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Celebrating creativity at the Festival of Innovation

Virtual event explored the latest attractions trends & future tech, while innovation was recognised with annual awards

From 6 – 8 December, attractions professionals from around the world gathered online to celebrate the spirit of innovation that runs through this industry, as part of the blooloop Festival of Innovation 2022.

During the event, experts from across many different attractions sectors presented sessions on the latest trends. They also shared insights and gave their top tips.

You can still register for the Festival of Innovation to watch the incredible line-up of speakers. All sessions are available on demand for 30 days.

In addition, the winners of this year’s blooloop Innovation Awards were announced over the course of the three-day event. The blooloop Innovation Awards, in association with AREA15, recognise the imagination and creativity that drive the attractions business. Over the course of the three days, attendees could explore the Innovation Showcase to see the entries, as well as taking part in the Public Vote.

Festival of Innovation – day one

Immersive Innovations panel with AREA15

The first day of blooloop’s Festival of Innovation kicked off with a panel on immersive innovations.

This was chaired by Jonathan Nowak Delgado, CEO and co-founder of SPREE Interactive, sponsors of the Immersive Innovation Award category. The session included insights from Michael Beneville, chief creative officer of AREA15 as well as Bakit Baydaliev, CEO and co-founder of DOF and Andrew McGuinness, CEO of Layered Reality.

Spree VR bumper cars verona mall
VR Bumper Cars

Some of the exciting new products and experiences discussed in this session included battery-powered VR bumper cars from SPREE Interactive. According to Delgado, these allow guests to feel as if they are “driving in a completely different world.”

Also on show was Mission Space by DOF. This digital park experience puts guests in the centre of an immersive out-of-space experience. “You see space, you see planets. You also see comets passing by, you see supernovas, black holes,” said Baydaliev, describing the experience.

DOF Robotics Mission Moon Welcoming
Mission Space

The idea of centring the guest in the experience and putting them in the driving seat, as it were, was a common thread through all the experiences featured in this session. McGuinness, talking about London’s new Gunpowder Plot experience, said: “People want to play an active role, they want a story to tell, and they need it to be great.”

Audiences experience VR at The Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot. Credit Mark Dawson Photography

Meanwhile, AREA15‘s Beneville added:

“It’s not enough to give [the customer] just an Instagrammable moment anymore. People want to be part of the film… they want their lives to be part of the movie.” On what makes a successful immersive experience, he said, simply:

“Most of all, it just has to blow your f***ing mind.”

Splash: Alan Mahony – Executive Director Attractions, SEVEN

Next, Alan Mahony, executive director of attractions at Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN), reflected on a career in water parks. He also looked at how the guest experience has changed over the last three decades.

After spending ten years in the attractions industry in Australia, Mahony then moved into the Asia market. He helped to open China’s first-ever water park in 1996 and worked in Asia for 25 years. Now, with SEVEN in Saudi Arabia, he is once again on the vanguard of an evolving sector as it expands into more markets than ever before.

chimelong water park world's top water parks
Chimelong Water Park

Opening Chimelong, China’s first water park, was an enjoyable experience, said Mahony. Despite it being an entirely new concept for a lot of guests, within six weeks the park was seeing 35,000 visitors a day. By continually innovating, the team boosted this number further in year two, adding things like evening events and more entertainment. Now, Disney and Universal have raised the bar in the region:

“You had to work towards a higher standard to complete, to survive.”

This meant more innovation: “People like WhiteWater and ProSlide have really raised the game. And the competition between those two groups keeps things going. That’s better for the industry, and for the consumers in the long run.”

Technology has also improved the experience, with things like cashless ticketing and OTAs. “The days of walk-ups are disappearing. We need to understand how the consumers want to buy tickets. As a judge, there were some great innovations in this year’s Innovation Awards, in terms of helping the guest journey through the park. As an operator, that’s critical – guest experience creates more revenue.”

Innovation with Paramount

This was followed by a discussion with Ty Granaroli, executive VP of themed entertainment at Paramount Parks and Resorts, and Marie Marks, senior VP of themed entertainment at Paramount. Together, they looked at what’s new with the company and what innovations and trends they are seeing.

Marks began by outlining the vast scope of the brand. Paramount’s portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, and Comedy Central. “We’ve had a significant year, with number-one hits such as Top Gun, the launch of our streaming service and our second hotel in Dubai. We’re very excited!”

