Ahead of greenloop 2024, blooloop’s annual conference focusing on sustainability in visitor attractions, we take a look at some of the top trends to watch in the industry. From encouraging climate action to investing in renewable energy, LBE operators and industry leaders are putting in place many plans and ideas to provide a greener experience.
Some of our key sustainability trends for this year carry over from last year’s predictions and greenloop 23. For instance, measuring Scope 3 emissions, electric transport and green F&B. Read on to find out what we predict will be significant in the year ahead.
The big picture
The World Meteorological Association confirmed in January that 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the 2023 annual average global temperature at 1.45 ± 0.12 °C above pre-industrial levels.
UN Secretary-General, António GuterresHumanity’s actions are scorching the earth. 2023 was a mere preview of the catastrophic future that awaits if we don’t act now. We must respond to record-breaking temperature rises with path-breaking action.
In general, so far, we have seen climate action being led by zoos and aquariums, and organisations subject to regulatory requirements, e.g. listed companies and European entities. Museums (with the exception of Arts Council England and GCC members) have largely been relatively slow to act, whether due to the political environment in the US, funding shortages or a lack of scientific representation in cultural leadership. Very few suppliers have begun to measure and reduce their carbon footprints.
To date there has been limited active pressure from consumers for visitor attractions to be more sustainable. However, as the public sees the effects of the climate crisis become more apparent and as regulatory frameworks tighten, the need for all visitor attractions and their suppliers to consider sustainability will become more pressing.
Join us at greenloop!
Join us at greenloop 2024 to find out more. greenloop is the ground-breaking sustainability conference from blooloop sharing learning across sectors to accelerate climate action.
This year’s event takes place on 30 April, and recordings will be available on demand for 30 days. The online conference brings together leaders from across the attractions business, including Disney, Merlin, Therme Group, The Red Sea Group, English Heritage, Reverse the Red, top climate scientists, and more.
1. Biodiversity projects
Tackling biodiversity loss, defined as the decline or disappearance of biological diversity, is a crucial sustainability trend for 2024. The Eden Project, for example, has set up a new company called the Wildflower Bank in response to the UK’s biodiversity crisis. The group aims to create wildflower-rich grassland habitats across the country.
Eden’s development director, Dan James, explains:
“We know that the nature crisis is at the heart of the planetary emergency. If we cannot increase the level of biodiversity of our landscapes and support nature recovery, we will not be able to reverse the impact of climate change. As one of the UK’s leading environmental charities, it is important that the Eden Project leads the way in supporting habitat creation and restoration.”
The Eden Project’s biodiversity initiatives include a ‘buzz stops’ network to bring wildlife to bus stops and tackle habitat loss. The group also plans to increase biodiversity within Canary Wharf in London with parks, gardens and more. Elsewhere, the Natural History Museum is changing its gardens into an accessible green space and biodiversity hub.
Regenerative tourism
Red Sea Global is the company behind two of the world’s most regenerative tourism projects. It aims to plant 50 million mangrove trees by 2030. John Pagano, group CEO at Red Sea Global, said:
“We hold the utmost respect for the environment in which we operate and recognize it as our most valuable asset. It is our shared obligation to not only safeguard it, but also proactively enhance it wherever possible.
“While we will continue to explore novel approaches, embrace cutting-edge methodologies, and utilize innovative technology, often nature already provides the greatest solutions. The power of mangrove forests to store carbon, to manage flooding and stabilize coastlines, and to provide shelter for fish and other organisms, makes them one of nature’s super ecosystems.
“Our mangrove nursery will increase numbers of mangroves and boost biodiversity, ensuring we reach the environmental ambitions we have set ourselves.”
Biodiversity is also a pillar of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust‘s green strategy. Andrew Anderson, the trust’s environmental health and safety officer, told us:
“We have lots of plans to deal with biodiversity, mostly to do with our gardens. We are currently monitoring, to try and discover exactly what we’ve got.”
Reverse the Red has been set up to strategically coordinate conservation efforts. This global movement “ignites strategic cooperation and action to ensure the survival of wild species and ecosystems. Data-driven and collaborative, we provide the tools and partnerships to unite stakeholders and catalyze conservation impact.”
Michael Clifford, strategy director at Reverse The Red, will be speaking at greenloop 24. This session is a MUST for every organisation in any sector with biodiversity goals.
