The Benefits of Planning for Long-Term Development During a Period of Crisis

As we saw in the first two blogs in our series on the reopening of leisure experiences, bringing back a sense of normalcy to the leisure sector requires an initial focus on safe, secure operations.

However, that must also be balanced with the introduction of innovative new experiences to ensure a positive guest experience that meets the increasing expectations of technology-native and digitally savvy visitors.

With those strong foundations in place, operators must then look to the future by planning for the long-term development and evolution of their facilities.

In part, that requires reimagining the theme parks, visitor centers and museums of the future to take advantage of exciting emerging technologies.

It also requires a new, collaborative approach that brings together the experience and skills of architects, designers, experience technology specialists and content providers to push the boundaries of technology and unleash the power of human experience.

Reimagining the Leisure Facility

Long-term plans for the leisure sector must take the “new normal” into account. Although the hope and expectation is that the pandemic will eventually disappear, the timeline could be longer than expected, and there is no guarantee a similar event won’t happen in the future.

So, the first step is to learn from this crisis and to be fully prepared by planning facilities that are designed to support social distancing in a safe environment if needed. That way, operators can be ready to react quickly to any new public health guidelines.

Any new facilities must put visitors at the heart of the experience. How can we make the experience more immersive so that we fully engage visitors? How can we create experiences that offer visitors multiple options so that they want to return to try new aspects of an experience?

Finally, how can we meet the changing expectations of younger – and older – visitors who have expanded their digital horizons during lockdown? Virtual tours of great museums, virtual reality experiences, virtual meetings and more have all become familiar during this unprecedented period.

We have to reimagine a next-generation leisure facility that goes beyond the familiar and helps craft the extraordinary.

Look Beyond the Horizon

“Blue-sky thinking” is essential at this stage. Forget today’s reality; emerging technologies are loaded with the potential to transform leisure facilities. Where can your rides take visitors? What can your museum bring to visitors beyond physical exhibits?

How can you make use of technologies like dome projection, projection mapping, virtual reality and touchless audiovisual solutions to deliver elevated engagement? Even more exciting is the blurring of boundaries between audiovisual and other technologies.

A wider AV ecosystem is already emerging, and the potential to integrate new technologies and innovative ways of thinking with traditional systems and processes grows nearly every day. New initiatives are pushing the boundaries of experience technology and breaking down barriers between disciplines.

This is helping blur the boundaries of AV technology and create an exciting new landscape that will enable operators to develop solutions that enhance the customer experience even further.

Collaborate for Success

While “blue-sky thinking” helps operators map out a clear vision for the future, it takes experience and skills across many disciplines to turn vision to practical reality. Collaboration will be essential at every stage.

It’s not just a matter of bolting new technology onto existing facilities. A successful transformation begins much earlier. Early-stage collaboration between operators, architects, designers, content providers and experience technology consultants ensures an integrated approach from the start.

And, a process like Electrosonic’s Technology Master Planning provides a framework that allows everyone in the wider ecosystem to share information and progress the project in a way that is consistent with the original vision.

When the project moves into the later stages of detailed design, engineering, integration and support, operators can confidently expect a seamless transition to a practical, efficient solution that delivers true value.

Looking Ahead with Electrosonic

Adopting innovative technologies will be key to creating a safe, positive guest experience in the post-lockdown leisure facility.

Electrosonic can help, drawing on 55+ years of experience in creating great experiences and a depth of expertise in these innovative technologies. Our Technology Master Planning process can help develop and deliver the optimum solution for your leisure facility, helping you rebuild an exciting, safe and profitable business.

To get started, contact Electrosonic today.