Paramount's Marie Marks and Ty Granaroli at the Festival of Innovation

On the appeal of adding its IP to LBE, Granaroli says it makes complete sense for the brand, and also for the guests:

“To get closer to brands they love – there’s nothing like an immersive themed attraction. We’re making it easier for fans.”

He also noted that these themed experiences don’t necessarily have to mean big thrills. Yes, the big-ticket rides are a key reason for people to visit. But there should be something for everyone, and opportunities to enjoy moments of calm:

“F&B/Retail is a revenue generator but it also allows people to relax and recharge… they’ll spend longer on your site. We’re trying to innovate on comfort.”

bali jembrana regency paramount theme park

During the session, Marks also talked about the potential of the Paramount brand in Bali, where one of the largest theme parks in Southeast Asia is set to open.

Immersive Innovation with Otherworld

Jordan Renda, CEO of Otherworld, then spoke to Festival of Innovation attendees about immersive art experiences and future trends.

Otherworld is an immersive art experience. But it is one that differentiates itself with expansive, reactive & high-tech spaces & art installations, according to Renda. The first venue opened in Columbus, Ohio four years ago. Now, the company is on the verge of opening its second location in Philadelphia.

Otherworld Ohio
Otherworld Ohio

Otherworld offers a different experience each time. There are extra Easter Eggs as well as underlying games and storylines, for extra repeatability. “It’s not just an Instagram museum, there is more depth there,” says Renda.

Yet despite this technology, social interaction is key at Otherworld:

“The puzzles and gamified elements are built to encourage group interaction, to facilitate real human connection. You can’t do that through a computer screen or a headset.”

Innovation at Lionsgate with Jenefer Brown

Lionsgate’s Jenefer Brown spoke about IP innovation in the attractions industry during her session. As executive vice president and head of global products & experiences, Brown has established Lionsgate as a major player in branded entertainment.

The company has many LBE ventures, including Lionsgate Entertainment World, an immersive indoor theme park in Hengqin, China, and a dedicated themed land at Dubai’s Motiongate theme park. It is also behind the Official Saw Escape and Escape Blair Witch experiences in Las Vegas; and The Hunger Games: The Exhibition at the MGM Grand Las Vegas.

Now-You-See-Me-High-Roller
Now You See Me: High Roller

There are live stage shows based on popular titles Dirty Dancing and Now You See Me, as well as live-to-film concert tours of La La Land, Hunger Games and Twilight. Broadway adaptations of celebrated film and TV IPs Nashville and Wonder are also in the pipeline.

The new wave of IP-based attractions allows the company to connect with fans of its IPs on a deeper level. This is because it is no longer confined to staying within the lines of the spaces defined by film and TV, said Brown. When looking at new LBE partnerships and projects, she says Lionsgate is exploring how it can unlock even more unique opportunities for fans.

Twilight Midnight Ride_Lionsgate
Twilight: Midnight Ride

“Immersive is everything, whether it’s a walk-through experience, dining, shopping. There is such a focus right now on how we can bring fans and consumers into a story or a world,” she added.

Lionsgate is also exploring the metaverse:

“A lot of the work that we’re doing at the studio isn’t just thinking about the physical world that we live in. We’re thinking about the digital world as well.” Some of this work has included paying fans to work with the team on new content.

Storytelling Innovation with ARTiSTORY

We also heard from Yizan He, founder & CEO of ARTiSTORY during the Festival of Innovation. In this session, we learned about a new immersive art experience at Singapore’s Changi Airport called Monet: a journey through seasons. This opened to the public in Autumn 2022.

The brainchild of ARTiSTORY, it brings together Changi Airport and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston for a showcase of eight famous landscape paintings from the museum’s world-famous Monet collection. Yizan He said this allowed people to experience the iconic artworks without having to travel across the world.

monet art experience singapore changi airport

He also said that digital content is a key tool for this type of experience. The ability to combine artwork with new technology allows for a deeper connection:

“We’re allowing them to experience the art and interact with the paintings in a whole new way.”

Storytelling Innovation panel with AREA15

For the final session of day one at blooloop’s Festival of Innovation, we had a special session with AREA15 and Storyland Studios, the three-dimensional storytelling firm. This was led by Ben Thompson, partner & chief strategy officer at Storyland Studios, sponsors of the Storytelling Innovation Award category. Thompson hosted a panel of experts who explored top trends and the future of storytelling.

mirador torre glories blooloop innovation awards 2022 people standing in the glass observation deck looking at a sculpture of clouds
Mirador Torre Glòries

Firstly, Elisabet Pons, creative director at Mediapro Exhibitions spoke about Mirador Torre Glòries. This is a next-generation observation deck that rethinks the conventional observation deck model. Located in the Glòries Tower, designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel, it takes a storytelling approach to the concept of an observation deck, bringing together art, science, technology and environmental awareness to help visitors see the city from a different perspective.

