Editor’s letter:Here comes China As China opens up to the West, the nation’s attractions are
booming, with existing attractions reporting record attendances and
new museums, theme parks and science centres planned
Visitor Attractions News:Obama pushes US US President Barack Obama is aiming
to draw an additional 30 million tourists
to the country each year by promoting
national visitor attractions
Science Centres News:Abu Dhabi centre aims to inspire Plans for a new science
centre in Abu Dhabi
have been revealed by
the country’s Technology
Development Committee
(TDC), offering more than
200 interactive exhibits as
part of a campaign to get
more young children interested
in science
Zoos & Aquariums News:Zurich Zoo’s elephant ‘aquarium’ Visitors to Switzerland’s
Zurich Zoo can now get up
close and personal with the
park’s six Indian elephants
following the opening of the
$63.3m (£37.8m, €46.7m)
Kaeng Krachan elephant
park, which welcomed its
first guests on 8 June
Heritage News:Star Wars flies into Ireland heritage row UNESCO has voiced concerns
about whether appropriate authorisation
was granted for the use of
World Heritage site Skellig
Michael as a film set for
the latest instalment in the
Star Wars franchise
Teamworking:The Art of Collaboration Merlin’s Mark Fisher talks about working
with Hollywood studio DreamWorks on
the upcoming Shrek-themed midways,
how to spot a winning IP and the
importance of creative collaboration
Talking Point:Whose Museum Is It Anyway? Five experts debate how museums
can tackle the controversial issue
of balancing the needs of the visitor
with their curatorial responsibilities
Analysis:TEA/AECOM Enduring Appeal Theme park attendance for 2013
reached an all-time high, and museums
worldwide performed well. AECOM’s
economics experts crunch the numbers
Theme Parks:Oceans of Fun Chimelong International Ocean Resort
is a big development on a small island.
Will its proximity to the gambling haven
of Macau be a help or a hindrance?
Museums:Virtual Visits Europe’s biggest museum conference
looks at how technology and the digital
revolution can enhance the attraction. We
report from the event in Newcastle, UK
Technology:Face Reality As Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg buys
Oculus VR and its Rift device, we look at
how far VR has come, and ask whether
it has a place in the attractions industry
Profile:Sarah Maltby As Jorvik turns 30, director Sarah
Maltby talks about keeping archaeology
at the heart of what the Viking centre
does, and moving with the times
Storytelling:Inside Story Abu Dhabi’s Yas Waterworld draws on
the local culture to create a narrative
journey for its visitors. Atkins Global
tells us about an innovative approach