Festival of Innovation 2025: Key Attractions and Trends
On 15 & 16 January 2025, the Festival of Innovation 2025 launched the new year with an impressive array of speakers discussing thrilling projects and the anticipated landscape of the industry in 2025.
This virtual event united innovators from the global visitor attractions sector to explore the latest projects, products, and organisations propelling the industry forward.
Participants were treated to insights from speakers representing Universal Studios, Merlin Entertainments, The British Museum, Aquascope, MSC Cruises, Lionsgate, Netflix, the International African American Museum, Phantom Peak, and many more.
Additionally, the winners of the 2024 blooloop Innovation Awards, presented in collaboration with Area15, were unveiled during the event.
Festival of Innovation 2025: Day One
Attractions Industry Trends for 2025
As blooloop’s news editor, Bea Mitchell shares around 3000 news stories annually via blooloop.com and our newsletter. Before making her selection for the day, Bea reviews at least five times that many pieces from various sources. None of this content is paid for or attached to advertising.
Rachel Read, co-founder and director of blooloop, has overseen blooloop’s news for the last decade. During this session, they identified five key common trends for the coming year from our news and innovation award entries. This included game IPs, AI and robots, as well as cruises and wellness/transformation.
They also looked further into the future, highlighting emerging trends such as ultra accessibility, sustainability, flying EVs, space, and even pets!
Innovation in the Guest Journey
Led by Mark Locker, founder and CEO of Attractions.io, Jim Denny, VP of digital experience at Six Flags, Tim Morrow, president and CEO at San Antonio Zoo, and Adele Keane, COO and creative director of Imvizar, this Festival of Innovation 2025 session examined trends in the guest journey.
Denny discussed the recent merger between Six Flags and Cedar Fair, focusing on unifying technology to streamline operations. They are also exploring AR and AI for future enhancements.
All speakers emphasised the importance of not using technology for its own sake. Keane stated that Imvizar “uses the world as a playground to tell/show stories.” Locker echoed this sentiment, stressing that technology should be an enabler, and alignment across the organisation is crucial to maintain a positive guest experience.
Morrow provided an example of how technology can engage visitors at the zoo, mentioning an AR app that allows guests to walk alongside the last three white rhinos.
Keane also highlighted the growing interest in personalisation and accessibility, believing that AI will facilitate translation for a more inclusive experience. AR headset technology is expected to improve and gain traction, but guests should have control over their immersion.
Locker noted that AI addresses significant challenges, with the Attractions.io assistant serving as a conversational interface to enhance guest engagement while reducing phone dependency. Denny raised concerns about digital overload, questioning whether excessive phone use detracts from the overall experience. The challenge lies in finding a balance.
Morrow pointed out that guest expectations are rising, with visitors seeking new experiences each time they return. Ninety percent of the zoo’s days feature added events to encourage repeat visits.
Technology should make the guest journey easy. But we still need the personalised touch we have with our guests and the one-on-one conversations they have with volunteers and staff.
Technology can also assist zoos in educating the public about conservation needs. Morrow cited AI-driven data tracking rhinos in Africa as an example.
Locker emphasised the shifting demographics and the challenge of data privacy, noting that trust in how attractions handle data is low, which hinders the adoption of personalised experiences.
Winners of the Guest Journey Innovation Award 2024, Sponsored by Attractions.io
1st Place: RoboGuide – Your Social Interactive Guide Robot by Dyno Robotics AB
2nd Place: LOOP Website Platform for Attractions by Semantic
3rd Place: Giants of the Past by Magic Memories and Plantastia Tropical Zoo
Innovation in Creative Technology
Led by Jon Tozer, vice president of global delivery at Holovis, Pearl Verzosa, executive director of marketing and customer experience at Area15, Matt Usi, technical manager, experiences at Netflix, and Neil Lewin, owner of Semantic, discussed trends in creative technology.
Usi explained how technology is helping to bring Netflix experiences to life in location-based entertainment (LBE), allowing audiences to immerse themselves in worlds they typically only see on screen.
