Funworld September 2010

by Marc Lourdes

The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre has now seen it all. The state-of-the-art conference and exhibition facility, smack in the middle of the tropical Southeast Asian city and surrounded by lush gardens, has hosted events ranging from defense expos to jewelry shows to education fairs to political gatherings.

But if the center’s walls could speak, they would probably say July 14, 2010, was unusual even by their standards.

IAAPA’s Asian Attractions Expo 2010, held for the first time in Malaysia, saw the usually staid and serious halls of the convention center turned into a surreal fairyland of rides, games, and high-tech products and services, all designed with one purpose in mind: to give guests thrills and spills and memories to last a lifetime. Then again, what else could one expect from a trade show that involves the best and biggest players in the global amusement park industry?

Asian Attractions Expo 2010 was a success by any measure, shattering both attendance and exhibition records for the annual event, the largest of its kind in the region. This year there were 212 exhibiting companies from 30 countries, up from 142 exhibitors and 26 countries in 2009. Those businesses showed their wares across a sellout space of more than 4,000 square meters (43,000 square feet), up a thousand square meters (10,763 square feet) from last year. Meanwhile, more than 3,200 buyers (up from 2,900 last year) turned out for the event.

Malaysian Tourism Minister Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen, when launching the event, seemed almost awestruck: “I should have asked my son and grandson to come. This is like a theme park, in a way. I wish more events were as participatory and as stimulating to the senses as this one is.”

Dr. Ng enthused about having more theme parks in Malaysia and spoke about carving out niche markets, such as jungle-themed parks and facilities that reflected the country’s “Malaysia Truly Asia” tourism slogan.

Dr. Ng’s words must have been sweet music to IAAPA Chairman Chip Cleary’s ears: “When you look at the globe, the action is in Asia. The level of construction here is very impressive. As the economy emerges, there’ll be more and more visitors.”

The growth of consumer demand in Asia was reflected by the amount of floor space taken up by exhibitors eager to share their products with the burgeoning market. Alterface Building CEO Benoit Cornet was pleased with the increase in attendees, and said Asia has become the market to test new ideas and products. “Everybody presents new products here, and they then have a couple of months to finalize it for Europe and the U.S.,” he said. “Asia is a trend setter.”

For Ronald Allen James, a project superintendant at Malaysian company Z’odd Design Sdn Bhd, the Expo had a sentimental tinge: “For me, it’s like a homecoming. I’ve been in the industry for 18 years, and I get to see a lot of old friends.”

John Swartebroeckx with scenic design firm Theme builders Phillipines said, “The show outcome was beyond our expectations.” He said representatives from his company talked with a number of serious prospects and noted a great deal of decision making was taking place at the show.

The satisfaction all around was reflected by attendees in the number of queries at the IAAPA booth about next year’s event, which will be held in Singapore in June 2011. Meanwhile, more than 60 percent of the show floor is already contracted for next year’s show.

Networking Events Visit Local Attractions
Asian Attractions Expo participants were given the chance to take part in two excursions. One was a behind the- scenes tour and beach party at Sunway Lagoon, Kuala Lumpur’s renowned waterpark. The 88-acre facility, with five different concepts, has previously won the Best Asian Attraction Award three years in a row and is arguably the standard-bearer of the Malaysian amusement park scene.

Sunway Lagoon made it a quartet of awards in as many years when it picked up the Best Medium Sized Attraction at the Asian Attractions Awards 2010 during the Expo. India’s Taj Mahal was named the Grand Winner, Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore won the Large Attraction Award, and Sentosa 4D Magix came out tops in the Small Attraction Category. Sunway Lagoon also picked up the Best Waterpark prize.

There was also a post-show trip up to Resorts World Genting Highlands. Affectionately known among locals as The City in the Clouds, Genting Highlands is one of the world’s largest integrated theme park resorts, featuring casinos, indoor and outdoor theme parks, and frequent events, concerts, attractions, and activities.

Industry players were also given the chance to rub shoulders at networking galas. The Opening Reception was held at the lower level of the Convention Centre, at Aquaria, a world-class aquarium. Attendees toured the facility, took in the mermaid show, and enjoyed the drinks and hors d’oeuvres as they built relationships with other industry players.

