Thinking
about the Guest Experience for
large-scale property design is an alien concept for most developers. Whether
these projects are resorts, mixed-use developments or urban planned
communities, they each pose their own unique challenges in creating an ideal
experience for all patrons. It isn’t
easy to think “outside the box” and grasp the value of ITEC Entertainment’s
approach to a project, which focuses on developing a storyline and narrative
for a property that resonates with a guest emotionally. However, more developers around the world are
beginning to recognize that a great experience can mean even greater returns.
Humans are a
storytelling species, and we often connect with storytelling on a subconscious
level. When a story feels right, even if one is ‘suspending disbelief,’ that
connection can form an emotional bond which translates into higher revenue for
projects, as well as more frequent visitation and incredible social media
interaction with potential global impact.
To
understand the importance of story and how it impacts the value people place on
experiences, consider these two examples:
● Celebration, Florida: A planned community by Disney that
was literally constructed from
nothing, to create an American hometown that truly only existed in the
imagination. Opening sales were
oversubscribed, visitors had hours-long traffic to contend with when it first
was opened to the public and prices were (and still remain) at a premium over
comparable homes in the area.
● Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean”: This
classic attraction is beloved by many for over 50 years and counting. Yet, virtually no one that has ridden it knows the story
being told (prior to the recent movie tie-in revisions). We just “get
it”. On an instinctive or subconscious
level, each scene and vignette works in service of the story, even though guests don’t specifically know why. This is a direct result of the purposeful
development of a detailed, layered, and broadly-appealing story enhanced by a
flawless execution. As a result, guests are enthralled and develop an emotional attachment
with the ride experience - and by extension with Disney as a whole.
Imagine the potential of a resort, a mixed-use development,
or even a city that’s developed around a fully-realized story and theme that
just “feels right”. The opportunity then
exists to integrate design in the architecture, environment, and the entire
organization of a site, to seamlessly support this narrative. Developers could construct amenities or
activities in a resort that “work together perfectly for some reason” because
the story underpinning the project allows for them to form a unique connection
between the project and the guest. This makes the Guest Experience more meaningful, less repeatable by competitors,
and therefore more valuable.
That reality
isn’t far off. ITEC Entertainment is
currently working on several projects in Asia, Latin America and North America
where developers recognize the value of incorporating a memorable Guest Experience into the core DNA of
their projects. By building the project
around the story, we can create something fundamentally unique and much less
vulnerable to competition. Enhancing the
value of a guest’s experience translates into loyalty, a perception of
increased value, and a marketable differentiator that can further expose the
project to millions of people through online and social media.
Invest in the Guest
Experience and create that emotional bond.
It will resonate with customers like dropping a pebble in a pond,
radiating out beyond the limits of the specific visitors, beyond the time they
are at the site, and develop a valuable brand identity with incredible
potential to enhance the bottom line.
