EUROPE
Gateway scores attraction contact
GATEWAY Ticketing Systems UK has been contracted by the Houses of Parliament in London to deliver ticketing and sales solutions for commercial tours of the Palace of Westminster, which went live in October. Gateway was selected to provide software to replace the previously
IAAPA calls for EU action
THE International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) has called for EU action to improve the industry’s business environment. During the Euro Attractions Show (EAS) in Amsterdam in September,
IAAPA launched a new manifesto, European Amusement Parks and Attractions: Driving Leisure and Tourism in Europe. The manifesto contains eight challenges for the sector along with solutions that the association believes will help parks and attractions to keep on growing, investing and attracting tourists to the benefit of the European economy. These challenges were laid out to senior members of the European
Parliament - including Andreas Schwab, MEP, Wim van de Camp, MEP and Lambert van Nistelrooij - at a meeting in Brussels on November 4, one day after the new European Commissioner for tourism, Elzbieta Bienkowska, took office. “From a global perspective, international tourism in Europe is falling
behind other destinations,” said Karen Staley, vice-president of IAAPA Europe. “When politicians think leisure and tourism they need to think amusement parks and attractions because our members are attracting record-breaking numbers of visitors and in turn creating jobs and investment for Europe.” According to Staley, amusement parks and attractions deliver nearly 150
million visitors per year which are responsible for around €10bn ($12.5bn) of direct and indirect economic benefit
to Europe. However, IAAPA MM partners with FC Barcelona
Europe believes that this performance could be bettered if the business environment could be improved. “As our sector looks forward to the next five years we see that in several
areas there is still work to be done if our members are to have the best conditions for growth,” Staley said. One of these challenges highlighted by IAAPA is the rate of VAT applied
to amusement parks, which has risen by more than 20 per cent since 2007 (from 12.7 per cent to 15.3 per cent) compared to only an eight per cent increase in the standard rate of VAT.
ETF launches new dark ride
ETF Ride Systems has installed a new ride, Swiss Chocolate Adventure, at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Luzern, Switzerland. Developed in conjunction with the Lindt Chocolate Competence
Foundation, the Swiss Chocolate Adventure allows visitors to learn interesting facts about the discovery, origin, production and transport of chocolate.
The multimedia voyage appeals to
all of the senses. Vehicles follow a wire track that brings them into 10 scenes, during which each different stage of chocolate production is explained. At one point, all of the vehicles on
the track come together in the centre square of the ride, where they start going round and round, like coco beans in a grinder. After this they resume their journey along the scenes and mini theatres.
10 InterPark January–February 2015
NEW Zealand-based photographic solutions company Magic Memories is celebrating the success of a new guest experience developed in partnership with internationally famous and globally recognised Futbol Club Barcelona (FC Barcelona). Magic Memories has worked alongside the football club to create an
entirely new photography guest experience designed to capture the passion of the guests and to accurately record its long and distinguished history for visitors to the Museum and Stadium Tour, Camp Nou or as a supporter on match days. Magic Memories has developed a panoramic souvenir story photo book
to capture the FC Barcelona experience along with a completely new retail model to ensure that guests feel involved and part of the Camp Nou experience. With the 1.6 million guests visiting the FCB Museum and Stadium Tour
each year, the FCB Museum is the world’s most popular and highly visited football museum.
fully managed service. The Gateway solution provides improved upsell and package options, additional sales channels and direct interfaces with tour operators. Access to management information including booking profiles and direct integration to finance systems will improve the visitor experience and day-to-day operations. Additionally, access control software will increase the efficiency of visitor
entry, while the improved sales solutions will enhance the visitor journey. The Houses of Parliament is one of the leading attractions in London
with over one million visitors each year. Ticketed tours of the Houses of Parliament are available on Saturdays throughout the year and on most weekdays during Parliamentary recesses. Visitors now have the choice of a ‘Blue Badge’ guided tour or a self-guided audio tour and highlights include the Queen’s Robing Room, Royal Gallery, Lords Chamber, Central Lobby, Commons Chamber and medieval Westminster Hall.
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