2. Tech for good
Tech for good, or tech for a better world, is best described as an organisation or company using technology to address social or environmental issues. This sustainability trend for 2024 is in evidence at the UK’s Blenheim Palace, which is testing a robot dog monitoring the impact of climate change. The robot dog was designed by Oxford University’s Robotics Institute and is gathering data about the health and biodiversity of Blenheim Palace’s estate.
“As we face up to the challenges of climate change it is essential that we protect the estate’s unique natural heritage,” said David Green, Blenheim’s head of innovation. “By monitoring its ecosystem we can accurately track changes and help to mitigate them.”
In Saudi Arabia, Red Sea Global has revealed a state-of-the-art robot to clean its beaches. The bot can clean 3,000 square metres in just one hour. Red Sea Global said the machine “efficiently sifts and collects plastic waste and debris, identifying items as small as one square centimetre”.
Pagano told us in a previous interview:
“One of my favourite sayings is that we’re inspired by nature, but we’re led by science. We came to the conclusion very early on that sustainability is no longer enough. Sustainability is by definition maintaining the status quo, and that’s great to a point. But we’re past the point of just maintaining the status quo. The world is on a terrible trajectory. As humanity, we need to start doing things that actually seek to undo the damage.”
Raising awareness through technology
Another sustainability trend we’re seeing continue in 2024 is attractions using technology to raise awareness around issues such as conservation. Twycross Zoo, for example, opened a new exhibition featuring holograms of critically endangered animals. Richard Sands, the zoo’s conservation education manager, said:
“We are in the midst of a mass extinction crisis, with one million plant and animal species at risk right now. This project is a fantastic way to raise our visitors’ awareness of two iconic species, in a cool and futuristic new way.”
With AI applications seeming to be taking off exponentially, we expect to see conflicts and trade-offs in the near future as the benefits from increased analytical capabilities vie against exponential energy use, rare earth metal demand and competition for water at data server sites. Watch this space.
3. Inspiring climate action
Visitor attractions can also help bring about a greener future by inspiring guests to take action to combat climate change. For example, the environmental art exhibit Arcadia Earth highlights global challenges like overfishing, plastic waste, and biodiversity loss.
“From the moment you step into an Arcadia Earth experience, your relationship with our planet changes,” said Craig Perlmutter, president of Arcadia Earth in Toronto. “Our aim is to ignite a passion to learn more, drive tangible lifestyle changes and activate visitors to understand the positive impact they can have on the world around us.”
Another example of this 2024 sustainability trend is at the Natural History Museum. The museum offers events like Generation Hope to inspire positive change.
“The Natural History Museum’s mission is to create advocates that are able to comprehend, connect with and communicate about the state of our world today, and to make wise decisions that can help to drive positive change for the planet’s future,” said Doug Gurr, the museum’s director.
Last year, New York’s Climate Museum opened a new exhibition looking at the fossil fuel industry and encouraging guests to take climate action. “This exhibition explores how the fossil fuel industry manages to keep making a killing off of killing us, and what we can do about it,” said Miranda Massie, founder and director of the museum.
However, museums that are not also taking action to consider their own sustainability are likely to face a credibility crisis. Join us at greenloop 24 to hear Nick Merriman, CE of English Heritage discuss Museums and the Climate Crisis with Sarah Sutton, CEO of Environment & Culture Partners (ECP). Merriman’s excellent book on the topic can be found here.
4. Eco-tourism experiences
The Eden Project is a pioneer in the world of eco-tourism, or responsible travel. It opened its iconic biomes in a disused Cornish clay pit in 2001. Now, it is one of the most visited attractions in the UK.
Eden Project International was first established in 2014 and is spreading the green concept worldwide. New Eden sites are coming to South America and Central America, as well as China, Australia, and New Zealand. Meanwhile, in the UK, projects are underway in Lancashire, Dorset, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.
The new Eden destinations focus on the individual challenges that affect each location, such as water, food, biodiversity, or soil.
“Our mission is about connecting people with nature and with each other,” Charles Sainsbury, energy and sustainability manager at the Eden Project, told guests at greenloop 2023.
