’t present it in the same way at the expo as we would in a theme park. Instead we’ve created more of a themed statement about how horticulture plays a role in all of our lives and how it can lead to dramatic changes in the earth’s sustainability.
AM 3 2012 ©cybertrek 2012
(Above) fun is a big factor; (right) the site will become a business park when the expo ends
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CHALLENGES? The diffi culty with planning an expo six years in advance is that you don’t know who the participants will be and what they’ll bring. We had to develop an open space that’s fl exible, will be attractive to visitors and fi ts in with the theme – without knowing what’s going to be in that open space. That’s quite a challenge. Beck is a person with extraordinary vision. He was adamant that every partici- pant fi tted in with the theme. Of course they want to do their own thing, but overall it’s better if everyone focuses in a certain direction. Floriade is the theatre of nature – that’s part of the statement we developed – and the pavilion owners have had to fi t in with that, which they’ve done. Another challenge was dealing with dif-
ferent stakeholders. The main one is the Dutch Horticultural Organisation, which organised the expo. Then there are the local authorities that are spending money
Floriade World Horticulture Expo is an international exhibition of fl owers and gardening that’s held every 10 years in the Netherlands. Spanning 35 hectares (86.5 acres) and featuring gardens, national pavilions, educational attractions and a theatre, Floriade 2012 runs from April to October. On the 6th July, exactly halfway through its run, 1,174,623 tickets had been sold, putting the expo on target for its estimated audience of two million people during its six months. The fi ve zones are: Environment – experience how horticulture can improve daily life; Green Engine – industry meets nature; Relax & Heal – horticulture is revealed as a healing force; Education & Innovation – learn about the future; and World Show Stage – a showcase of several international pavilions, focusing on folk stories and culture.
on this, and hope to benefi t from it, and also the participants. So, we had three different stakeholders, who aren’t used to developing this kind of visitor attraction. Our challenge was to get them all
thinking in a new way, which wasn’t easy. Floriade 2012 is far more story-led than any of the previous expos for this reason. ●
Read Attractions Management online
attractionsmanagement.com/digital 45
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