Verzosa noted a trend towards transforming guests from spectators to participants, creating environments where they can enjoy experiences with both familiar and unfamiliar faces.
For Lewin, the website plays a crucial role in the guest experience, helping to narrate the story from the outset. He observed a shift towards personal relationships and diversifying revenue streams.
Tozer cautioned against being driven solely by technology, advocating for its use as a storytelling tool rather than a primary focus.
When asked about guest expectations for high-tech experiences, Verzosa remarked that while guests appreciate technology, they primarily seek engaging experiences. The technology must be seamless, enhancing the overall experience without overshadowing it.
Guests want to be thrilled and experience something that ignites all of their senses and wish fulfilment.
The evolution of technology is essential to maintain novelty for guests, but it is crucial not to overwhelm them with excessive options.
When discussing how to excite guests about an experience, Lewin highlighted that over 90% of guests will visit a website on mobile devices, emphasising the need to create engaging content while preserving surprises for the actual visit.
Winners of the Creative Technology Innovation Awards 2024, Sponsored by Holovis
1st Place: FluidLED – Low Voltage LED Display System for Wet Environments by Octopus Design Studio
2nd Place: Entertainment on the GO by Forward Thinking Designs
3rd Place: Advatek Lighting – PixLite A4-S Mk3
Innovation in Brand Realisation
Anthony Chong, group MD at Kingsmen Xperience, opened the Brand Realisation panel at Festival of Innovation 2025 alongside Jenefer Brown, executive vice president and head of Lionsgate Global Products and Experiences, and Philipp Edelmann, head of attractions at Netflix Experiences.
The panel discussed key trends affecting IP and brand experiences, showcasing recent projects. Chong highlighted Kingsmen’s work on Space Explorers: The Infinite and the Squid Games experience in Seoul. Lionsgate recently launched the John Wick Experience in Vegas and the Paddington Experience in London, with another set to open in Hong Kong next year.
Netflix has developed 170 experiences and will unveil the 100,000-square-foot Netflix House experiences in Dallas and Philadelphia next year.
One significant topic was the necessity of a deep understanding of the brand.
“It’s crucial to understand the core elements of the IP so they can be translated into physical and digital experiences,” said Chong. “It’s about immersing oneself in the core creative pillars of the IP,” added Edelmann. “At Netflix, we have to collaborate closely with our creators and content executives to grasp the essence of the IP, such as the themes of friendship and nostalgia in Stranger Things.”
Experiences must also cater to local audiences. “Understanding how the audience wants to engage with the IP is as vital as remaining true to the brand,” Brown stated. “The design must be broad enough to appeal to both locals and tourists.”
Winners of the Brand Realisation Innovation Awards 2024, Sponsored by Kingsmen Experience Inc.
1st Place: The Messi Experience by Moment Factory and Primo Entertainment
2nd Place: The Paddington Bear Experience by The Path Entertainment Group
3rd Place: The WWE Experience KSA by WWE and TAIT
Innovation in Game On
This Festival of Innovation 2025 session was led by Tom Lionetti-Maguire, founder of Little Lion Entertainment, alongside Jeffrey Godsick, executive vice president of global partnerships at Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Matthew Palmer, chief marketing officer at BRITE Management.
Godsick discussed the growing demand for competitive social interaction.
People are craving the need to experience different things. In general, we see IP of interest across the board globally; we know its value, and it can elevate every part of the guest experience.
Lionetti-Maguire expressed hope that people will continue to seek shared experiences.
He also noted that LBE is attracting nightclub patrons looking for a more wholesome experience that is modern, fun, and shareable.
Palmer remarked that the increasing availability of IP opens new opportunities for operators to reinvent and extend franchises.
The LBE market is filling a gap for mid-priced, fantastic experiences, but there is still much work to be done in integrating social gamification into VR and AR.