The Young Professionals Reception, closed to industry “veterans,” was held at 7 Atenine, one of Kuala Lumpur’s swankiest nightspots. The industry’s future movers and shakers were given the opportunity to get to know one another over drinks at a place recently awarded the Best Restaurant Bar Award 2010 by Singapore Tatler.

Who Said Learning Isn’t Fun? Education Program Focuses on Marketing, Operations
The education program this year focused on two main areas: marketing and operations, the result, Cleary said, of input from an IAAPA committee that includes representatives from Asia. Safety was accorded a full-day seminar of its own the day before the trade show floor opened and was attended by a record 170 people.

During the event Jim Seay of Premier Rides Inc. gave an overview of ASTM International ride standards and discussed ongoing standards harmonization efforts. Gary Wong, engineer for the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department of the Hong Kong government, discussed government relations issues in Asia. Specifically, he addressed how rides are regulated in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, related legislation, the regulatory process, and personnel issues. Finally, Noble Coker of Hong Kong Disneyland gave an overview of the park’s approach to safety, including discussions of design/engineering, operations, guest expectations/satisfaction, performance alignment, partnering with guests in safety through communication tools, and engaging Cast Members in safety.

The remaining three conference days were dedicated to the other two focus areas. Here’s a sample:

• Ocean Park Hong Kong Sales and Marketing Executive Director Paul Pei shared his theme park’s strategy for dealing with regional competition. His mantra—gleaned from his 89- year-old father—was simple: “Never pick a fight with someone bigger than you. You’ll lose and you’ll hurt real bad.”
  
  Instead, his strategy was to make the product different from its competitors and not try to take them head on. Pei shared the creative solutions his company came up with that helped the company survive competition and thrive because of it.
  
  
• Sentosa Leisure Group Commercial Director Susan Ang and Ocean Park Hong Kong Executive Director of Revenue Joseph Leung presented ideas on using marketing to increase revenue operations. Ang’s advice was to turn an amusement park product into an experience and to focus on one or two approaches: for example, value for money, instead of adopting a scattergun policy. And in keeping with the fast pace of modern technology, she counseled using social networking and online technology for marketing purposes.
  
  Leung, meanwhile, cautioned his audience to control their destiny before somebody else did and told them to change before they were forced to. He also spoke in favor of parks owning their own retail and food and beverage outlets as opposed to leasing out space to third parties.
  
  
• Hong Kong Disneyland Vice President of Park Operations Noble Coker, the impossibly youthful-looking and exuberant American, entertained as much as he educated. He pointed out a 5 percent increase in the rate of customer retention increases profits from 25 percent to 100 percent. He also shared some of the Disney magic that entices visitors to return again and again.
  
  Coker’s talk, filled with amusing anecdotes and self-deprecating humor, essentially focused on how to “stage” experiences and “create” memories. His tips included involving all the guests’ senses during the entertainment, creating a harmonious storytelling experience, giving people value for money, and, most important, ensuring employees of an amusement park, though having different jobs, share the same role: entertaining the guests.
  
  
• Another showman whose flamboyance was appreciated by attendees was The Sudden Impact! Entertainment Company Chairman and CEO Lynton V. Harris. Harris highlighted how important it is to create an emotional connection with a theme park visitor, insisting that live theater and entertainment provide an emotional connection that mere rides, no matter how outstanding, would be hard pressed to replicate. “It’s all wood until you bring it to life,” he said. “Good theater is about engaging people and getting an emotional response.”

Harris brought along an actor playing a zombie bellboy to his presentation. The zombie stood still with a goofy grin on his face before creeping around the room unnoticed to scare the living daylights out of one of the ladies in the audience. The victim was freaked out, the rest of the room was amused, and Harris had proven his point.

Marc Lourdes is currently a producer for Malaysian TV station, Bernama TV. He has previously worked at Malaysian papers The Star and the New Straits Times as well as at the St. Louis Post- Dispatch in Missouri.