Mediapro Exhibitions comes from the storytelling world, said Pons: “We always look at the content first.”

Following this, Victor Schade, creative lead at Jora Vision, a leading design and production company, talked about the Thea Award-winning Quake Lisbon Earthquake Center. For this project, he said that the team knew: “A traditional museum set-up wasn’t good enough. We needed something more engaging. We wanted to push the boundaries.”

Quake Lisbon Jora Vision
Quake

The attraction brings to life the story of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which devastated the city. Jora Vision delivered full design development and turn-key production realisation for the project. The team used their storytelling expertise to make visitors feel like they were being transported to this key moment in history.

Michael Casper, vice president of business development at AREA15, then spoke about how AREA15’s role is as a curator of experiences. Talking about what they look for, he also touched on the importance of story:

“We’re looking for partners that have something creative, and who have an interesting story. Or, people who can work with us to create a new story from the ground up.”

The panel explored how the types of stories that attractions are telling are becoming more complex, moving from a linear model to a multi-branching narrative. A key challenge with these new immersive experiences is how to tell a multi-branching story in a few hours. “Linear storytelling is the norm, it’s easier, but guests now demand more agency. They want to be a participant rather than a spectator,” said Casper.

Storytelling Innovation panel at blooloop Festival of Innovation 2022

Other trends covered by the panel included the rise of blended attractions. Thompson identified that this cross-pollination provides lots of new opportunities. They also looked at IP and branded experiences, and the benefits or challenges of these, with Thompson saying that with big brands, you have a built-in audience, but also an existing narrative that you must stick to.

Finally, on new technologies, the panel agreed that the technology needs to fit the project. Essentially, don’t just use tech for tech’s sake. “We make sure that we are aware of all the latest technology, but it’s not always the best solution,” said Schade.

Festival of Innovation – day two

SEE Monster: Inclusion and Innovation

Day two of blooloop’s Festival of Innovation began with a look at how the SEE MONSTER team repurposed an oil rig into an accessible attraction. SEE MONSTER is a decommissioned North Sea offshore platform, transformed into one of the UK’s largest public art installations.

To start with, Dr Amit Patel, accessibility consultant, spoke about the importance of thinking about inclusion from the beginning of the project. “Inclusion is very much not forgetting anybody,” he said.“Any attraction, you have to think about the masses.” On the design of SEE MONSTER, he added: “It had to look like it just came out of the North Sea and it’s always been there… the art of making things inclusive is when you don’t see it.”

see monster unboxed festival Festival of Innovation
SEE MONSTER

Ollie Howitt, a creative associate at NEWSUBSTANCE, one of the groups behind the installation, added that it was important to make sure that the accessibility within the structure was integral to the design rather than stuck on at the end. As well as thinking about accessible design, Patrick O’Mahony, creative director and founder of NEWSUBSTANCE spoke about the need to make sure that all the senses are triggered throughout the experience.

Patel finished by saying:

“If you’re prepared to think outside the box, you can make it all fit…If we can make SEE MONSTER accessible, there is no excuse for any attraction not to be accessible.”

Guest Journey Innovation panel with Merlin Entertainments

Next, there was an exploration of the guest journey and its evolution, with accesso Technology Group PLC, a leading technology provider. Steve Drake, SVP of global initiatives at accesso, sponsor of the Guest Journey Innovation Award category, chaired a panel discussion about the future of the guest experience.

He was joined by Mary Coriano, head of products and corporate portfolio at Merlin Entertainments. Also on the panel were Mark Locker, founder & CEO at Attractions.io, a leading creator of mobile visitor apps, and Kemal Arin, president & CEO of Showtime Pictures, a leading operator of photography concessions at major tourist attractions.

Coriano began by saying:

“We’re in the business of creating lasting experiences for our guests. We’ve been traditional for a long time in engagement, but since COVID, we’ve used technology to make interaction frictionless.”

purple humanoid robot showtime pictures blooloop innovation awards 2022 photography robot stands in attraction
Purple – Showtime’s humanoid robot photographer

Arin spoke about how the guest journey is sped up with digital products: “In the old days, people used to wait to print pictures, but now visitors can use touchscreens to find photos and get tickets instantly.” He also said that face recognition is getting easier, with some venues (and even airlines) finding it so reliable they are now using it for entry instead of paper passes.