Winners of the Game On Innovation Awards 2024, Sponsored by Arcade Arena
1st Place: Space Marine VR – Defenders of Avarax from Zero Latency VR
2nd Place: Nexus by Gel Blaster
3rd Place: Beat the Bomb
Innovation in Exhibits
Led by Judith Zissman, executive creative director at Blue Telescope, Malika Pryor, chief learning and engagement officer at the International African American Museum, and Amanda Mayne, head of partnerships at the British Museum, discussed trends in museums.
Pryor highlighted the significance of place, particularly in the context of the International African American Museum, which is located on a former slave wharf.
The museum’s design serves as a tribute to those who made the arduous journey, emphasising the importance of place in storytelling.
Zissman noted that Blue Telescope’s work focuses on welcoming diverse audiences and telling underrepresented stories in ways that resonate with new visitors.
Pryor mentioned that the IAAM features exhibits that engage in dialogue with one another, including interactive maps that allow visitors to explore different narratives.
It’s exciting to see them go from one space to another…we designed it with the notion they would start with traditional material, a lot of young people zoom straight to the digital, but then find the traditional material.
Mayne agreed on the importance of dialogue in exhibition selection, stating that the British Museum is developing more nuanced exhibitions based on stories.
“The exhibitions we tour are not turnkey; we don’t send the objects and design in a shipping container,” Mayne explained. “It takes longer, but it makes it relevant. We must engage in those conversations to ensure our exhibitions resonate with their audience.”
Pryor added that museums must present content that speaks to the people they aim to attract, while Zissman emphasised the need to shift away from the elite museum model towards more inclusive storytelling.
Winners of the Exhibit Innovation Awards 2024, Sponsored by Blue Telescope
1st Place: Museum of the Future – Journey of the Pioneers by ATELIER BRÜCKNER
2nd Place: Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet by ATELIER BRÜCKNER
3rd Place: The People’s House: A White House Experience by Ralph Appelbaum Associates
Innovation in Thrills
During this Festival of Innovation 2025 session, attendees heard from Lora Sauls, assistant director of creative development at Universal Orlando Resort, and John Burton, senior creative lead at Merlin Entertainments.
Sauls shared her journey from being the “singing and dancing Bride of Frankenstein” to becoming a key figure in Halloween Horror Nights (HHN). Meanwhile, Burton began as a costume character and progressed to senior creative lead.
Universal strives to create new content for HHN each year, listening to fan feedback to refine their offerings.
Merlin targets different demographics with its events, such as Legoland’s Brick or Treat for younger audiences and Fright Nights at Thorpe Park for older guests.
Alton Towers is diversifying its events to appeal to a broader audience, introducing family-friendly attractions alongside traditional scare mazes.
Burton discussed the challenges faced during the design of Hyperia, a new roller coaster, which required innovative solutions due to construction constraints.
We are trying to innovate what we do every year and make it uniquely different, yet still give them the formula that they love. Every year we’re trying to be more immersive, more innovative.
Sauls noted that while HHN has experimented with VR, the human element remains central to the experience.
Finally, the session concluded with a discussion on how technology will shape the future of rides, with Burton advocating for seamless integration of technology into physical spaces.
Winners of the Thrills Innovation Awards 2024
1st Place: Thorpe Park – Hyperia from Merlin Entertainments
2nd Place: Primordial from Triotech
3rd Place: Crown’s Edge, Icon of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International
Innovation in Experiential Technology
Jim Shumway, VP of project delivery at TAIT, Erica McCay, executive creative director at Valtech Themed Entertainment Studio, Rachel Nakamura, product manager, and Felix Erdmann, managing director of BeWunder, discussed experiential technology.
Erdmann noted that exhibitions are becoming increasingly immersive, with a growing demand for interactivity.
McCay emphasised the importance of personalisation, stating that visitors expect to engage deeply with their surroundings.
Nakamura highlighted the trend of integrating experiential technology into retail-themed entertainment.
Shumway stressed the need for individualised experiences in group settings, while cautioning against overly ambitious technology that may alienate less experienced visitors.
In the future, McCay envisions technology becoming more human-centric, leveraging emotional connections to enhance personalisation.