Saudi Arabian giga-projects like Neom and the Red Sea are evidence of this 2024 sustainability trend. Highlights at Neom include a zero-carbon city with “vertically layered” buildings called The Line. There is also Zardun, a luxury eco-tourism resort designed “to redefine luxury within an environmental context”. Zardun will feature native plants and animals. Guests will enjoy educational programmes on nature protection, conservation and rewilding.
As mentioned above, the Red Sea is a regenerative tourism development in the kingdom, built around nature and the environment. It houses the world’s fourth-largest barrier reef system. It is also home to over 90 uninhabited islands and beautiful beaches, as well as dormant volcanoes, vast sand dunes, mountain canyons, and historical cultural monuments. Renewable energy will power the Red Sea in its entirety.
Nature-inspired experiences
Elsewhere, a nature-inspired theme park will be coming to Okinawa, Japan. It will centre around the UNESCO World Nature Heritage registered ‘Yambaru’ subtropical forest region of Okinawa Prefecture.
Back in the UK, an eco-glamping resort with an AR gaming experience is coming to Scotland. At Mythtopia, guests will find themselves immersed in a world of Celtic mythology in the heart of a Scottish wood. Activities on offer will include yoga, gazing at the stars, and lake swimming.
“Something like this has never really been done before – and by blending together eco-tourism, gaming and the cryptosphere, we’re hoping to create a new era for travel and tourism,” said Mythtopia founder Oliver Pyle-Santini (via Edinburgh Live).
“We have been very careful to maintain the cultural heritage of the land the site sits on, by entwining Celtic stories into the experience for all ages to enjoy.”
5. Renewable energy
Renewable energy is an obvious sustainability trend, and many operators are continuing to bring it in in 2024. In recent months, we’ve seen many solar developments and a geothermal heating system at the Eden Project. This is said to be the UK’s first working deep geothermal project to come online in 37 years. Eden describes it as “a landmark moment for renewable energy.” The system was created to heat the Eden Project’s biomes as well as a new nursery.
Richard Day, chairman of Eden Geothermal Ltd, said:
“Geothermal offers a real opportunity for the oil and gas industry to transform itself and become part of the solution.”
Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project, added:
“Geothermal is the sleeping giant of renewables: lying not under our noses, but literally under our feet. The Netherlands’ geothermal industry started with heating for greenhouses – and they are now aiming for it to contribute to a quarter of all their heating by 2050.”
Solar is also a big part of this sustainability trend for 2024. Theme parks investing in solar power include Efteling in the Netherlands, PortAventura World in Spain, SeaWorld San Antonio, and Six Flags Magic Mountain.
Solar power
At Disneyland Paris, Europe’s largest solar canopy plant will soon be complete. It will cover 11,200 parking spaces and produce 36 GWh/year. This is the same as the annual energy needs of a town of 17,400 people. Disneyland Paris also uses geothermal energy to cover 18 percent of its yearly needs.
“As the top tourist destination in Europe, we have a responsibility to continue to operate and grow our business in a way that will allow us to deliver a positive environmental legacy for future generations,” said Natacha Rafalski, Disneyland Paris’ president.
“From our day-to-day operations to the implementation of new and ambitious projects – such as the installation of a solar canopy plant on our guest parking lot – we are more than ever adopting a deliberate approach to effectively mitigate our environmental footprint.”
One of the most interesting solar projects of late is at Pompeii’s House of the Vettii. The site has added ‘invisible’ solar panels that look like Roman roof tiles. “They look exactly like the terracotta tiles used by the Romans, but they produce the electricity that we need to light the frescoes,” said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of the archaeological park of Pompeii (via the Art Newspaper).
The innovative solar panels are the creation of the Italian company Dyaqua. They can be designed to look like wood, concrete, stone or brick. “Pompeii is an ancient city which in some spots is fully preserved,” Zuchtriegel added. “Since we needed an extensive lighting system, we could either keep consuming energy, leaving poles and cables around and disfiguring the landscape, or choose to respect it and save millions of euros.”
6. Scope 3 emissions
This is a growing sustainability trend in the attractions industry and one to watch in 2024. Many businesses, including Disney, are now considering their Scope 3 emissions. Regulatory requirements are tightening in Europe so expect to see more companies reporting. In addition, in order to report on Scope 3, operators will need to know their supplier’s emissions!