Coriano then shared how R&D is key to the guest journey, with gamification transporting visitors into the world of Mythica at LEGOLAND Windsor.

lego mythica legoland windsor
Mythica at LEGOLAND Windsor

The guest journey continues to be tested and perfected. Drake noted:

“We’re seeing a lot of appetite from attractions for self-service, with the flexibility of phones and kiosks. There has to be the opportunity to mix things up.”

Locker spoke about the benefits of apps, including interactive maps. “We started with our first interactive map in 2009,” he said. “We’ve come a long way since then and have set ourselves the challenge of creating the best mapping software on the market.”

Attractions.io Chester Zoo mobile app map Festival of Innovation
Chester Zoo’s mobile app map, by Attractions.io

He also added that venues considering sustainability should look to incorporate digital resources as part of the guest journey. “Printed maps aren’t very environmentally friendly and small changes mean new print runs. Digital can be changed in real-time.”

Innovation in Creative Technology with AREA15

Later in the afternoon, Chad Kunimoto, global business development for LBE & Immersive UX at Panasonic Connect, sponsor of the Creative Technology Innovation Award category, chaired a panel discussion about the future of technology. During this Festival of Innovation session, she was joined by Mark Stutzsman, chief technology officer at AREA15 and Thomas Hale, VP of creative at Spatial.

The panellists all agreed that technology is a useful tool to bring experiences to life. For instance, Stutzsman said: “You can very easily change an event with multiple layers of AR on top of the stage or throughout the venue and it can be gamification of an entire venue.”

Panasonic immersive_experience
Panasonic tech supports immersive experiences

He added: “The more we can get [guests] to participate in their visit and gamify that visit and make them want to come back to continue that game, the more powerful our venue is for our guest.”

Meanwhile, Hale looked at the impact of audio technology:

“We believe sound has a huge impact on how we as humans feel and interact within a space. So, we’re focused on building experiences that make everyone feel part of the action.”

“Sound and audio are crucial parts of the immersive experience,” agreed Kunimoto.

Experiential Technology Innovation panel with Walt Disney Imagineering

Day two of the Festival of Innovation wrapped up with a panel discussion about experiential technology. This was chaired by Martin Howe, chief executive officer at Dapper Labs. It also featured insights from Asa Kalama, executive VP of creative & interactive experiences at Walt Disney Imagineering and Yiannis Cabolis, director of technology innovation at Electrosonic, an international technology services firm.

Howe began with a broad definition of experiential technology. Essentially, it is technology that, in some way, improves or enhances the guest experience. On the rise of experiential technology in attractions, Kalama says that the increasing demand for personalisation from guests is a key driver.

“People want to be seen,” he said, talking about how today’s visitor wants to be a participant rather than an observer. Guests want to feel like the attraction is tailored to them for a more memorable experience. They also want to share their role in it with others, for instance on social media.

happy-family-at-star-wars-land-on-millennium-falcon-ride Festival of Innovation

Cabolis said that bringing experiential technology into spaces can certainly enable more engaging storytelling. However, it should be seamless. The technology needs to be integrated properly into the experience from the design stage. He also says it has great potential when it comes to accessibility. For instance adding interactives that can be accessed by visually impaired visitors, or those with hearing impairments.

On what the guest journey might look like in the attraction of the future, Kalama talked about return visits, and how people are increasingly expecting attractions to remember them when they come back, after having these engaging and personalised experiences that turn into memories. As technology develops, we should see this kind of interaction becoming more the norm.

When asked about the metaverse, Kalama spoke about how the Disney company will celebrate its centenary in 2023. He said:

“What has allowed Disney to thrive for so long is the symbiosis of storytelling being at the heart of everything we do, alongside a willingness to embrace the latest technology in the service of telling these stories…We will continue to take advantage of new platforms and technology.”

Disney-Avengers-Spiderman-WEB-TECH

The panel also touched on wearables. Cabolis said that, again, these can allow for more accessibility. Meanwhile, Kalama added that they can be a powerful tool when it comes to telling more stories and engaging on a deeper level. Other experiential technology explored during the sessions included haptics, which they said is also a useful tool for adding depth to an experience.

Finally, looking to the future, Howe asked the panel what kinds of experiential technology they are most looking forward to. Cabolis said polysensory experiences will deliver a leap in how we engage with attractions. Kalama said he is excited about developments in volumetric holograms.

