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Are they wanting to do things differently or asking for different products? CM: I would say there are micro-changes. The relationship between suppliers and operators is returning to the way it used to be. We’re obviously conducting a lot more calls over zoom and Microsoft Teams, but I don’t think they’ll replace face-to-face meetings where you can be creative and brainstorm in a room full of people. Travel and tourism have certainly picked up; I’ve looked at the numbers for tourism in Canada and it’s over 12x more from June 2021 to June 2022, which is tremendous. I don’t see parks and FECs changing or asking for different products in the long-term. In our first discussions following the pandemic, they were adamant they wanted touchless points, etc. but within the last 12-15 months it has not become a priority. Their focus is on products that visitors enjoy and make them want to return.
Currently companies use individual systems for fast Cu ently com
PW: Has anything changed post-pandemic? Is everything back to normal? CM: It’s not completely back to normal. We have the political situation in Eastern Europe and China, labour shortages, supply chain issues and inflation. If you talk to any operator or supplier, they will highlight these issues. In terms of attractions, I don’t think there have been any changes. Guests still want an attraction that is immersive and interactive. They don’t want to be a passive participant; they want to be able to touch and play wherever they can. This generation is used to touch screens the likes of iPhones and iPads so interactivity is in high demand. This demand was present pre-pandemic and it has continued post-pandemic.
PW: More places are going cashless, even in the US where people tend to opt for more secure forms of payment. How do you think this will affect the wider industry? CM: I think the industry is on track to becoming cashless and ticketless. This helps the operator improve the visitor experience. For example, whether it is a mobile phone application or a bracelet, it will know your location in the park and tell you where the queues are, significantly improving the experience.
OCTOBER 2022 s u e individual systems f r fas
passes or queues, for instance, but I think this will become integrated into one single solution.
PW: What is the future of media-based attractions? CM: We see media-based attractions evolving with integration. As I mentioned before, interactivity is our main focal point at the moment. We want to develop better technology to allow the user to interact faster and be more precise. For example, to increase interactivity for the user, the media could be projected on a 3D surface as opposed to just a screen. In this way, the screen, the décor and the theming become one. It’s a seamless integration because the media is not confined to the screen, and users can interact with every part, from the décor to the animatronics. I think the progress will be in how the user interacts and where the media is.
In this way, we’re more involved in the experience, which people want. What we’re seeing currently is people wanting to escape reality. In our industry, we have to make it more real and seamless so the guests feel like they’re in an alternate world. That’s what entertainment is all about; it takes you from your daily life and transports you somewhere else. Whether it’s a live show, video game or attraction, it takes you out of your daily life.
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