Scope 1 emissions are the greenhouse gas emissions that a company makes directly, such as those it makes while running its boilers and vehicles. Scope 2 are those that are made indirectly, like the electricity or energy a company buys to heat its building. Finally, Scope 3 includes all the emissions associated with the company up and down its supply chain.
“As we’re exploring our Scope 3, we’re finding that many operators are also taking on the same challenge,” said Walt Disney Imagineering’s design studio executive, Emily Dow.
“So I really hope we can work together to push the industry to really look at Scope 3 emissions. I hope we can encourage the manufacturers and suppliers to provide greener alternatives. I also hope we can encourage our government partners and our regional agencies to invest in sustainable infrastructure projects.”
Reducing emissions
Spain’s PortAventura World is also working with its suppliers to measure and reduce the carbon in purchased goods and services.
“Through the years, we have been able to reduce emissions from Scope 1 and 2 by 76 percent. Here, quick wins are possible because Scope 2 is really linked to the source of your electricity,” said Choni Fernandez Veciana, director of central services and sustainability at PortAventura. “Scope 1 and 2 have never been a problem.”
“I think that now it’s time to change our mentality as operators,” she added. “We are going to rank our vendors. We are also going to reward the ones who have this commitment with emissions reduction.”
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was Spain’s first museum to measure the carbon footprint of its direct and indirect emissions. Meanwhile, in the UK, Blenheim Palace aims to become carbon neutral across Scopes 1 to 3 by 2027 and carbon negative by 2050.
“We are clearly working very hard to attract people to emit a lot of carbon to come to us,” said Dominic Hare, CEO of Blenheim Palace. “So we felt from day one we would have to take responsibility for their Scope 3 visitor travel if we are to be carbon balanced.”
7. Reuse and recycling initiatives
The sustainability trend for reuse and recycling projects in the attractions business will almost certainly be in evidence throughout 2024. Disneyland Paris has recently set up myriad recycling initiatives. These include selling a collection of products using the recycled tarp that covered the Sleeping Beauty Castle for its 30th-anniversary renovations. The French resort also created a replica of its castle using 300kg of recycled glass for a waste recycling campaign.
Additionally, Disneyland Paris is testing ‘agrodigesters’ to turn food waste into water for plants. It was the first European theme park to get its own wastewater treatment plant in 2013. The resort is also working with nonprofit organisation SapoCycle to recycle used soaps from its hotels. These are redistributed to families in France. Any worn or damaged costumes from Disneyland Paris are recycled and made into insulating wire or felt.
And at Walt Disney World, a glass pulverizer turns recycled glass into a sand-like material which is used for horse trails in Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and for planting. The pilot has been so successful that it has been extended to EPCOT.
Perks for recycling is another way to help bring about a greener future. Blenheim Palace recently expanded its returnable cup initiative to the entire site. This will prevent the disposal of 400,000 single-use coffee cups and reduce its annual carbon footprint.
The palace partnered with re-universe and Circular & Co. to combine the £2 deposit and tracking technology with a returnable cup. Once visitors have finished their drink, they can return their cup to one of the on-site return points and scan a QR code for a refund.
Tackling plastic waste
Also in the UK, Merlin Entertainments continues to work with Coca-Cola to offer experiences at Merlin’s UK attractions in exchange for empty plastic bottles. The companies encourage recycling via 28 reverse vending machines at 11 Merlin attractions. This includes Alton Towers and Legoland Windsor as well as Chessington and Thorpe Park.
“Plastic waste remains a long-term environmental issue and we are committed to raising awareness and helping establish solutions to address it,” said Dare Ilori, Merlin’s group sustainability director.
“As a global company, we’ll always seek to reduce our impact on the environment with clear, measurable actions. But now we also encourage our guests to respect their own environments and do the right thing for a sustainable future.”
The Lego Group is piloting its brick take-back service, Lego Replay, in the UK. This aims to stop plastic pieces from becoming waste. Returned bricks are turned into new items “that support learning in schools, such as storage boxes for toys”, Lego said.
Lego Replay launched in the US in 2019 and then expanded to Canada in 2021. So far, people in North America have donated more than 230 million Lego bricks. The Lego Group also recently committed to triple its sustainability spending over four years to $1.4 billion.