Festival of Innovation – day three

Themed Environment Innovation panel with Warner Bros Studio Tour and National Gallery Global

The final day of blooloop’s Festival of Innovation began with a discussion on themed environments. First, this featured James Dwyer, design director at Lumsden, a design firm specialising in retail and F&B for visitor attractions and sponsor of the Themed Environment Innovation Award category. We then heard from Sarah Roots, EVP of Warner Bros. Studio Tours & Retail at Warner Bros. Studio Operations, as well as Julie Molloy, MD, National Gallery Global.

Starting off with an explanation of the kind of work that Lumsden Design does, Dwyer talked about cultural commerce. This, he said, offers a chance to engage visitors in new and inspiring ways. “Essentially, we are creating spaces that connect people with their passions.” The company has worked with several much-loved brands, including Harry Potter and The National Gallery. Dwyer added:

“We want the experience to be seamlessly continued into the shop. We’re not just tagging on a gift shop – it has the be integral to the experience.”

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter Festival of Innovation
Warner Bros/Lumsden

Sarah Roots then gave an update on what’s new with the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, including the opening of Profession Sprout’s Greenhouse at the London attraction. She also spoke about how excited the team is for the new Harry Potter Studio Tour in Japan. With this new venture, as with all of its projects, the team is looking to add something new to the fan experience:

“We know that visitors want more interactive experiences and more immersion.”

In addition, she talked about the trend for personalisation. “People want something that is different and new. People are looking for things that are more personal, that are more close to them.”

Finally, Roots left Festival of Innovation attendees with an exciting insight into some new tech:

“We are in the process of launching a caster wand, literally a magic wand. That is a huge new development for us, so it will be interesting to see how that rolls out and allows people to take the magic into their own homes.”

national gallery sainsbury wing
National Gallery

Following this, Julie Molloy discussed how her team are working to improve the guest experience at the National Gallery. Post-COVID, she says they had an opportunity to do something new in terms of retail, as well as F&B and other visitor facilities.

The museum wants to deliver a more seamless guest journey. Plans for the future include the addition of more experiences, like continuing and hopefully extending Summer on the Square events and engaging people beyond the walls of the National Gallery.

On its work with Lumsden, Molloy added that the museum wants to rethink its retail spaces. “Let’s make it a powerful, bespoke experience. We want to connect our guests with our art, in line with our purpose. It should also be unique.”

Sustainability: WAZA Carbon Guide with Two Oceans Aquarium

World-Association-of-Zoos-and-Aquariums-Short-Guide-on-Reducing-Offsetting-and-Measuring-Carbon-at-your-Zoo-or-Aquarium

Next, we heard from Helen Lockhart, conservation & sustainability manager at Two Oceans Aquarium. In a session on sustainability, Lockhart presented details of WAZA‘s Carbon Guide, for which she was an editor. She also delivered some home truths about why everyone within the visitor attractions industry must get their act together now.

The new Carbon Guide, created by WAZA in partnership with Two Oceans Aquarium, Zoos Victora, Marwell Wildlife and more, is available here.

In addition to this, WAZA has a whole host of resources available to help both operators and suppliers in their sustainability journey, including guides on sustainable palm oil and single-use plastics. They’re free to access, here, and also widely applicable.

The Art of the Pitch with Steve Tatham

Then, Steve Tatham, executive creative director at Universal Creative, explained the art of the pitch to Festival of Innovation attendees. He started by saying:

steve tatham

“I’m going to tell you how to get what you want…and you do that through the pitch. We all do it every single day.”

Tatham provided inspiration in the form of filmmaker Preston Sturges, who convinced countless executives in the 1930s about his screenplays, with strong pitches for his connected ideas.

Another example Tatham talked about is Thomas Schultz. How do you turn almost worthless art into something worth almost $90 million? Schultz discovered how to with the pitch, by using the emotionally charged story of an undiscovered artist, Arthur Pinajian, whose life’s work was left in a garage to gather dust.

For Tatham, there are five key aspects that any compelling pitch should feature: 1) Major Idea 2) Emotional Hook 3) Setting & Imagery 4) Character, Conflict and Change, and 5) Supporting Facts. He also spoke about how the ending is important too:

“Once you make the sale, stop selling! If you go on for 20 more minutes, that’s 20 minutes they have to turn around and say no.”

