InnovateX, a new forum dedicated to exploring the power, potential, and future of the experience economy, took place in London on 10 March 2026.
Hosted by industry trade body Experience UK, the event gathered over 280 operators, creators, and suppliers from the experience economy for a day of insights, inspiration, and networking at the Science Museum’s IMAX Theatre in London. The event concluded with an evening networking mixer in the Power Up Gallery.
Sir Chris Bryant from the Department for Business and Trade opened the conference with a landmark statement highlighting the sector's increasing economic importance, noting that "there’s a third industrial revolution which has happened, and it’s about experiences."
The comment marked a key milestone for the industry, highlighting the government’s acknowledgement of the experience economy and its growing role in trade, exports, and the UK’s national economic strategy.
Currently valued at £140 billion per year, the UK experience economy is projected to grow by an additional 5% this year, further establishing the country’s leading position in delivering world-class visitor experiences.
The evolution of the UK experience economy
Throughout the day, speakers discussed the sector's evolution in art, technology, storytelling, and large-scale visitor attractions.
A key theme throughout the conference was the swift emergence of immersive arts and their expanding impact on cultural spaces and commercial locations.
Patrick Moran of Barbican Immersive described immersive arts as fast becoming the ‘sixth art form,’ reflecting a growing appetite for participatory cultural experiences that blend storytelling, technology and spatial design.
Wake the Tiger. Image credit Giulia Spadafora
Graham MacVoy of Wake The Tiger and Rachel Belam of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield discussed the intersection of immersive culture and retail, revealing plans for Europe’s largest immersive arts project, currently in progress.
For Westfield, this initiative aims to create top-tier destination experiences that attract a wide range of visitors. Meanwhile, Wake The Tiger seeks to transform the experience economy with purpose-driven, innovative, and sustainable settings supported by original intellectual property.
Tech-enhanced experiences and analogue immersion
Technology’s influence on shaping future experiences was a central theme at the conference.
In his keynote, Roger Highfield OBE, science director at the Science Museum Group, discussed how human pareidolia—the tendency to see patterns or intelligence where none exist—can cause misplaced trust in artificial intelligence.
He emphasised that the aim shouldn't just be to develop smarter systems, but to create richer, more meaningful human experiences.
Furthermore, Leeds Castle and 1956 individuals showcased insights from the Queen Eleanor exhibition, demonstrating AI's opportunities and responsibilities.
This innovative installation employs conversational AI to animate a 13th-century queen, offering audiences a new way to connect with history while considering ethical and historical interpretation.
Crystal Maze: The Live Experience Crystal Maze: The Live Experience
As technology advances, speakers emphasised the lasting significance of physical, analogue experiences.
Matt Stubbs from Little Lion Entertainment discussed the success of The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience, launched over ten years ago, which helped establish a new type of innovative theatre.
By combining theatrical storytelling with gamification and audience participation, the concept redefined concepts such as immersion, gamification, and personalisation, showing how impactful experiences can be achieved without relying heavily on digital technology.
New attractions & insights
InnovateX also highlighted several major visitor attractions poised to open in the near future, creating new opportunities for collaboration in the sector.
One of these was The London Tunnels, touted as one of the world's most ambitious cultural and visitor destinations. The project plans to feature both permanent and temporary exhibitions, globally recognised intellectual property, an immersive cultural zone that transports visitors through various environments, and the deepest bar in any global capital city.
Meanwhile, Puy du Fou shared plans to expand on the success of its French park with a UK site set to open in 2029. This proposed £600 million investment could generate over 8,000 jobs over the next ten years.
The development includes 13 major shows, a spectacular night performance, four themed villages, three hotels with a total of 350 rooms, a conference centre for 300 to 4,000 delegates, and landscaped gardens with more than 20,000 trees.
The conference also saw the launch of two key industry reports prepared for Experience UK.
The Museum & Culture Venues Global Market Opportunities Report, created by AEA Consulting, analyses the potential for museums, arts, and cultural venues worldwide over the next five years.
Simultaneously, the Global Attractions Market Report, developed by Leisure Development Partners, provides a data-driven review of the growing theme park and water park industries, highlighting key growth drivers, market sizes, and country-specific opportunities.
Members of Experience UK can access both reports in their entirety through the Members’ Hub on the website.
Momentum and growth
Ian Clappison, CEO of Experience UK and organiser of InnovateX, says: “InnovateX brings together the people shaping the future of the experience economy, from cultural institutions and attractions to technology innovators and creative studios.
"The conversations we’ve seen today demonstrate the extraordinary momentum behind this sector and the role the UK can play in leading its global growth.
"With government recognition, major new attractions on the horizon and groundbreaking work happening across immersive storytelling, AI and live experiences, the future for the UK experience economy has never looked more exciting.”
InnovateX is scheduled to return in March 2027.