Reusing existing structures
Minnesota Zoo recently transformed its derelict monorail into a treetop walk. Director/CEO, John Frawley, was inspired by a visit to New York’s High Line to reimagine the structure. Winner of the 2023 blooloop Innovation Award for Sustainability, the project has added accessibility and wellness aspects that connect visitors to nature. Visits to the Treetop Trail are now a “prescription for nature” from the local children’s hospital.
John Frawley, director/CEO of Minnesota Zoo and president at the Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Graham MacVoy, co-founder & managing director at Wake the Tiger, and Carrie O’Keefe, director of business development at EDG & culturenut will speak at greenloop: sustainability in visitor attractions conference 2024 on the topic of innovative reuse and recycling.
8. Electric vehicles
The most exciting news in electric transport recently is Ghibli Park’s Catbus electric vehicle (EV). The real-life My Neighbor Totoro-inspired Catbus vehicles, officially called APM Catbus, are designed to both look and feel like the Catbus from the film. The low-speed, eco-friendly vehicles are based on Toyota’s APM (Accessible People Mover). They carry guests across the Studio Ghibli theme park.
Universal Studios Hollywood is also converting all 21 trams in the Studio Tour fleet from diesel-hydraulic engines to electric. The move will reduce carbon emissions as well as improve the visitor experience by limiting noise from the old engines.
“This is just one of many steps we are taking to transform our business in line with Comcast NBCUniversal’s carbon neutral goal, all while pioneering first-class attractions for our guests,” said Scott Strobl, executive VP and general manager at Universal Studios Hollywood.
This sustainability trend for 2024 can also be seen at theme parks such as PortAventura World and Efteling. Both of these attractions are setting up facilities for EV charging.
Elsewhere, Merlin has now started installing EV charging points at its UK theme parks. “We’re making headway in reducing our annual worldwide carbon emissions and by taking steps like this in installing EV charging hubs across the UK, we are taking action to help pave the way for a greener future and adding to the experience for our guests each year,” Ilori said.
EVs, together with solar and meat reduction, are key tools to get quick wins on carbon reduction. The video below was recorded at greenloop 23. Professor Tim Lenton, a founder of the Global Systems Institute and Chair in Climate Change and Earth System Science at the University of Exeter, explains how positive tipping points could avoid climate catastrophe and what visitor attractions should do ASAP.
9. Green F&B
Another top 2024 sustainability trend is green F&B. Sustainable dining in the attractions industry usually involves getting rid of single-use plastics and offering fewer meat products. Merlin Entertainments is bringing in the former by introducing edible straws made from 100 percent natural sugars. The flavoured and eco-friendly straws are available at Chessington, Legoland Windsor and Alton Towers.
SSA Group, a best-in-class provider of integrated guest services, is launching a compostable candy initiative at three partner zoos. The new packaging features industrial compostable material and is made from renewable materials. The candy within is also free of palm oil.
Disney Cruise Line is committed to being plastic-free by 2025, and significant progress has already been made. In 2018, the company eliminated the use of plastic straws—an annual volume of more than 14.7 million.
Other measures include getting rid of plastic cutlery, stirrers, and condiment packets. Insulated paper cups have also replaced disposable polystyrene cups. In addition, plastic bottles were removed and replaced with recyclable aluminium ones. Refillable water stations are now available in both guest and crew member areas.
Plant-based meals
As for vegan offerings, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s theme parks in California and Florida won PETA’s ‘Vegan Superstar’ award in 2023.
“A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away, vegans practically had to board spaceships to find animal-friendly eats. Now at Disney’s parks, they’re everywhere you look,” said PETA’s senior VP Colleen O’Brien. “For encouraging park-goers to gravitate toward delicious vegan snacks, sweets, and more, Disney’s parks are winning PETA’s praise.”
Per a press release from PETA, each person who goes vegan prevents nearly 200 animals from “enduring miserable lives and terrifying slaughterhouse deaths” every year. PETA added: “Going vegan is also greener than Luke’s lightsaber. Animal agriculture, by some estimates, is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the entire global transportation sector.”
Saudi Arabia’s Neom also recently established a new sustainable food company called Topian. According to a press release, Topian aims to redefine food production, distribution, and consumption through sustainable and innovative solutions. These include climate-proof agriculture and regenerative aquaculture, as well as novel foods and sustainable food supply.