Looking at the blooloop Innovation Award entries, Tatham said that Meow Wolf is on his list of immersive experiences to see in person. He also added that he was inspired by Aquatic Development Group‘s accessible surfing product.

Blue Sky panel with AREA15, Merlin & Mall of America

This Festival of Innovation session featured an expert panel, looking at blue sky trends and innovations. They also shared what they look for in new experiences. The speakers were Justin East, global senior creative director, R&D at Merlin Entertainments; Chris Grap, VP of experiential at Mall of America and Kimberly Beneville, co-founder of Beneville Studios.

Mall of America

Beginning by talking about what he searches for in terms of attractions innovation, East said: “You’re looking for something that is unexpected, surprising and compelling… that blows your socks off.”

Beneville added: “We look for storytelling, depth of experience… and emotional connection,” while Grap said: “I rely on a lot of old magic.”

When it comes to new developments in tech, the panel agreed that: “Everybody will always want a good show – [new technologies] are all tools”. On the magic of AREA15, Benneville also said:

“We really love to push the boundaries and keep everybody playing – this is supposed to be fun.”

Innovation with AREA15

For the final session of the Festival of Innovation, we held a live Q&A with AREA15’s Winston Fisher, where he gave an update on AREA15’s latest developments.

AREA15 was one of Fisher’s “wild ideas”, he said, which came to life as a result of the decline of the mall and the rise of the experience economy. “It’s really a content box, full of art and innovation as well as incredible experiences…it’s about making memories.”

Talking about how it fits in with other Las Vegas experiences, he also said:

“We are authentic – we’re complementary but also radically different. We’re Vegas born, and we speak to the creative side of Vegas…the community here is dynamic.”

AREA15

On lessons learned so far, Fisher spoke about the limitations the team have encountered. But: “We don’t mind trying things and then changing things.” He added: “In hindsight, we do need more event space!”

AREA15 is now branching out in the licensing world, working with new partners, including an expansion in Saudi. “We’re also really excited about opening in Orlando. We’re building something that isn’t there yet, we’re adding to the experience.”

In terms of innovations that he’d like to see develop, Fisher talked about the metaverse and the digital overlay, as well as the possibility of embedding this deeply into the physical experience. “That would be really exciting, in terms of the guest experience.”

see monster unboxed festival
SEE MONSTER

Lastly, reflecting on his role as a judge for this year’s blooloop Innovation Awards, he highlighted both SEE MONSTER and Summit One Vanderbilt, as well as Feel Every Beat. He also added: “We’re supposed to push the envelope and think outside the box – that’s what these projects have done.”

Blooloop Innovation Awards winners announced

During blooloop’s Festival of Innovation, the winners of this year’s Innovation Awards were also announced.

This year, there were more than 120 entries, across 13 categories. These were judged by a panel of thought leaders and industry insiders, including experts from Merlin Entertainments, Universal, Mall of America, Eden Project, Meow Wolf, AREA15, Paramount, Saudi Entertainment, California Academy of Sciences, reefLIVE and more.

Blue Sky

Creative Technology, sponsored by Panasonic Connect

Experiential Technology

unit9-vodafone-feel-every-beat Festival of Innovation
Feel Every Beat

Guest Journey, sponsored by accesso

Immersive Attraction, sponsored by SPREE Interactive

Immersive Experience, sponsored by SPREE Interactive

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Transcendence in the Evening, a chapter of AIR
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

Inclusion

Spectacular

Thinkwell Harry Potter forest trail
Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience

Splash

Storytelling, sponsored by Storyland Studios

Sustainability

Themed Environment, sponsored by Lumsden Design

Jora Vision  Quake Festival of Innovation
Quake

Thrills

The public vote and best in show

Attendees at the Festival of Innovation 2022 also had an opportunity to see all the entrants, and to vote for their favourite.

The winner of the Public Vote was DOF with Mission Space, its immersive digital park experience. Meanwhile, Summit One Vanderbilt from Electrosonic was voted best in show.

For a round-up of some of the key trends seen at this year’s Innovation Awards, from sustainability to innovative uses of audio, see our post here.

Thanks to all our sponsors for their support, and congratulations to all of this year’s winners and runners-up.

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charlotte coates

Charlotte Coates

Charlotte Coates is blooloop's editor. She is from Brighton, UK and previously worked as a librarian. She has a strong interest in arts, culture and information and graduated from the University of Sussex with a degree in English Literature. Charlotte can usually be found either with her head in a book or planning her next travel adventure.

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